Teachers face salary deductions as Gauteng Department of Education enforces “no work, no pay” after national Sadtu protest.
Sadtu National Strike: The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has confirmed it will enforce the “no work, no pay” policy for all teachers and office-based staff who participated in the South African Democratic Teachers Union’s (Sadtu) recent national strike. The department’s move comes after thousands of educators joined a mass protest on Wednesday, April 24, to highlight worsening conditions in public schools.
Why Teachers Took to the Streets
Sadtu’s protest, which drew support from trade union federation Cosatu, targeted the departments of basic and higher education, as well as the National Treasury. Marchers voiced their frustration over deepening budget cuts in education, which have resulted in:
- Critically high pupil-to-teacher ratios
- Inadequate school infrastructure — including a lack of halls, libraries, laboratories, and classrooms
- Severe teacher shortages and unfilled posts
- Delayed payments for scholar transport
- Poor wages for Grade R educators
- A dire lack of support staff such as teaching assistants and substitute teachers
The union’s memorandum painted a grim picture of the public education system, stating that provinces like Gauteng, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal are grappling with combined budget shortfalls of nearly R9 billion. “Our special schools are in a deplorable state, unfit even for animals,” the document declared.
The Department’s Response: No Work, No Pay
In an official memo dated April 22, Gauteng education head of department Rufus Mmutlana reminded school principals that, according to the Labour Relations Act, the employer is not required to pay employees for services not rendered during a strike.
“The GDE will apply the principles set out in Circular 25 of 2010 (Strike Management), which is ‘no work, no pay’. The principle applies for the full day, even in cases of partial absence,” Mmutlana wrote.
The department instructed all schools to submit attendance registers by 10:00 on April 24. These records were to be consolidated by institutional development and support officials (IDSOs) and sent to district labour relations offices for final payroll processing.
Department spokesperson Steve Mabona confirmed that salary deductions will be made based on the submitted data. “The principle will be implemented accordingly,” Mabona said.
Sadtu’s Stand: A Willing Sacrifice
Sadtu spokesperson Nomusa Cembi emphasised that members were fully aware of the consequences. “This isn’t the first time the ‘no work, no pay’ rule is applied. Our members are prepared to sacrifice their salaries because they demand change,” she said.
The union’s list of 17 demands includes calls for the immediate hiring of qualified personnel for vacant posts, proper funding for educational institutions, and an overhaul of current budget allocations which they believe have crippled service delivery.
What This Means for Education in Gauteng
This bold move by the GDE is likely to further strain relations between the department and Sadtu, especially as the education crisis continues to deepen. While the policy may discourage future unprotected strikes, it also raises questions about the state’s responsiveness to legitimate grievances regarding infrastructure, staffing, and funding in public schools.
As South Africa’s public education sector stands at a crossroads, both government and unions will need to find common ground — or risk further destabilisation of the country’s most vital social investment: its learners.
Also read: Over 1 Million Applications for 44,000 School Job Opportunities in South Africa’s 2025 Program
