The DA will fight for teachers affected by the Ministry of Finance’s funding shortfalls

Enclosed you will find original sound in English And Afrikaans from Delmaine Christian Deputy.

“The DA calls on the national government to find alternative areas for budget cuts and ensure that key public service jobs, including teachers, are fully protected.” – Christians from Delmaine

The DA is deeply concerned about the drastic budget cuts imposed on education departments across South Africa, forcing provinces, including the Western Cape, to make difficult decisions regarding the allocation of teaching posts.

This crisis is the direct result of the Ministry of Finance's failure to fully fund the 2023 collective agreement, leaving provinces struggling with significant budget deficits.

As MEC David Maynier pointed out, despite drastic cuts, the Western Cape province faces a budget deficit of R3.8 billion over the next three years. Other provinces are similarly affected: KwaZulu-Natal cannot afford over 11 000 teaching positions, and Gauteng is forced to restrict student transport and delay the expansion of early childhood development.

Because of this shortage, some contract teachers will not be rehired after their contracts expire and some permanent teachers may have to be transferred to fill vacancies at other schools.

The DA is deeply concerned about the potential impact this will have on the quality of teaching and the lives of the teachers affected.

The DA firmly believes that the national government has a responsibility to protect essential services such as education, healthcare and public safety. Teachers, nurses, doctors and police officers are the backbone of our society and job cuts in these vital sectors could have catastrophic consequences. Underfunding by the Treasury is not only unfair, it also threatens the future of our communities.

We commend the efforts of the Western Cape Department of Education to address this crisis, including significant cuts to administration, curriculum and infrastructure. However, it is clear that the root of the problem lies in the lack of adequate funding from the Department of Finance.

The DA calls on the Ministry of Finance to address this funding shortfall immediately. It is unacceptable that provinces are forced to make difficult decisions based on a collective agreement that was negotiated at the national level but not fully funded.

The DA calls on the national government to find alternative areas for budget cuts and to ensure that important roles in the public service, including those of teachers, are fully protected.

The DA will continue to fight for equitable funding and quality education for all.