NEHAWU Supports SASCO National Day Of Action
Tuesday October 13, 2020
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] supports the South African Students Congress [SASCO] National Day of Action to position Technical and Vocational Education and Training [TVET] Colleges as institutions of choice.
The National Day of Action is taking place tomorrow [Wednesday October 14, 2020] and will be in the form of marches which will be directed to the Presidency at the Union Buildings, National Parliament and the nine offices of the Premiers in provinces. NEHAWU National Office Bearers [NOB’s] will be deployed to attend and address these marches as follows:
- Western Cape: Cape Peninsula University of Technology [CPUT] District 6 to Parliament. NEHAWU President Mzwandile Makwayiba will address at 9am.
- Limpopo: Peter Mokaba Stadium to the Premiers office. NEHAWU 1st Deputy President Michael Shingange will address at 9am
- Eastern Cape: ECUFH Sports Ground in Bhisho to the Premiers Office. NEHAWU 2nd Deputy President Nyameka Macanda will address at 9am
- KwaZulu-Natal: King Dinizulu to City Hall. NEHAWU General Secretary Zola Saphetha will address at 9am
- Pretoria: Burgers Park to Union Buildings. NEHAWU Deputy General Secretary December Mavuso will address at 9am
As NEHAWU, we support the demands by our reliable ally in the higher education terrain. We believe that an urgent transformation of the TVET sector is needed if these colleges are to play a serious role in providing education and skills to young people. Some colleges do not even have working Wi-Fi connections which is essential in this digital age.
For years more attention have been paid to the success of universities while less attention have been paid to TVET colleges. Currently, universities receive more funding than TVET colleges and this has resulted in underdeveloped colleges that are not well equipped to fulfil their mandates. Even the National Students Financial Aid Scheme [NSFAS] has different funding levels for both TVET AND university students. TVET college students receive less funding than their university counterparts.
The national union calls for the revamping of the curriculum of TVET Colleges as it is outdated and does not prepare students for future employment. Infrastructure development must be prioritised as most of these colleges have minimal lecture spaces without laboratories and no accommodation for students. During the State of the Nation address President Cyril Ramaphosa made a commitment to build 9 new colleges, however, no work has been done in this regard up to so far.
Most College Councils always delay the issuing of certificates and diplomas to students which leaves them very frustrated as they can’t participate in the job market. This has been a demand of NEHAWU for years and we believe that this matter must be resolved immediately as it has disadvantaged students for years on end.
On the bargaining front, NEHAWU is still busy with forcing the Department of Higher Education and Training [DHET] to implement in full our settlement agreement post our strike in 2019. The national union will not rest until all our demands in both the TVET and CET sector are fully met by the department for the benefit of our members and workers.
Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat and DHET
Zola Saphetha (General Secretary) at 082 558 5968;
December Mavuso (Deputy General Secretary) at 082 558 5969;
Khaya Xaba (NEHAWU National Spokesperson) at 082 455 2500 - email khaya@nehawu.org.za