Former KZN teacher's fight for unpaid salary ends in dismissal over fake qualifications.
After a ruling by the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC), a former KwaZulu-Natal teacher's claim for R40,000 in unpaid salary and bonus has been dismissed, following her confirmed dismissal for misconduct.
ELRC Commissioner Nolundi Shezi dismissed the unfair labour practice application brought by Kalayvan Govender against the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, concluding that she had no legal entitlement to a salary once her statutory employment contract was formally terminated.
The roots of the dispute trace back to January 2025, when the department dismissed Govender following a disciplinary hearing that found her guilty of serious misconduct involving the submission of a fraudulent qualification certificate.
Seeking to overturn the sanction, Govender launched an official appeal directly to the office of the KZN MEC for Education.
