The National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (NUPSAW) handed over a memorandum to the Office of the State President

demanding a stop to the practice of transferring funds to Early Childhood Development Centres who pay themselves fat salaries every month, but forcing workers to live below the lower-bound poverty line and below the food poverty line just for mere existence. 
NUPSAW is appalled by the insulting stipend of R6,00 per hour that Early Childhood Development (ECD) Practitioners are earning for many years without having received any increase. 

The memorandum also addressed the so-called segregation that has been done by the MEC for Education in the Limpopo Province, Ishmael Kgetjepe. Practitioners based at various public ordinary schools are paid R7000 per month while those who are still paid through the NGOs receive the slavery wage of R6,00 per hour, leaving them exposed to exploitation and self-enrichment. 

NUPSAW is of the view that the Government is well-capable of paying these workers through the Persal system and to do away with these so-called NGO’s which are probably used as a façade to cover up for corruption 

NUPSAW, therefore, demands from the Government to integrate ECDs with the Department of Basic Education so that the large sums of money sent to the NGOs will be used to pay duly deserving workers. 

As per the SONA rendered by the President “With over 700,000 children accessing early childhood education in the last financial year, we have established a firm foundation for a comprehensive ECD program that is an integral part of the education system. 

‘This year, we will migrate responsibility for ECD centers from Social Development to Basic Education and proceed with the process towards two years of compulsory ECD for all children before they enter grade 1”. 

NUPSAW took upon itself to fight for the liberation of ECDs from the exploitation of the Department of Social Development and Department of Basic Education. On Tuesday 05 March 2019, NUPSAW handed over a memorandum to the Office of the President with the words “Mr President these are your words and you should act on them as soon as in Yesterday .” 

“The approach your government has taken to continue outsourcing the services is a very upsetting and unnecessary expenditure. For many years, ECD Practitioners and their support staff, have not seen an increase in salaries and have been seriously exploited by these two departments. It is very much disappointing to note that the departments do not view this as financial mismanagement. NUPSAW stand opposed to the direction the department has taken to put the middleman in dealing with ECDs. There is no need for awarding such a huge amount of money to NGOs to do what the Department of Basic Education should take full responsibility of through the Persal System which is available at no cost,”says Mr. NJ Sekgota, Limpopo Provincial Deputy Secretary, NUPSAW. /END 

For More Information: 

Mr. N.J.Sekgota 

Provincial Deputy Secretary 

NUPSAW Limpopo 

083 296 7869 

MR Solly Malema, National Organiser, NUPSAW

082 323 2958