Deputy Speaker, the SA Democratic Teachers' Union, Sadtu, staged a march on Sunday, 4 November in support of President Zuma, while in the same breath bashing the IFP and other political parties through posters and slogans. The SA Democratic Teachers' Union is the largest teachers' union in this country, carrying a membership of over 200 000 teachers across the country.
To this end, during election time, the IEC relies heavily on these teachers to help conduct free and fair elections. However, using Sadtu members for this task will now cast further doubt on the outcome of the elections and compromise the credibility of the process. How can Sadtu members be trusted to help conduct elections when they have once again clearly shown their bias and disdain towards the education of other political parties? Their behaviour emphasises that Sadtu can no longer be trusted to remain impartial during elections. If the IEC wants to continue to uphold, as we all expect it to do, the democratic principle of free and fair elections in this country, they must steer clear of using Sadtu members as officials and find other means of conducting the election process. Thank you.