Labour Wrap: The danger in mythologising the past

THERE is a great danger in clinging to myths about the past, says Terry Bell in his latest Labour Wrap. Unless we understand as clearly as possible where we come from and how we got here, he maintains we have little chance of dealing adequately with the present and virtually no chance of planning accurately for the future.

He gives as an example the reaction of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) to the final report of the ministerial task team that investigated widespread allegations regarding the sale of senior teaching posts by some union officials and officials in departments of education.

Accusations of union bashing

Denial and accusations of “union bashing” emanated from the union.

This, says Bell, does a disservice both to the union and to union organisation generally. By failing to acknowledge reality, he maintains that such a reaction gives credence to the union mashers. It also opens the way for government to institute reforms that could seriously damage union organisation and further harm an already badly battered education system.

Noting that the report is both limited and flawed, Bell points out that it does still starkly highlight some of the problems. He quotes the report as admitting that the basic education department “has lost control of two-thirds of the country”, something he finds “frightening”.

But he points out that the report also tars all the unions with the same brush, making no distinction. However, it is only members of Sadtu, the largest union in the country that is part of the ANC-led alliance, that has so far been pinpointed.

Although the evidence is almost entirely anecdotal, it is clear that something is seriously\  amiss. But this does not mean that Sadtu is corrupt. What it does indicate is that elements within the union are almost certainly involved, along with some departmental officials.

Bell maintains that where corruption exists, it must be honestly and openly confronted in order to ensure that we have a sound education system, staffed by competent teachers organised into democratic and accountable unions.

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