2016-11-10 06:01
Precious.Gumede
PHOTO: precious gumede Esayidi TVET College staff picket outside the central office.
MEMBERS of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (NEHAWU) SACP and staff of the Esayidi TVET College in Ugu District picketed outside the college's central office in Port Shepstone, asking management to forward their concerns to the Department of Higher Education.
The picketers were disappointed, however, because when they got to the office to hand over the memorandum no one was there to accept it as arranged with management prior to the picket.
NEHAWU branch chair Yolanda Khumalo said the aim of the picket was for college management to be the messenger that would take their concerns to the department head, not to fight management.
The South African Communist Party district organiser, Sifiso Ndlovu in the health sector, addressed his members saying he supports their action and will be part of the march that has been organised at provincial level to take place on 10 November in Pietermaritzburg.
Eventually Dr Nzimande arrived and accepted the memorandum from the branch and organisation chair Chad Davey, saying he was delayed in a meeting and apologised saying that the person he delegated to accept the memo did not arrive.
The memorandum raised issues pertaining to the enrolment of students, who will be doing their National Certificate Vocational (NCV) level in 2017, wages, retraction of contracted staff of which over a 100 lecturers have received letters of termination of contracts, among others.
Dr Nzimande said he accepts the memorandum and will be submitting it to the department head before 10 November.
"I hereby accept the memorandum. I have been made aware it is for the department and not the college. I will make sure that it gets to them before the next march," said Nzimande.
After his acceptance staff and supporting members dispersed peacefully. The Department of Higher Eduction was contacted for comment, but none was forthcoming at the time of going to press.
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Local/South-Coast-Fever/esayidi-tvet-staff-picket-20161109