Work at four Eastern Cape education district offices has all but ground to a halt as a result of disruptions caused by members of the teachers union Sadtu.
The union has been waging an ongoing campaign to get education superintendent-general, Modi-dima Mannya out of office, blaming him for the crisis in education in the province.
Bhisho Education Department spokesperson, Loyiso Pulumani, says the district offices in East London, Queenstown, Grahamstown and Fort Beaufort were affected.
He says union members forced district office staff to abandon their work stations.
Mannya has meanwhile issued a memo ordering district staff to return to work.
He says the Education Department is not aware of any authorised industrial action by any union but that he will apply for an urgent interdict on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance has lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission over Sadtu's actions.
DA Eastern Cape Member of Parliament, Annette Lovemore, has accused Sadtu of violating the constitutional rights of thousands of learners in the province.
She says Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has supported Sadtu's call for Mannya's removal but has failed to condemn the union's actions.
"If the Minister won't stand up for the rights of learners, we trust that the HRC will," Lovemore said.
