Sadtu court ruling ‘bittersweet’

Magope Maphila (foreground), deputy president of the SA Democratic Teachers' Union attends their national general council at a Kempton Park hotel in eastern Johannesburg on Friday, 25 October 2013. The decision to suspend Sadtu president Thobile Ntola was not made lightly, Maphila said on Friday. Picture: Werner Beukes/SAPA

Magope Maphila (foreground), deputy president of the SA Democratic Teachers' Union attends their national general council at a Kempton Park hotel in eastern Johannesburg on Friday, 25 October 2013. The decision to suspend Sadtu president Thobile Ntola was not made lightly, Maphila said on Friday. Picture: Werner Beukes/SAPA

Published Sep 23, 2014

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Port Elizabeth - The High Court in Bisho ruling in favour of the SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) national executive committee (NEC) against the union's Eastern Cape leadership was bittersweet, Sadtu said on Tuesday.

“Whilst we have been vindicated by the judge, we are taken aback by the fact that the union had to be hauled before the courts of law by one of its own structures,” Sadtu said in a statement.

“This is despite having a constitution that informs our internal organisational processes.”

The fact Sadtu had won three court cases in less than three months in applications brought against it was indicative of a misdirected and regressive approach adopted by others to address organisational matters.

“Every member is duty bound to uphold the union's constitution, respect higher structures and adhere to decisions that have been taken,” the union said.

“Any action by an individual member or structure contrary to this will create fertile ground for the seeds of divisions. Our unity is sacrosanct, let us all beware of the wedge drive, let us defend Sadtu.”

The union's Eastern cape leadership had approached the court to contest decisions taken by the Sadtu NEC.

The one decision, taken on July 22, was that the province be put under administration and its affairs managed by the national office jointly with the provincial office.

The other decision was that a thorough investigation into certain circumstances surrounding the Eastern Cape provincial conference be lodged.

“This was after official objections were received from some structures within the province about the same,” Sadtu said.

“We must highlight that according to our constitution, Sadtu is a unitary structure with the highest decision-making body in between national general councils and congress being the National Executive Committee.”

Decisions taken at the NEC were binding on all other structures.

As part of the application being dismissed, Eastern Cape provincial secretary Mncekeleli Ndongeni was ordered to pay costs.

Sapa

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