THE South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) has called on Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane to leave its members alone.
This comes after the former public protector took to X on Wednesday, 3 January to accuse Sadtu teachers of bullying party agents at voting stations.
The union's spokeswoman, Nomusa Cembi, said Sadtu members who are working as presiding officers during the elections are not doing so because they're union members but because they're teachers.
"Their work is directed by the rules and code of conduct of the IEC (Independent Elections Commission). If they conduct themselves in a manner that's contrary to the dictates of the IEC, Advocate Mkhwebane should raise the matter with the IEC and stop politicising the elections processes," she said.
Mkhwebane is not the first EFF member to criticise the commission's use of teachers.
EFF president Julius Malema accused the IEC of favouring Sadtu members in the recruitment of election officials.
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He demanded that teachers should no longer be employed by the IEC during the 2024 elections.
The commission told the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on 21 November 2023 that Sadtu members will remain there.
IEC chairman Mosotho Moepya said the commission has been employing teachers during elections for many years.
"The issue that has surfaced regarding Sadtu is unfortunate because we have been taking action for a number of years, in consultation with the party liaison committee at national level. We have a strict set of criteria that we apply in selecting the people we recruit," he said.
He said parties had the opportunity to object if they were not satisfied.
