Nedlac refuses Sadtu WC strike certificate over job cuts

CAPE TOWN - Nedlac has called on the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) in the Western Cape to engage the provincial education department, before protesting against pending teacher job cuts.

The National Economic Development and Labour Council has refused to issue the teachers’ union a certificate to proceed with its planned strike. 

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Sadtu planned to strike and protest outside Parliament on Wednesday.

The protest was set to coincide with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's tabling of the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS).

"We are still adamant on the fact that they cannot afford the 2,407 posts that were declared in excess in this regard. Posts that Cosatu took it over, and then we launched an application, an urgent application for a section 77 strike that was mediated by Nedlac. We did not get the certificate to strike," said Sadtu provincial chair Vusi Zweni.

Zweni added that the union plans to meet with the provincial education department at the end of this month to explore further solutions regarding the job cuts.