By Lebone Rodah Mosima
The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) and the SADTU Students’ Chapter have called on the South African Council for Educators (SACE) to scrap “unfair fees imposed on unemployed educators”.
SACE currently charges educators a R200 registration fee and an annual levy of R180, or R15 a month. Educators must be registered with SACE before they can be appointed to a teaching post.
In a joint statement, the ANCYL and South African Democratic Teachers’ Union Students’ Chapter said forcing unemployed teachers to pay fees to remain registered with SACE was unfair and deepened exclusion.
“We condemn the coercive subscription fees imposed on unemployed educators, which stifle opportunity and perpetuate inequality,” they said.
“We demand that SACE immediately retract its decision to levy unfair fees on unemployed educators. It is time to hold institutions accountable to the very youth they are meant to serve.”
The organisations said they had met to chart a way forward in support of unemployed youth and other marginalised groups, against an economic system that “side lines” ordinary South Africans.
“This meeting issued a clarion call for a united front towards the upcoming local government elections, and the SADTU Students Chapter assured its support to the ANC Youth League in the broader fight against the exclusion of our masses from the economic benefits of this country,” they said.
“Both organisations agreed to work hand in hand to advance the National Democratic Revolution.”
Stats SA’s latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey showed the country’s official unemployment rate increased to 32.7% in the first quarter of 2026, from 31.4% in the previous quarter.
Youth remain among the hardest hit, with Stats SA reporting that the unemployment rate for people aged 15 to 24 stood at 60.9% in the first quarter of 2026, while unemployment among those aged 25 to 34 was 40.6%.
Stats SA also reported that employment in the community and social services sector fell by 206,000 jobs quarter-on-quarter, the largest decline among all industries.
“We call on the Department of Employment and Labour and the Department of Basic Education to re-employ all teachers who were removed from temporary teaching programmes,” organisations said.
They also said they would campaign for the ANC ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
“We resolved to embark on a vigorous campaign to rally support for the ANC in the upcoming local government elections. This is a crucial moment for our democracy, and we call on all young people to rise and ensure that their voices are heard at the ballot box.”
The organisations also raised concerns about undocumented migration, saying government needed a firm but humane response to such.
“This issue poses serious security challenges, and we demand comprehensive measures that ensure the safety and stability of our nation while respecting human dignity,” they said.
They said they were ready to lead young people in a protest to the Union Buildings to demand urgent government action on youth unemployment.
“We will not stand by while our future is compromised. The youth of South Africa deserve better, and we will fight for immediate solutions.”
INSIDE EDUCATION
