Cosatu threatens strike over teacher job cuts in Western Cape

A strike is imminent, Cosatu in the Western Cape says, after attempts to resolve issues concerning teacher job losses have failed at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac).

Cosatu Western Cape approached Nedlac in October concerning pending job losses in the Western Cape Department of Education (WCED) after it announced its decision to terminate 2 407 teacher posts in January, citing the National Treasury’s budget cuts to several departments.

Meetings were held between the Nedlac Standing Committee, the union and Education MEC David Maynier on October 16 and December 4.

The Nedlac certificate on the outcome read: “At the meeting on October 16, it was agreed that the applicant should await the engagement between the Minister of Basic Education and the National Treasury and to see whether there would be funding from the fiscus when the Minister of Finance presents the Medium-Term Budget Policy (MTBPS) at the end of October 2024.

A further meeting was arranged for December 4 where the respondent indicated that sufficient funding was not provided in the MTBPS or other sources.

“The Standing Committee agrees that the issues raised by COSATU Western Cape could not be resolved. Therefore, on 4 December 2024, the Standing Committee deemed this section 77(1) (b) of the LRA notice by Western Cape as having been considered. Any protest action arising from this notice, in line with the provisions of the LRA, would be Protected.”

Cosatu provincial secretary Melvern de Bruyn said they would meet with all stakeholders first to discuss their plan of action, but they would strike.

GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron said the deadlock certificate permitted teachers to participate in a protected protest.

“The deadlock is consistent with the bad faith and dishonest conduct of the Western Cape Education Department. They have not acted honestly or in good faith since March 2024. In March 2024, when they tabled their 3-year budget, they were already aware of the public service wage agreement.

Their budget still balanced, included an increase in the number of staff, and makes no provision for cutting teacher posts. The WCED either tabled a dishonest budget in March or they are guilty of a monumental and reckless error,” he said.

Meanwhile at a debate on the Education Adjustment Budget in the provincial legislature on Friday, Maynier said they could not save the posts.

“We did all of this to try to avoid a Basket of Posts reduction and deliver on a balanced budget for the 2024/25 financial year. Unfortunately, it was not enough. After implementing the Basket of Posts reduction, we brought the budget deficit in the current financial year down to R405.8 million, we were still short on funds to break even and cover our expenses. So, an additional allocation of R250 million was provided to help us close the gap, and we dealt with the remaining deficit by making even more severe non-personnel budget cuts.

“This all had to be done just to break even at our current learner numbers and our current staff level after the post reduction. The unearmarking of R600 million in infrastructure funding gives us some maneuverability in finding ways to deal with growth pressure in the 2025 school year. But, the R600 million is allocated to infrastructure projects such as new schools, replacement schools, and additional classrooms. These projects are already underway, and it is vital that they be delivered, so using this facility will be an absolute last resort,” said Maynier.

ANC leader of the opposition, MPL Khalid Sayed said the budget was “a failure of planning, management, and morality”.

“Most critically, it fails the children of the Western Cape. While the department’s budget has increased by nearly R550 million, these adjustments fail to address basic inequalities. Despite allocating over R400 million for staff salaries, the MEC continues with the decision to cut 2 407 teaching posts.

The impact of these cuts is devastating. The hardest-hit areas reveal the inequality: Athlone will lose 60 teachers, Atlantis 38, Belhar 46, Delft 78, Khayelitsha 142, and Mitchells Plain a staggering 176. In stark contrast, affluent areas like Gordon’s Bay will lose only 10 teachers, Constantia just 3, Claremont 9, and Blouberg a mere 5. These disparities lay bare the deliberate neglect of poor and working-class schools, entrenching systemic inequality. Meanwhile, bloated administrative roles remain untouched,” said Sayed.

South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) Western Cape secretary Sibongile Kwazi said they were disappointed that the WCED “doesnt prioritise the provision of educators to schools”.

“The fact that some budget is going towards infrastructure, but cutting down on the teachers doesn’t make sense. In 2024, they built more classrooms, in the same schools they built more classrooms they reduced the number of teachers,” said Kwazi.

Cape Times