MEC shocked at teachers' allowance cut
2013-01-25 12:19
Johannesburg - Limpopo education MEC Dickson Masemola was shocked to learn
about the termination of teachers' rural allowance, his spokesperson said on
Friday.
"The MEC therefore commits himself to engage with the Minister [of
Basic Education Angie Motshekga] in order to reinstate this incentive. He is
extremely disappointed with this decision to terminate the incentive," his
spokesperson Pat Kgomo said in a statement.
Kgomo said the MEC committed himself to speedily resolving the matter.
On Thursday, the SA Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) said it was dismayed
that the provincial education department had terminated teachers' rural
allowance.
"As Sadtu, we view this action in a serious light and we feel it is a
clear provocation of our members. We will not take this lying down," Sadtu
provincial secretary Matome Raphasha said in a statement.
Not properly informed
He said teachers were not properly informed about the decision in a circular
issued in December 2012. They were surprised to realise their salaries had been
cut.
"These educators woke up on 22 January 2013 to find their salaries
reduced. This decision flies in the face of the discussions that were already
taking place at both the provincial and national Education Labour Relations
Council," he said.
It was not "fair" to cut the salaries in the middle of the
financial year. The money had been budgeted for a period of 12 months.
"They should have consulted and said in April 2013 we will terminate
this allowance."
The rural allowance was meant to retain teachers working in deep rural
areas, and in no fee and remote schools.
He said the cut of the incentive would discourage them from working in those
areas.
"We wish to inform the department that targeting educators' allowances
is a bad strategy that will be met with a concomitant action of monumental
scale."
The union threatened to mobilise its members in the province to embark on a
strike in the next two weeks. On Friday, national education spokesperson
Panyaza Lesufi said he knew nothing about the matter and he referred queries to
the provincial spokesperson.
The education department has been under administration since 5 December
2011.
- SAPA
