Education department ordered to pay late senior lecturer R571,000 after underpaying him for almost a decade
The North West Department of Higher Education has been ordered to pay a late senior lecturer over R571,000 after he was underpaid for almost a decade.
The man was appointed as a senior lecturer at Orbit College in August 2012. In 2015, the college was transferred to the department of education, but his salary was not adjusted.
To get his earnings, the lecturer sought relief at the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) where he was represented by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu).
The initial hearing took place in May 2024. During the proceedings, both parties aimed for an amicable settlement, which resulted in an expectation to calculate the salary discrepancies and draft a submission to the Director General of the Department for approval by August 4, 2024.
However, despite this commitment, the matter remained unresolved until the tragic death of the lecturer in April 2025.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

IOL News
4 hours ago
- IOL News
I availed myself for accountability, Simelane tells DA in heated debate
Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane reminded the DA of its public representative, who was allegedly accused of murdering her sister, whom the party never suspended nor issued a press statement. Image: Hunk Kruger / Independent Newspapers HUMAN Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane has described the DA's personal attack on her as being tried in public without being charged. Simelane said she was not amazed by what was happening to her because a person stands in front of a judge when charged with an offence. 'You are trying me in public because you think this is the only way to degrade the work I am doing,' she said. Simelane responded to the DA's attacks during the budget vote for her department on Wednesday. The DA, which had its former deputy minister, Andrew Whitfield, dismissed for taking a trip to the US without authorisation from President Cyril Ramaphosa, has vowed not to vote in support of the budgets of departments left by compromised ministers and deputy ministers. On Tuesday, the DA claimed that Simelane was under investigation after it laid charges with the SAPS for the alleged theft of more than R700,000 by fraudulently billing Eskom when she worked for a company named Vitrovian. Speaking during the debate, DA MP Luyolo Mphithi said the Human Settlements Department was saddled with a catastrophic collapse of governance across its several housing entities. Mphithi recalled that Simelane was previously accused of receiving a R575,600 'loan' from Gundo Wealth Solutions, linked to the unlawful investments of municipal funds into the VBS Mutual Bank, while she was the mayor of the Polokwane Municipality. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'It seems that the president does not at all take issue with the fact that a person accused of corruption sits in his Cabinet and will have to look after the budget with R30 billion set aside for South Africans,' he said. Mphithi also said that although the department's budget and department have many challenges, it would under normal circumstances be supported. 'However, we are faced with a minister who has corruption allegations against her and has not been accountable to the South African public, which makes it difficult for us to support this budget,' he said. Mphithi's colleague, Conrad Poole said that when Simelane was accused, she should be in the dock before a judge and not be an MP entrusted with R33 billion of taxpayer funds. 'I certainly would not bet any money on this minister doing anything to clean up shop. If the allegations of corruption are true, she would rather buy coffee shops. She may, in fact, be planning to convert the Department of Human Settlements for her grand relaunch of her 'coffee' enterprise. In response, Simelane reminded the DA of its public representative, whom she identified as Msebenzi Radebe, who was allegedly accused of the murder of her sister, whom the party never charged. 'In 2016, when I managed to place charges against him, it was only then that the DA suspended him. Even on my calls to get the DA to get a statement of murder against my sister, they did not. In 2019, three years later, she died. 'So good, you can find the nearest door to the police station. Where it matters, you don't even know where the door is,' she said. Simelane insisted that the investigation was about accountability. 'I availed myself of accountability. Now the investigation is done, and you reported the case, but you now can't wait for the investigation to conclude. I fear I am going to disappear after this. I mean really,' she said. ANC MP Albert Seabi pleaded with Simelane not to be distracted by the amount of noise, no matter how loud it may be, including an allegation not tested in court. 'You have our support minister because of your strong work ethic, your dedication, your diligence, and your consistent commitment to transparency, accountability, and transforming the sector,' said Seabi. EFF MP Babalwa Mathulelwa said they rejected the budget not because 'we are extortionists like the DA'. Mathulelwa said the rejection of the budget was based on the empty promise wrapped in inflation and false hopes. ActionSA's Malebo Patricia Kobe said: 'The budget fails to honour the dignity of millions still waiting for a place to call home.' Rise Mzansi's Makashule Gana said: 'I will debate the budget and resist the temptation to debate or play the woman'. Cape Times

TimesLIVE
5 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Flying squad makes R700k drug bust in Cape Town
A tip-off about suspected drug dealing at a fast-food establishment has dished up a stash of Mandrax with an estimated street value of R700,000 in Athlone, Cape Town. Maitland Flying Squad members found three vehicles at the address in Belgravia just after 1pm on Wednesday. 'They found three vehicles — a white Mercedes-Benz, a white Renault and a white Hyundai — in the parking area. The members observed the occupants and noticed one suspect take a black bag out of one vehicle, putting it into his vehicle,' said police spokesperson Capt Frederick van Wyk 'They approached the vehicles and two of the suspects attempted to walk away but were apprehended. The members searched the vehicles and found in one 3,000 Mandrax tablets and in another an undisclosed amount of cash believed to be the proceeds of crime.' Additional information led police to a premises in Crawford where they found another 13,000 Mandrax tablets and schedule 1 medicine. A 58-year-old woman and four men aged between 48 and 60 were arrested for possession and dealing in drugs. They are expected to appear soon in the Athlone magistrate's court.

IOL News
9 hours ago
- IOL News
R3 million dating scam case postponed after lawyer's no-show in court
Gabriel Okori, Justice Motsamai Khanyapa, and Thabo Derrick Mnguni were arrested in connection with a scam where a woman lost R3 million to an online love. Image: Hawks Three men have appeared in court after they were arrested by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks, for defrauding an unsuspecting woman of her R3 million in a dating scam. Last week, IOL reported that a third suspect was arrested for an intense scam where an unidentified woman lost R3 million in the name of love, back in 2024. The victim, whose identity is withheld to protect her from victimisation, said she developed an online relationship with a person she believed was a white man called 'Mark Hermanus', whom she had met on Facebook. Gauteng Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Thatohatsi Mavimbela said after exchanging numbers, the woman and the scammer started chatting on WhatsApp, and once they had 'gotten to know each other", the scammer asked her to lend him money to pay the medical bills of his sick son. But these weren't modest medical bills, and the unsuspecting woman eventually parted with R3 million, which she deposited into two bank accounts. After the crime was reported to the Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit, an investigation ensued and the first suspect, Gabriel Okori, was arrested in Cape Town in October 2024. Okori, a Nigerian national, was in November released on bail of R5,000 in November. Okori has been attending his court appearances on charges of fraud and theft. In March, IOL reported that a second suspect, Justice Motsamai Khanyapa, was arrested in connection with the scam. Khanyapa was arrested in Orange Farm, Johannesburg, and he was released on bail of R1,000 by the Pretoria Magistrate's Court. A third suspect, Thabo Derrick Mnguni, was arrested on 23 June. Thabo Derrick Mnguni was arrested on 23 June as the third suspect. Image: Hawks All three accused men - Okori, Khanyapa, and Mnguni have appeared before court on Tuesday, and the case was postponed as Mnguni did not have legal representation. Mnguni was schduled to apply for bail. Okori and Khanyapa are already on bail. "The lawyer for the third suspect did not show up in court. The matter was postponed to 9 July 2025," said Mavimbela. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel According to the Hawks, the money defrauded from the unsuspecting woman had been deposited into the bank accounts of Khanyapa and Mnguni. Meanwhile, head of the Hawks in Gauteng, Major General Ebrahim Kadwa, commended the 'meticulous investigation' conducted by the investigating team, and cautioned members of the public to be vigilant and safeguard themselves against such scams.