Lecturers have downed tools at KwaZulu-Natal's Mthashana FET College on the Nongoma campus demanding that they be permanently employed.

Lecturers have downed tools at KwaZulu-Natal's Mthashana FET College on the Nongoma campus demanding that they be permanently employed.

Sowetan learnt that there has been no teaching since Friday despite examinations being due to start on March 15. Yesterday students were sent home because there was no one to teach them.

SRC president Rodney Mthenjana said students discovered that lecturers were on strike when they got to campus on Friday.

Mthenjana said the lecturers informed them that they had grievances against management that had not been attended to since last year.

"They told us that management had promised to employ them permanently, but that had not happened. The lecturers then decided to go on strike. This is affecting the students because they will be writing exams soon," he said.

Thabani Mdluli, a lecturer and shop steward on the campus, said they had decided to go on strike after management failed to honour agreements reached last year.

"We had agreed with all rectors last year that all lecturers would be given permanent posts and other benefits, but instead, our colleagues at Elangani FET College were expelled," he said.

He said all the resolutions taken in May last year have not been met. Iinstead the "complete opposite has happened".

"All we want is for management to keep their promise, and we will go back to classes," Mdluli said.

The provincial department of education was not available for comment yesterday.