STATEMENT BY SADTU STUDENTS’ CHAPTER: RESPONSE TO SACE CEO ELLA
MOKGALANE’S REMARKS.
We, the SADTU Students Chapter, are compelled to express our outrage and indignation
regarding the disgraceful remarks made by Ms Ella Mokgalane, the CEO of SACE,
during our address at the SADTU Provincial Conference held in Free State from April
22nd to 24th, 2026. Her belittling characterization of our sincere concerns as a “populist
stunt” is not only an affront to our integrity but also a blatant dismissal of the genuine
struggles faced by unemployed graduates in our nation.
Our address was a clarion call for justice, equity, and accountability in the education
sector. We shed light on the unfair and exorbitant subscription fees that SACE imposes
on unemployed graduates, fees that act as a significant barrier to entry into the very
profession they wish to serve. These fees are not mere numbers; they represent the
dreams, aspirations, and potential of a generation eager to contribute to the educational
landscape of South Africa. By undermining our address, Ms Mokgalane has insulted not
just us, but every young person who dares to aspire to a career in education, only to be
met with systemic obstacles engineered by those in power.
Ms Mokgalane’s flippant remarks mask a deeper issue: a pervasive ignorance within
SACE about the realities that new educators face. The challenges of unemployment,
financial instability, and the lack of resources are not abstract concepts to be dismissed
casually; they are the lived experiences of countless talented individuals who are being
thrown into a vicious cycle of despair by an organization that claims to represent their interests. The insensitivity demonstrated by Ms Mokgalane serves to highlight a troubling disconnect from the very individuals SACE purports to support.
In a time when our country requires visionary leadership to uplift and empower the next
generation of educators, Ms Mokgalane has chosen to wield her platform as a tool of
mockery rather than of progress. We refuse to stand idly while our name, our message,
and our struggles are derided as mere theatrics. This is not a game; this is our reality.
Our voices deserve to be heard, respected, and acted upon, not trivialized to fit a narrative of populism that has no bearing on the valid concerns we raised.
We call for an immediate reassessment of the fee structures imposed on aspiring educators, coupled with a sincere commitment to engaging in dialogue with the Students Chapter and other stakeholders. Until SACE can demonstrate an understanding of the urgency of these issues and an authentic desire to ameliorate the circumstances facing unemployed graduates, we will not be silenced by patronizing statements that obfuscate the truth of our situation.
The SADTU Students Chapter will continue to stand firm in our quest for justice within
the education system. We will not be deterred by dismissive comments; rather, we will
use them as fuel to amplify our message. Ms Mokgalane’s refusal to engage meaningfully
with our concerns will not deter us; instead, it will galvanize us to fight even harder for
systemic change and equity in education.
Let this be clear: we demand respect, accountability, and, above all, action. Education is
not a privilege for the few; it is a right for all. We refuse to accept a status quo that
perpetuates inequality and stifles potential. The time for empty rhetoric is over; it is
time for tangible change.
Issued by National Coordinator
Xolani Dube