Department of Education in the Western Cape To Shed 2 400 Jobs, SA Stunned

• The Western Cape's Department of Education announced that over 2 000 teachers are going to lose their jobs
• The province received only 64% of the wages agreed upon by the government and, as a result, is R3.8 billion short
• South Africans are up in arms and many have questions about the teachers who won't not have a source of income

Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues like health, corruption, education, unemployment, service delivery protests and heritage in South Africa during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

WESTERN CAPE—More than 2 000 teachers in the Western Cape will lose their jobs because the province cannot afford to keep them employed.

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Western Cape teachers to be unemployed

SABC News reported that the Western Cape provincial government revealed that 2 400 teachers' jobs would be cut because of an R3.8 billion budget deficit. The government was supposed to give the Western Cape province 64% of the budget, but because it could not, the Western Cape has to contend with paying teachers out of its 36% contribution.

The province's head of education, Brent Walters, said the costs of employing educators are more significant than what the province had in its coffers. The provincial head for the Educators and Allied Workers Union of South Africa, Andre De Bruyn, said this could considerably cost the province's quality of education.

SA argue about the impending job cuts

Netizens on Facebook were unhappy with the potential job losses.

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Ryan Bailey asked:

"Isn't the Department of Eduction under the DA at national level? Time to blame national government for the Western Cape's failures is over."

Lynden Page said:

"As usual, it won't be the affluent who feel these cuts."

Christopher Reynolds said:

"Some people drive nice cars, modified and have DStv, but don't pay a cent towards their children's school fees."

Township businesses forced to cut jobs

In another article, Briefly News reported that small township businesses had to cut jobs because of loadshedding in 2023.

Nedbank Insights Report revealed that loadshedding badly affected the food and beverage sectors in the country, leading to job losses.

Source: Briefly News