The African National Congress (ANC) has condemned the recent decision to cut over 2,400 teaching jobs in the Western Cape, accusing the provincial government of targeting poor and rural communities.

This statement was made by Muhammad Khalid Sayed, an ANC Member of Parliament, during a march to Premier Alan Winde's office on Wednesday, ahead of Winde's first State of the Province Address (SOPA) in Beaufort West.

Sayed said the job cuts were not a directive from the national government and added that the unilateral move affects schools in economically disadvantaged areas.

"The premier must in his SOPA make it crystal clear what his plan is to ensure that these teachers are retained; that’s our basic demand," he said.

He urged Winde to come up with a strategy that will address the crisis, and he further urged the MEC of Education, David Maynier, to clarify who exactly is affected by the job cuts.

"It's quite clear that the job cuts are only affecting the schools in the poor and rural areas and that's the reality," he said

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) announced in August last year its plan to cut approximately 2 400 teachers from its payroll, which came into effect at the start of the year.

According to the WCED, the decision came after they received only 64% of the cost of the nationally negotiated wage agreement, leaving the province to fund the remaining 36%, resulting in a budget shortfall of R3.8 billion over the next three years.

The call for action was echoed by Brett Herron, secretary-general of the GOOD party, who urged the provincial government to prioritise education in the forthcoming SOPA.

He referred to the current state of education in the province as a crisis.

“The GOOD Party calls on the provincial government to prioritise education and save teacher posts. Education is not just a line item in a budget; it is the foundation of a just and equitable society,” Herron said.

Meanwhile, Cosatu provincial secretary Malvern de Bruyn said Winde should put a stop to cutting more than 200 teacher positions in the province.

He said the provincial government should move funds from other departments to fund teachers just like they did when they took money from education to finance the province’s safety plan.

sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za

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