SADTU accuses school of spying on teachers

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:00]Welcome back. We continue our coverage on the Umkhumbane Secondary School saga over classroom cameras. I'm now joined by Satu KZN Deputy Secretary Vuyani Mbele. Mr. Mbele, thank you so much for your time. First things first, can you confirm that the these teachers that boycotted the boycotted this school are from Satu?

[00:00:29]>> Yes, Malungelo, we we can confirm because our members reported with us that they are having a problem and they were obviously not going to be or they took a decision and in fact the union took a decision that they would not be until we have resolved the matter.

[00:00:48]>> What seems to be the issue because our understanding is that the teachers are uncomfortable having cameras inside the classroom. Is that the issue?

[00:01:04]>> Yes.

[00:01:06]Malungelo, what is paramount and important here is the issue of consultation when the decision to install cameras was made.

[00:01:17]It It appears that because you would remember that we have gotten SGB and the SGB will be composed of educators and will be composed of parents and others or and learners because this is a secondary school. Then it would actually be a decision of all when when a decision of such a nature because it is going to be affecting the lives of all people that are participating in that community or in the school.

[00:01:44]So, it appears therefore that teachers when were not even consulted when the decision was taken. The issue that is paramount here was the issue of consultation when that decision was taken because teachers were expected to be having or to be have to have been allowed space to actually provide their own view in taking that particular decision.

[00:02:05]>> Okay, so the issue here is that you're saying the teachers did not have a say in this decision because I find it hard say pardon me. I find it hard that the teachers at the school would not know that there would be cameras that would be installed.

[00:02:28]>> That's true Malungelo. It is hard but the truth of the fact is that is what happened because it they only saw when what the that they were having new cameras when they were cameras and they only got the information of how the cameras were used because these cameras are all even audio audio cameras. They take even the sound there which actually suggests that even the space of being private does not actually have or it is not even there and exactly they are privacy their privacy is being intruded.

[00:03:07]>> But because the Department of Education is saying that these cameras have been installed as part of a security measure in schools not only in your in this particular school but in various schools in KwaZulu-Natal because of you know security concerns. So you're saying that's possibly not the issue here.

[00:03:37]>> Yeah, that that that would not be the issue. Generally, that would be the reason why there would be cameras in a school which we which we agree with.

[00:03:47]But for every kind of a decision to to to happen or to take place, it will be it will be important that that decision is consulted. And in terms of the information that we have, there hasn't been any any meetings that would actually be informing that they were were going to be install installation of cameras. But also, the meetings of the SGB does not even have a track record of issues of safety that would have been recorded or that would have indicated that no, the school has got is going is being compromised by the issue of security and such that there will be this kind of a decision to assist in terms of bringing safety in this particular school. There There is no such.

[00:04:38]>> Mr. Mbele, we know that the Pietermaritzburg High Court ruling has allowed for these cameras to remain at the school, right?

[00:04:49]What will it take for the teachers to go back to school?

[00:04:58]>> The The The take is the decision of the court. We We accept the decision of the court.

[00:05:05]Because they are speaking about or the court is about that the the cameras mustn't be removed. But the issue here is the decision that we were not consulted and for any space in in our in our for any space in our space in our work of operation. We understand that there there should be democracy and we should be allowed to have a view and be consulted on the matters that involve our ourselves in an institution.

[00:05:36][clears throat] We have a democracy and in a school there should be democracy. That is why we have got an SGB in terms of the of the act that allows that there be teachers in the in in the SQP and either and other stakeholders that are involved in terms of the legislation.

[00:05:52]>> I'm not sure if I I I agree with you that, you know, the we've got to employers need to, you know, consult with workers if they're going to install security cameras for their safety in the building. I'm not sure if if if I agree with that.

[00:06:15]>> Well, agreeing or not agreeing, our operation in the schools where we operate, we operate because we have got decisions that are informed by ourselves as stakeholders taking taking decisions together and become consulted. Even when we look at the issue of these cameras, they were cameras obviously in the corridors in this particular school, which we would actually have believed that they were dealing with the issue of security then. But later when they actually in installing the audio cameras, the audio-visual cameras, they were not even consulted and even spaces areas where they are these cameras are areas in in in a tree where teachers would actually repeat during their lunch time be in a position to to to sit and have a chat and and and joke about what is it that they are actually working in their lives would actually be given at a particular stage would actually find other other teachers who are termed as those that are very close to the principal.

[00:07:24]But would actually be be be seen playing games about how they talked they talked about, which means therefore the cameras are not necessarily used for the security and safety of the schools. They are actually using to eavesdrop on the on the on the information on the on the chat that the teachers would have in their private spaces particularly during lunch time.

[00:07:44]>> I I just want to understand this, Mr. Mbele. When the teachers boycotted this school, right? Where were they reporting to?

[00:07:55]Were they getting paid?

[00:07:59]>> Uh generally when we would have this kind of an impasse, what we normally do we engage with the authorities, we engage with those that are with the with with the Department of Education, uh the circuit management, and the district management, and even head office depending where the matter is. Uh we therefore would be given space to report where they would be telling us to report. And currently the uh Department of Education knows that the teachers are reporting and it is the responsibility of Department of Education to ensure that they are given some pieces of work where they would be reporting.

[00:08:39]>> Okay, so we don't know whether they were teaching where they were reporting, right? You can't tell me.

[00:08:46]>> Yes, we Yeah, we can't I can't tell because one has not even followed that one. But we understand that the Department of Education for sure knows because we are also in constant consultation with them.

[00:08:57]>> Do you want these teachers back at this school?

[00:09:02]>> Definitely. We would love to see the teaching and learning getting on or continuing. That's what we want.

[00:09:10]>> Okay, but the parents there are saying that they don't want these teachers to return. What are you going to do?

[00:09:17]>> That's another issue that we look at it when it comes.

[00:09:21]>> All right, Mr. Mbele. Vuyani Mbele is the SADTU KwaZulu-Natal regional secretary. Thank you so much for your time tonight, sir. Appreciate it.

[00:09:32]>> Provincial provincial deputy secretary.

[00:09:35]>> Thank you so much for that, sir. Thank you.

[00:09:37]Let's move to this