Johannesburg - Adult basic education and training (Abet) teachers have slammed the Limpopo Education Department for slashing their salaries, allegedly without discussion.
A teacher who previously earned about R5 600 a month had her salary reduced to R1 254. Additionally, an amount of R78.96 is being deducted from her.
“They deduct it and pay it to the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council,” she said.
She requested that her name not be mentioned for fear of reprisal. She said she had been an Abet teacher for six years.
The salary cut started in September, said another Abet teacher who is in a similar predicament.
“The salary cut started when the department integrated us into Persal (the public service personnel and salary system), because initially we used to claim for the hours we worked,” this teacher said.
He said they were still expected to work for two hours over three days a week despite the salary cut. Abet teachers’ salaries for October and last month were affected.
“We are sinking into debt. We can’t service our loans and we have children who we need to feed,” a teacher added.
The department had not employed them permanently even though they had been in the positions for years.
They also complained that they don’t have a fixed, specific pay date.
“In September, we were paid on the 22nd, in October it was on the 27th and last month we got paid on the 28th. You can’t plan your life,” she said.
On Tuesday, a group of Abet teachers met in Polokwane to join the South African Abet Educators Union (SAAEU), an affiliate of the Federation of Unions of South Africa.
“We are joining SAAEU because we have been abused, it’s enough,” another teacher said.
Spokesman for the provincial Education Department Paena Galane blamed the Abet teachers for their woes.
He said the teachers had insisted on being integrated into the Persal system despite warnings that it was not in their best interests. “It was not us who initiated it, it was them,” he added.
Galane said the teachers were warned that the Persal system would automatically make deductions from their salaries.
He said a task team had been established to resolve the problem. “It will report back on how best we can address this issue,” he added.
The Star