SA pupils strike over Zimbabwean teacher's wages

South African pupils closed down an East London school yesterday when they locked out their teachers in protest against the Eastern Cape department of education's failure to pay the salary of a Zimbabwean teacher.

Learning came to a standstill at Mzamomhle's Mzamowethu Public School near Gonubie yesterday when hundreds of pupils refused to allow teachers entry to the premises.

They demanded that the East London education district office pay the school's accounting teacher, Sipho Ndlovu, who has not received a salary for the past seven months.

But South African education superintendent-general Modidima Mannya said an investigation would have to be conducted around the appointment of Ndlovu before he could get paid.

"He is a foreign national and had no work permit when he was appointed by the school governing body. This is against the law."

Mannya said according to the SA Schools Act it was against the law to appoint a foreign national without a work permit, while all teachers should also be registered with the SA Council of Educators.

Though Mannya said it was within the SGB's right to appoint a teacher, the correct processes were not followed. Parents appointed Ndlovu in July last year.

According to SGB member Vuyisile Gxwala the department had promised to take over paying Ndlovu's salary in January.

Both Gxwala and Ndlovu said there had been a "verbal" agreement with the department in this regard.

But Mannya disputed the claim and said the department would not make such an arrangement.

A pupil said they were fed-up with the department.

"This is our teacher and he has been at the school for almost a year. We want him to receive a salary like other teachers."

Ndlovu said he was an experienced teacher with five years working experience at a high school in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

"I don't have a teaching qualification, but I hold a BSC Accounting degree from the University of Zimbabwe," he said.