The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) welcomes the order of the Labour Court directing Rand Mutual Assurance to refund its members for the unlawful deductions made on salaries at the instance of the pseudo trade union, Educators Union of South Africa (EUSA).

EUSA and Rand Mutual Assurance caused the unlawful deductions purportedly for an insurance policy without the written consent of the affected employees. SADTU launched an urgent application for an order to declare the deductions unlawful and to ensure that the affected members are refunded their monies with interest.

SADTU will now pursue the matter further through the Financial Sector Conduct Authority and the Registrar of Trade Unions as well as law enforcement authorities to ensure the full accountability of those involved. Rand Mutual Assurance admitted that it processed the deductions without any verification. This admission at the least demonstrates gross negligence, non-adherence to the Code of Conduct and the insatiable greed to make money at all costs.

EUSA, which has failed to secure organisational rights has resorted to a nefarious scheme such as this one and unlawfully accessed personal information of the affected persons to create a database which it submitted to Rand Mutual Bank.

The National Treasury must now fully investigate how this illegality occurred under its watch and whether its officials were not complicit in this unlawful act which had the potential to cause unprecedented chaos in the public service.

SADTU, once more, implores her members to be vigilant of schemes such as this one designed to siphon money from their salaries and report same immediately.

ISSUED BY: SADTU SECRETARIAT

CONTACT:

General Secretary, Mugwena Maluleke: 082 783 2968

Deputy General Secretary, Nkosana Dolopi: 082 709 5651

Media Officer, Nomusa Cembi: 082 719 5157