The Eastern Cape education department needs to answer questions regarding the non-payment of temporary teachers and failure to fill 7500 vacant posts, the DA said on Monday.
MP Edmund van Vuuren said the Democratic Alliance was seeking an urgent meeting with the portfolio committee on education to demand “concrete and final answers” on these matters.
“Morale among teachers is at an all time low... stress levels are unbearable, banks are repossessing vehicles and homes, and people have been blacklisted because they have not received their salaries,” he said in a statement.
Van Vuuren claimed temporary teachers appointed in January had not been paid and the department had failed to fill 7500
substantive vacant posts. In addition, about R68 million in outstanding leave gratuities had not been paid to retired teachers.
“There have been so many different responses from the department. No one is coming with a definite message,” Van Vuuren said.
“One wonders how the MEC 1/8Mandla Makupula 3/8 and his secretary general would cope without pay for six months.”
The department of education in the province was not immediately available to comment. - Sapa