Union spends big in KZN salary case

Durban - Teacher union Natu has spent about R1m in legal fees in an attempt to force the KwaZulu-Natal government to pay back docked salaries.

"We have spent a lot of money in this case. We have spent about R1m," National Teachers' Union (Natu) acting general secretary Allan Thompson told reporters in Durban on Thursday.

He was speaking after finalisation of the legal battle between the KwaZulu-Natal education department and Natu over docked teacher salaries was delayed.

Natu took the department to court earlier this year when salaries of 27 000 teachers were docked after the public servants' strike last year. The Durban Labour Court granted an interim order that the department had to stop docking salaries.

The court was expected to hand over a final order on Thursday, but the matter was postponed indefinitely because the department was challenging the interim order in the Labour Appeals Court.

After arguments were presented on whether there was a need to wait for the department's challenge to be finalised first, Judge Siqaliso Cele adjourned the matter for about 30 minutes to consult the office of the judge president.

"I have contacted the office of the judge president and I have been told that three judges are handling the matter (the appeal). I have decided to give that process a chance," he said.

Thompson said he was not happy with the decision.

"We are now hungry for the finalisation of this case."

The union wanted the department to pay back R23m plus interest to 27 000 teachers.

The KwaZulu-Natal government last week announced it had docked R160m from public servants who went on strike last year. The no-work-no-pay principle was applied and deductions were made.

Thompson said the union had proved its members were not part of the strike.