On Sunday, 23 June 2013, Equal Education (EE) and the education leadership of our government held a constructive meeting at the Southern Sun Hotel at OR Tambo International Airport, in Johannesburg. The meeting lasted four hours.
The Department of Basic Education extended the invitation to EE on Thursday night, 20 June. EE’s National Council accepted the invitation and sent eight delegates to Johannesburg.
EE’s delegates met with Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, Deputy Minister Enver Surty and the education MECs of Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal, North West, Western Cape, Northern Cape and Mpumalanga.
The meeting was robust, frank and constructive; however, no agreement was reached. Any future agreement concluded between EE and the Department of Basic Education must be made an order of the court.
During the meeting Minister Motshekga refused to discuss the racist and misleading statement she released last week. She has suggested a separate meeting about the issue. EE will take up this opportunity to meet. We demand that Minister Motshekga retract the statement and issue a public apology.