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Johannesburg - The Eastern Cape education department has
approached the provincial treasury for a R15m bailout to settle salary arrears
owed to teachers, the Dispatch Online reported on Thursday.
The department did this after it could not clear a backlog
this financial year of payments related to salaries and allowances for
temporary teachers - some dating from the 2010/11 financial year.
Provincial treasury spokesperson Nosisa Sogiyose confirmed
that correspondence was received from the provincial education department on
December 13 last year asking for a bailout.
She was quoted saying the amount involved was R15 733 301.72
for salaries in arrears and allowances for temporary teachers.
These were backlogs not budgeted for in the current year,
Sogiyose said. However, she said the treasury would verify details of the
requested amount before any payment could be made.
Opposition parties and the SA Democratic Teachers' Union criticised the department for mismanaging its budget, saying some teachers had waited for up to a year to be paid.
