KZN stands to loose 19 000 teaching posts.
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KwaZulu-Natal braces for the possible loss of 19 000 teachers.
Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana said the teaching posts in the province are at risk due to significant budget cuts.
The minister has been trying get approval on the 2% VAT increase, which he said could have provided relief from the financial strain - but this proposal was rejected by members of GNU.
Mr Godongwana said the government faces significant challenges in funding front-line services, including paying essential workers such as teachers and doctors.
“We have had challenges in funding front-line services, health education, and so on. A few weeks ago, there was a march to my offices by doctors.
"As we speak, there is the threat of losing 19 000 teachers in KZN. As we speak, there is a challenge even with their current employment levels to even pay the existing employees,” Minister Godongwana said.
The KZN Department of Education is also battling financially, with around 80% of its R65 billion budget allocated to salaries. This has resulted in important infrastructure projects being underfunded in the province.
Mlungisi Ndlovu, spokesman for the Public Servants Association (PSA) said they were outraged by the 19 000 teachers being affected by the budget cuts.
“This reckless financial mismanagement directly threatens the future of education in the province and jeopardises the livelihoods of thousands of dedicated educators. The Minister of Finance has admitted that government is struggling to fund essential services, including education and healthcare. This is a direct consequence of inept fiscal planning, wasteful expenditure, and misguided policy choices. The PSA finds it completely unacceptable that government prioritises political patronage, bloated bureaucracies, and fruitless expenditure whilst undermining core pillars of service delivery,” said Mr Ndlovu.
KwaZulu-Natal has the highest number of public schools in South Africa, with more than 6 000 institutions and an impressive 89.5% matric pass rate. Mr Ndlovu said this progress is now at risk owing to government’s failure to ensure financial sustainability in the education sector. Should these 19 000 teaching positions be lost, the consequences will be catastrophic, resulting in overcrowded classrooms, and severely impacting the quality of education.
“Remaining educators will face increased workloads, leading to burnout and reduced effectiveness. There will further be a rise in youth unemployment, as qualified job-seeking educators will be without opportunities. These severe learning disruptions will disproportionately affect underprivileged communities,” said Mr Ndlovu.
He added that the PSA refuses to accept the excuses of government leaders who have failed to act responsibly. The crisis in the Department of Education is a direct result of financial mismanagement and corruption, as evidenced by stalled infrastructure projects, misallocation of resources, and a lack of consequence management for corrupt contractors. The PSA demanded a full investigation into these failures and the immediate prosecution of those responsible for siphoning public funds.
“The PSA demands that National Treasury, the KZN Department of Education, and the Presidency take urgent action to prevent this crisis from unfolding. We are calling for a moratorium on educator job cuts, ensuring that no educator is dismissed owing to budget shortfalls,” said Mr Ndlovu. “The immediate reallocation of funds is required, prioritising frontline services such as education and healthcare. A forensic audit into abandoned school projects is needed, with legal action taken against all implicated parties. Unemployed qualified educators should be absorbed to addressing job creation and classroom shortages. Transparency in budgeting is further required, ensuring that education is protected from reckless austerity measures.”
Mr Ndlovu added that the PSA will not stand idly by while government dismantles the public education system. The Union said they will take every necessary action, including legal challenges, and other actions to defend the rights of public servants and the future of South Africa’s pupils.