Teachers' unions reduced to burial societies-BOSETU

Shandukani Hlabano was responding to the amendment by the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs to include teachers as part of essential services. Government has moved swiftly and amended the Trade Dispute Act to include teachers as essential services, which means that they can no longer participate in any industrial action over wages.

However, Hlabano said that the unions were not consulted nor informed of the decision to amend the Act. "They should have consulted us as unions because one cannot do certain things that affects the lives of other people without seeking their input," Hlabano said.