The Citizen reports that the Johannesburg School for Autism was brought to a standstill on Wednesday after teachers belonging to the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) downed tools in their second strike in two weeks.
Teachers were protesting the alleged ill-treatment of staff and deteriorating working conditions, while accusing the school administration of nepotism, irregular appointments and maladministration. The school caters for 319 pupils with autism. Sadtu’s Tlou Chosi said they wanted the school appointment processes to be handled by an independent panel rather than the governing body because the present system was open to nepotism and irregular appointments. “When you hire someone, you are supposed to start internally and have consultation. What is happening now is that you just see someone being hired,” claimed Tlou. But according to some staff members, the union was on strike simply because it wanted the vacant principal position to be filled by its own member and not the current acting principal. Gauteng education department spokesperson Steve Mabona has since said that “all was back to normal” at the school. He indicated: “All concerns have been attended to by our officials. All disruptive employees will be taken to task, necessary disciplinary processes will be undertaken accordingly.”
- Read the full original of the above report by Simnikiwe Hlatshaneni at The Citizen
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