GALOOME SHOPANE South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) feels “vindicated” that basic education Director General , Bobby Soobrayan will face a disciplinary hearing. This is according to Sadtu, Secretary General Mugwena Maluleka. Maluleka says “Soobrayan will finally have to answer to what he allegedly did to the department.”
The hearing comes after an investigation into the allegations made by Sadtu to the Public Servants Commission (PSC).
Soobrayan will be on ‘voluntary’ special leave until the hearing is complete.
According to a statement issued by the Basic Education spokesperson, Panyaza Lesufi, this is to “afford him[Soobrayan] the space to adequately prepare his defence once the disciplinary process commences within a period of ten days as stipulated in the relevant prescripts.”
Maluleka says “we believe that those particular transgressions are serious and dismissible in their own nature.”
“We’re not going to keep quiet because he is going to the hearing, we know the struggle still needs us to be vigilant and be more prepared to take this forward,” says Maluleka.
“We will continue to ensure that we raise everything that we are not happy about in order to restore collective bargaining and to protect the future of our children,” says Maluleka.
In April the union held nation-wide protests demanding that Soobrayan and Basic education minister, Angie Motshekga to resign.
Sadtu later suspended the protests following an agreement with Motshekga.Sadtu has also previously accused Soobrayan of financial mismanagement and incompetence.
Retired high court Judge Willem van der Merwe has been appointed to reside at the disciplinary hearing.
Meanwhile Paddy Padayachee will be the acting Director General until the disciplinary matter against Soobrayan is concluded.
