The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) has called for the resignation with immediate effect of the Basic Education minister, Angie Moshekga, saying that they have lost confidence in her.

The executive committee of Sadtu said in a statement, “We… make a passionate call to the minister to do the honourable thing and take the road less travelled by submitting her resignation,”. The union is threatening to boycott all departmental programmes organised by the ministry. They are also appealing to all their members to boycott the upcoming National Teacher Awards.

The call for the resignation arose after the Minister allegedly unilaterally withdrew a collective agreement that was signed by her department and unions in 2011, Collective Agreement No 1 of 2011.

The Education spokeswoman Hope Mokgathle said the minister was disappointed at the current trend of stakeholders choosing to communicate via the media.