Minister Admits Union-Driven Jobs-for-Sale Scandal in SA Schools, Promises Action
Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga on Thursday acknowledged the scandal of jobs for sale in schools across South Africa – an issue raised by a newspaper last year – and said that criminal cases will be started to stamp out the “widespread” practice. After City Press reported in April 2014 that teacher and principal posts were being […]
Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga on Thursday acknowledged the scandal of jobs for sale in schools across South Africa – an issue raised by a newspaper last year – and said that criminal cases will be started to stamp out the “widespread” practice.
After City Press reported in April 2014 that teacher and principal posts were being sold by members of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU), Motshekga appointed a team to investigate, according to news reports. Their findings have not been released in full, but the minister gave crucial points to a media briefing on Thursday.
“The interim report confirms that there is corruption and undue influence on the appointment of teachers and school principals‚” the minister said.
Motshekga said that unions – SADTU in particular – ran and controlled more than half of the provincial departments of basic education. Most problems were found in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
“We are aware of the stronghold of unions in some provinces,” she said, adding that in some provinces, the unions appeared to control the government.
The investigation, led by MIET chairman Professor John Volmink, found that jobs were sold for anything from R5,000 to R50,000. The scandal involves unions, school-governing body members, and circuit and district officials. He said arrests were imminent, one news report said.
Motshekga promised to freeze some teacher and principal posts and appoint a human resources team to deal with the appointment of principals. She said that there were weaknesses in the system’s basic education value chain, it was reported.
“This practice cannot be allowed to continue,” she said. “As a department we will engage all our stakeholders and ensure that we put in place a more stringent regime that will allow only those who qualify and are competent to be appointed.
“Merit must be the only determining factor when it comes to appointments.”
Motshekga said she would ask the police and the National Prosecuting Authority to handle cases brought to them with speed.