ANC lashes Soweto teachers

'At the centre of the problem is a decline in discipline, particularly among the teachers'

Teachers who left the classroom to support an SA Democratic Teachers’ Union leader at a court appearance in Gauteng must be fired, the provincial ANC said on Tuesday.

“The department must fire them,” said ANC Gauteng secretary David Makhura.

He expressed concern about the teachers in Soweto who protested outside court on Monday in support of Sadtu’s Gauteng chairman, Moss Senye.

Senye, who hit headlines last week when he called Education MEC Barbara Creecy a Satanist, is facing charges of assaulting a pupil.

Makhura said the ANC was worried about the state of education in  Soweto — and believed it was caused by some teachers from the trade unions.

“Some rogue and disruptive elements within the teachers’ unions are central to the disruption and destruction of the education system in Soweto.

“At the centre of the problem... is a decline in discipline particularly among the teachers.”

Pregnancy rates and disruptions at Soweto schools had increased, Makhura said.

Some teachers went on wildcat strikes, beat up pupils and threatened parents.

The party would meet its ally Cosatu and the Sadtu provincial leadership to discuss the matter.

An education summit in Soweto would also take place.