SADTU KZN statement regarding vaccination and call for the increase of Vaccination Sites
22 June 2021
The 23rd of June 2021 has been announced as the start date for the vaccination of teachers and other education workers. This progressive move is welcomed by SADTU in KZN based on the understanding of how critical it is for teachers and education workers to be prioritised for the vaccine. Teachers and education workers are vulnerable as a result of the nature of work they do. This call for vaccination of teachers and education workers was made by SADTU as early as when there were indications that our country was in the process of securing some vaccines. Therefore, SADTU has all the reasons to be excited when dates are issued for this important process to unfold.
However, SADTU in KZN is concerned by what appears to be a shabby planning that is currently observed in some districts in the province. While it appreciated that the MEC convened unions and school governing body associations, on the 21 June 2021, to give a report on the state of readiness by the department but SADTU in the very same meeting raised a concern with the number of vaccination stations/centers or sites which appear to be disregarding the vastness of the education districts in KZN.
Any reasonable person would have understood that the education department is the largest in terms of number of schools and number of workers therefore increasing the number of vaccination sites would assist the vaccination programme to be rolled out within the stipulated timeframes.
With the information that we have collected from our regional structures (provided in the table below) it is clear that districts are not at the same level of readiness and can’t provide the required information which our regional leaders needed for them to be able to guide teachers and other education workers as they continue to ask their leaders about where they should go for them to be vaccinated. This is a gap created unnecessarily. Notwithstanding this, the Union appreciates the hard work done by some districts which made sure that they develop clear plans, communicate timeously and been inclusive in their planning. SADTU believes that in these districts vaccination of teachers and education workers will start smoothly.
It is unfortunate that unions have been excluded in the planning stage and were only convened to just receive a report on a plan said to be informed by engagements by department of health and department of education. Fortunately, SADTU was able to emphasise the point that a glossy plan on paper is totally different from the actual plan that gets implemented as we expect to see things happening on the 23rd of June. On this day, informed by information we have, we expect chaos. We therefore want members to know that as far as we know as the Union what is happening in districts is what is summarised in a table below
SADTU understands how important it is for teachers and education workers to receive this vaccine and as such the Union will continuously engage the employer so that interventions are made in instances where there are challenges. Yesterday in the meeting SADTU called for involvement of unions and that the task teams that were established in 2020 to manage COVID-19 need to be resuscitated. These task team serve as a platform where we can positively engage and make meaningful contributions for the vaccination programme to unfold without challenges.
SADTU will also be deploying comrades to observe the process in all identified vaccination sites and the deployment is also part of the information in the table below: .
| Region | Vaccination sites | State of Readiness | Deployees |
|
Harry Gwala Umgungundlovu District - 7800 teachers |
24 sites |
There are 24 sites scheduled to accommodate education workers starting from tomorrow however there has been a challenge with the distance for educators working under uMgungundlovu district of education but falls under outside Umsunduzi Municipality as well as different district of Health. This in our district affects workers in Midilovo but a go ahead was given to them to use nearer sites. The communication sent to schools has not been clear enough as the department was collecting information for employees at different times, e.g. State paid educators, SGB paid educators, support staff etc. Also the challenge is with schools that will not be closed to allow the processes to unfold. The uncertainty of what will happen tomorrow will also impact on what happens to |
Al l Branch Secretaries AND ROB Regional Chair Regional Sec |
|
Inkosi Albert Luthuli (a) Pinetown District-12974 teachers (b) Ilembe District-5612 teachers |
6 sites Mpumalanga Hall Water crest Mall Bethsaida Church Tongaat Sport Centre Maphumulo Town |
Planning meetings were convened on the 21st of June for Pinetown and the 22nd of June for Ilembe. We are hopeful that if allow the officials and schools adhere to the agreed plan, the programme will be a success. We have cautioned the department to ensure that workers should not wait for too long to be attended and to ensure that social distancing is maintained. |
Regional Chair 0826117036 Regional Sec 0826117037 |
|
Mzi Mthembu Umlazi District- 13100 teachers |
8 SITES Manzimtoti Civic Hall, Clairwood, Inkosi Albert Luthuli |
This district never had a meeting with Unions as such SADTU did not participate in any planning or get to know how the district planned. The information about the district was asked from the district. |
Regional Chair 0826117034 Regional Sec 0826117035 |
|
Riot- Makhomanisi Mkhwanasi King Cetshwayo - Umkhanyakude - |
5. Sites Imfolozi CMC- John Ross college Umhlathuze CMC - Dlangezwa High School Mlalazi CMC - King Dinizulu hall Mthonjaneni CMC - Melmoth indoor centre 6 sites 1. Ubombo CMC - Makhonyeni community hall & Phumlani- community hall Hlabisa CMC - Inkosi Mzondeni Hall & Ihholo lamakhosi, Umhlabuyalingan a - Tembe tribal hall |
We do not believe there will be a smooth start, because some of other schools were notified late as a result, they didn't get enough time to notify parents as they will need to suspend schools on the day of the Vaccination. At King Cetshwayo District, the union has not seen the schedule for Site monitors. The Riot Makomanisi Mkhwanazi Region is not happy about the allocation of sites in two CMCs, uMhlathuze CMC in King Cetshwayo because the CMC is also big to be allocated one site and INgwavuma CMC in uMkhanyakude as they are big but at first they were allocated two sites then it was changed to one site. |
R e g i o n a l Secretaries and ROB 0826117044 Reg Sec 0826117045 |
|
Mzala Nxumalo Zululand District- |
11 sites Mahlabathini CMC Bhekuzulu CMC Municipal Offices Cecil Emmet Hall Emondlo Community Hall Nongoma CMC Multi-purpose Hall Mthashana TVET College- Gqikazi Campus Phongolo CMC Belgrade Community Hall Christian Centre Paulpietersburg eDumbe Community Hall |
We raised serious concerns as SADTU on this matter as we believe these centers are not enough given that Zululand District has 746 schools and this number of centers is not adequate. We further questioned as to what informed the identification of these centers and it was explained to us that the advice was given by the Department of Health as they are the ones who are coming with facilities and each and every Centre is attached to a particular hospital hence their vicinity. We indicated our displeasure on the number of these centers as they are both inaccessible to 1. ALLOCATION OF NUMBERS PER SITE 2. IS THE PROGRAMME GOING TO BE SMOOTH? |
Regional Chair
Regional Secretary |
|
Mbuso Shabalala (a)Ugu District 7863 school based teachers (b) Harry Gwala District 4860 school based |
6. SAYIDI CMC SITES SUID NATAL Hooer EMZUMBE CMC Nomakhanzana Primary School Hall KwaMpumuza Community Hall, Eluphepheni SCOTBURGH CMC
Umzinto Town Hall DUDUDU community Hall
4 SITES |
The SADTU is concerned with the number of sites identified - they are few and very far from the majority of education workers in the district. Many Circuits remain without sites and workers will be expected to travel long distances to and from the vaccination centers. Izingolweni, Margate etc. do not have vaccination sites and are expected to travel to Port Shepstone and others to Harding. The Union foresees chaos come the 23rd of June when the vaccination programme is expected to start. Unions were only invited on the 21st of June for the steering committee meeting that received this plan of the department. SADTU raised a concern regarding centers.
In Harry Gwala District no meeting was convening with Unions even when the Union asked the district - they indicated that there was no need for the meeting.
|
Regional Chair 0826117038 Regional Sec 0826117039 |
|
Phiwo kaMjula Gwamanda (a)Amajuba District - teachers 4370 UTHUKELA- 6289 |
2 SITES
Lennoxton Primary School Amajuba Education Centre |
2 SITES AMAJUBA DISTRICT The Region have already received the schedule on how schools were identified and allocated per day and their starting time. Health and Safety Committee members have been invited to a meeting to sit this afternoon. We have noted that the centers identified are around Newcastle Town that will cause a huge challenge to teachers and education workers residing in Dannhauser, Utrecht, part of ILembe and Dumbe which their schools are under the places mentioned above. We have received a report that vaccines have arrived at Madadeni Hospital. No meeting was scheduled and unions have never been informed of the plan of the district. The Union called the Director and she indicated that she is not well and is off - sick. |
ROB Regional Chair 0826117040 Regional Sec 0826117041 |
In conclusion, despite any challenge that is reported SADTU urge all teachers and education workers to grab this opportunity to avail themselves in vaccination centers so that they can get their jab. Covid19 is still finding a fertile ground to spread and infect people, the third wave has been announced to have arrived in the country, so teachers as role models must lead the way to encourage members of the society to ignore all the myths and misinformation about the vaccine.
SADTU in KZN says ‘a responsible teacher - a responsible education worker takes the jab’ Lets vaccinate to save lives’.
As Social Actors let us show the way!
The Deputy President Comrade Mabutho Cele, the Provincial Chairperson -Cde Phumlani Duma and Provincial
Secretary- Nomarashiya Caluza will take their jabs at KwaMashu Sports Centre @ 8h00 in the morning.
THE END
Issued by the Secretariat
Nomarashiya Caluza
Provincial Secretary
082 611 7027
nomarashiyacaluza@gmail.com
Bheki Shandu
Deputy Provincial Secretary
082 611 7028
bshandu1025@gmail.com