Cosatu says 27 000 vacant teaching posts need urgent addressing

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has expressed severe concern over the over 27,000 vacant teaching positions in South Africa while the nation grapples with high unemployment rates. This revelation came after Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube's written reply to parliament, which disclosed that more than 2,600 teaching posts had been frozen as of June 30th.

Gwarube clarified, however, that this should not be misconstrued as all positions were deliberately frozen due to budget limitations. The Eastern Cape leads the list, with over 5,000 empty slots, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 4,700 and Gauteng with more than 3,900. Cosatu's Communication officer, Nonzuzo Dlamini, urged the government to act swiftly, warning that the situation poses a serious threat to the learning and teaching processes.

The National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (NAPTOSA) shared similar apprehensions, highlighting the concerning 2,700 frozen posts. Executive Director Basil Manuel emphasized the worry around these figures, questioning the reasons behind the freezes and the implications of not appointing educators even temporarily.