Frank Maponya
Frank Maponya
The nationwide strike by public servants has left close to 4000 temporary teachers in Limpopo without pay.
Ndo Mangala, spokesman for the Limpopo Department of Education, said yesterday that 3769 teachers had not been paid their salaries because of the strike.
"We are aware that temporary teachers have not been paid because of the strike.
"But there is nothing we can do until the strike is resolved," Mangala said.
He said cheques were available at the offices of the provincial Treasury Department.
"But because there are specific officials to sort them out, and those who collect them, we cannot ourselves take the initiative because that is outside my scope," Mangala said.
The teachers are normally paid by cheque. According to Mangala, there was hope that they could get the cheques on Thursday.
"We will communicate with school principals as and when the cheques are available so they can go and fetch them and distribute them to the relevant people," he said.
A teacher who spoke on condition of anonymity said the non-payment had led to a delay in the payment of his accounts.
"Now that we are going to be paid later, are these people going to pay for the arrears?" asked the teacher, who has been employed as a temporary teacher in Giyani since September 2005.