MK YOUTH LEAGUE CONDEMNS POLICE FOR “ATTACKING” PROTESTING GBY ASSISTANT TEACHERS

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By Dimakatso Modipa

Two former assistance teachers shot with rubber bullet in Tshwane photo by Dimakatso Modipa
Two former assistance teachers shot with rubber bullet in Tshwane photo by Dimakatso Modipa

The Umkhonto We Sizwe Youth League (MKYL) has condemned the police for “attacking” protesting Gauteng Youth Brigade (GYB) assistant teachers at the headquarters of the Department of Basic Education on Thursday.

Before the protesting assistant teachers were dispersed by police, spokesperson of the Gauteng Youth Brigade assistant teachers whose contracts were terminated on Wednesday Mamello Segale from Randfontein told Tshwane Talks the following:

“We are here today to vent out our grievances because on the 12th of July 2024 we went to the Union Buildings to submit a memorandum but on Monday this week we were informed by the Department of Basic Education that our memorandum “fell between the cracks” of their busy schedule, so we then submitted another memorandum to Premier Panyaza Lesufi but he hasn’t yet responded to our demands,” said Segale.

“We also sent another memorandum to the Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube in this regard,” she said.

“The reason we are here is that we are demanding answers to all the memorandums that we have submitted to the aforementioned authorities,” said Segale.

“While we were in the process of negotiating with the department’s officials regarding the termination of our contracts, the Premier’s office released a media statement wherein it asserted that the department never promised us anything regarding permanent posts and that our contracts were rotational; that similar contracts would hence be given to other people who hadn’t been working as assistant teachers before,” said Segale.

“Now my colleagues and I are vulnerable, confused and frustrated because Lesufi himself promised us that our contracts would be extended forever and ever until the government does something alternative for us,” she said.

“Panyaza is the one that has caused all the confusion and now we are standing at the gates but there is no solution,” said Segale.

Former assistance teachers camping at Department of basic education to demand their jobs back photo by Dimakatso Modipa
Former assistance teachers camping at Department of basic education to demand their jobs back photo by Dimakatso Modipa

“Our president (Cyril Ramaphosa) announced that he has created 2 million jobs yet 32 000 youths from the GYB will be unemployed going forward?” fumed Segale.

“The sad part of this whole situation is that it is only a black child who is suffering here and not a white child,” she enthused.

“How can Panyaza play “mraba-raba” with us because as youths we have goals and need sustainable jobs, and by being enlisted in this assistant teachers programne we are not supposed to further our studies, now what are we supposed to do now? she said.

“We have already built a rapport with the kids, the teachers and the school and by terminating our contracts Lesufi us is breaking everything that we have built,” lamented Segale.

Later on, police used teargas, rubber bullets and water cannons to disperse the protesting assistant teachers who had blockaded the entrance of the Basic Education headquarters.

“Thiba ka Mona, Thiba Ka Mola Panyaza Wa Re Tlwaela,” (Hold the fort this side and hold the fort on the other side because Premier Panyaza Lesufi is taking us for granted,” sang the enraged assistant teachers in protest at the headquarters of the Department of Basic Education before they were dispersed.

One of the protesting assistant teachers who was shot with a rubber bullet Gugu Thwala told Tshwane Talks the following:

“At the time we were shot at we had blockaded one of the entrances to the headquarters with stones peacefully in the morning, police then came and blamed us for blockading the entrance and removed the stones, we then didn’t do anything further and after the department’s workers were evacuated from the headquarters, water cannons and teargas were used by the police to disperse us,” said Thwala.

He said they had not damaged any property, were unarmed and peaceful in their protest action and that the police had the audacity to use violence as the department’s workers were safely out of danger, this after being evacuated from the premises.

Meanwhile, the MK Youth League responded to this incident via a media statement on Thursday as follows:

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