The teachers who said they were legally employed told The Zimbabwean that their salaries had been cut by between 30 and 40 per cent.
The teachers, employed by the South African government in the Northwest province and working at public schools under quota work permits said they were now being paid less than R7 000, regardless of qualifications.
Last year, our salaries were pegged at R9 000 for those carrying diplomas, while those with degrees earned R13 000, but those salaries were cut without notice effective January, said a spokesperson for the teachers, who requested not to be named for fear of victimisation.
All Zimbabwean teachers in the province now earn slightly above R6 000, with the highest paid among us getting a basic monthly salary of R6 800, regardless of whether you have a diploma or degree.
Nothing was negotiated with us beforehand on why the salary cut was necessary. Everything just came out of the blue without any advance communication and the reasons behind it.
The province recorded one of the worst pass marks in the countrys Matric examinations last year.
Teachers in other provinces, however, were still being paid their full salaries.
This has nothing to do with the results of last year because South African teachers in other provinces are still being paid in full, added the spokesperson.
The spokesperson said they had been told different reasons. Some teachers had been told that they will get their outstanding money at the end of the year while others were told that their teaching diplomas were inferior compared to the diploma programmes offered in South Africa.
Some of the officers told the teachers that they were not sure why the salary was cut while others were told that their contracts had not yet been received.
One salary officer told us that she was sorry, but the issue was beyond her control, and was not also briefed on why the salaries were cut.
The teachers said they suspected fraud.
An official from the Ministry of Basic Education, who professed ignorance on both the salary cut and its possible reasons, promised to investigate the issue and take appropriate action should there be any need.
I am sorry I cannot say much on the allegations because the department will have to get the full details first, after which we will then be able to investigate what really happened, said the official.
Post published in: News