Johannesburg - Teaching and mid-year examinations at Soweto schools resumed without any hiccups on Friday following the suspension of a week-long strike by members of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU).
The teachers embarked on an illegal strike last Friday, protesting against the Department of Education's process of appointing teachers and principals. They also demanded the department fill all vacant posts.
The strike disrupted district offices and learning at schools in Florida, Soweto, Lenasia, Eldorado Park and Ennerdale.
The situation became tense when the department obtained a court interdict against the union declaring that the protest was illegal.
The court order also prevented SA DTU members from embarking on protests and harassing and intimidating principals as well as pupils, district officials and staff members.
However, a long meeting between Education MEC Barbara Creecy and representatives from SADTU Gauteng Central Region held on Wednesday yielded positive results and led to the teachers resuming their duties on Friday.
The parties agreed that the MEC would withdraw the District Director of Johannesburg West with immediate effect because the dispute had resulted in an irretrievable breakdown of trust between the director and the union.
SADTU agreed that plans were made in all schools to catch up on lost time and ensure all work for the second quarter was completed by the time schools close on 26 June 2009.
Ms Creecy also committed herself to working with teacher unions to find a different way of advertising, recruiting and appointing teachers and principals to remove the long delays that characterize the filling of vacancies.
The parties further agreed that the process surrounding appointments of principals in Johannesburg West have been characterised by disputes and not in the interest of sound teaching and learning and effective school management.
