IN CONVERSATION WITH NOMUSA CEMBI
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Thousands of educators, students, parents, and civil society activists filled the streets of Pretoria yesterday in a powerful national protest led by the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU). The march targeted key government institutions, including the National Treasury, the Department of Basic Education, and the Department of Higher Education and Training.
The demonstration was a direct challenge to the government’s ongoing austerity measures, which SADTU says are severely undermining the country’s public education system and jeopardising the future of millions of learners.
Chanting and waving banners under the global slogan “Go Public! Fund Education,” demonstrators voiced urgent calls for increased investment in public education. The action formed part of SADTU’s broader campaign against what it describes as the gradual erosion and creeping privatisation of the sector.
In addition to demanding funding reform, SADTU also used the protest to call for tougher government action against corruption, illicit financial flows, and multinational tax evasion — financial leaks the union argues are depriving education and public services of desperately needed resources.
“This was a national call to defend and preserve the integrity of public education,” said a SADTU spokesperson during the protest. “We are saying enough is enough. Austerity is not just a policy — it’s a direct threat to the quality of learning in our schools and to the working conditions of our teachers.”
The union had urged broad public participation, and turnout reflected strong support from parents, community members, and progressive organisations all standing in solidarity for equitable, well-funded public education.
As the march moved through Pretoria, several streets were closed and traffic delays were reported, with police and marshals managing the large crowd.
The protest marked a pivotal moment in SADTU’s ongoing fight for education justice, with the resounding message from the streets: South Africa’s public education system is not for sale.
The demonstration was a direct challenge to the government’s ongoing austerity measures, which SADTU says are severely undermining the country’s public education system and jeopardising the future of millions of learners.
Chanting and waving banners under the global slogan “Go Public! Fund Education,” demonstrators voiced urgent calls for increased investment in public education. The action formed part of SADTU’s broader campaign against what it describes as the gradual erosion and creeping privatisation of the sector.
In addition to demanding funding reform, SADTU also used the protest to call for tougher government action against corruption, illicit financial flows, and multinational tax evasion — financial leaks the union argues are depriving education and public services of desperately needed resources.
“This was a national call to defend and preserve the integrity of public education,” said a SADTU spokesperson during the protest. “We are saying enough is enough. Austerity is not just a policy — it’s a direct threat to the quality of learning in our schools and to the working conditions of our teachers.”
The union had urged broad public participation, and turnout reflected strong support from parents, community members, and progressive organisations all standing in solidarity for equitable, well-funded public education.
As the march moved through Pretoria, several streets were closed and traffic delays were reported, with police and marshals managing the large crowd.
The protest marked a pivotal moment in SADTU’s ongoing fight for education justice, with the resounding message from the streets: South Africa’s public education system is not for sale.
