DECLARATION OF THE 2012 PROVINCIAL GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN DEMOCRATIC TEACHERS UNION in NORTH WEST

HELD at MMABATHO PALMS on the 28th -30th SEPTEMBER 2012

The 145 delegates of the Provincial General Council (PGC) drawn from Provincial Executive Committee members and Branch delegates representing more than 19 000 educators in the Province, met to undertake the following tasks:

  • To evaluate strides made since the last PGC.
  • To operationalise the 2011 Provincial Conference resolutions.
  • To evaluate the implementation of the decisions of all Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) meetings held during the period under review (October 2011 to September 2012).
  • To ratify decisions of all PECs conducted during the period under review(October 2011 to September 2012).

Having noted the above, inter-alia the PGC resolved as follow:

  • That SADTU pledges support for the President’s Judicial Commission of enquiry in Marikana and condemn acts of opportunists by opposition parties, political vultures and NATU.
  • That SADTU through COSATU must embark on a campaign that seeks to support COSATU Unions and NUM in particular against the pseudo-unions.
  • That the union to intensify the membership service campaigns.
  • That the union to embark on a campaign that seeks to advance the objectives of 2030 SADTU Vision.
  • That the ANC leadership collective that was elected in Polokwane must be retained.
  • That SADTU within the North West Province must strengthen leadership-unity for quality membership-service.

And further resolved

  • That there must be a programme of action to force the employer on withdrawing the practice of competency test.
  • That the Union to reject the intention to subject Grade 12 markers to competency test.
  • And cause the Department of Education in the North West province to discontinue the Annual Provincial Assessment (North West Provincial Assessment)

In conclusion the PGC noted the level of discipline demonstrated by the delegates during the live of the PGC and applauds itself for this act of unity.

The PGC further appreciated the support demonstrated by MDM structures, alliance, the National Office and International Teachers Union.

We as delegates return back home with a clear conscience that the PGC met its constitutional mandate and its deliberations and resolutions will go a long way into shaping the policy direction of SADTU in the North West Province and deepens the revolutionary task of the union.

In that way continuing with serving and servicing members, recruiting and retaining members and recommitting ourselves and SADTU members and leaders to the unity and cohesion of all SADTU members and leaders of the union.

“ together we will triumph”

We unanimously agreed with Lenin who in 1920 said; “we must learn from our history in order to take a decisive step forward to the future that we must build for the working class today”

As we do that we as the 2012 PGC delegates of SADTU North West can boldly affirm that the future of SADTU and its members will not die in our hands but we will fight for the improvement of conditions of service for SADTU members and education workers in general.

We will reject any external or internal attempts that seek to sow divisions and disunity amongst the SADTU members and leaders.

We shall triumph, we shall overcome, we shall strive selflessly to “STRENGTHEN LEADERSHIP UNITY FOR QUALITY MEMBERSHIP SERVICE”