Durban - Condolences continue to pour in for KwaZulu Natal Education Labour Council (PELRC) manager Dolin Singh.
Singh, 57, died on January 27. He was cremated at the Clare Estate Crematorium on Friday.
Nomarashiya Caluza, South African Democratic Teachers' Union (SADTU) KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Secretary said Dolin served in his position as the Manager of the KZN Education Labour Relations Council with humility; a position he held since 2009.
Singh was also the former SADTU KZN labour officer. Caluza said the many successes scored by the PELRC was as a result of his guidance and his ability to follow up on the implementation of decisions taken.
Caluza added that Singh was the pillar of the PELRC and an advocate for labour peace. His death, Caluza said, was a devastating blow to all teachers and the education sector in KZN.
“The history of SADTU is incomplete without mentioning the name of Dolin Singh,”Caluza said.
When SADTU was established, the Teachers` Association of South Africa (TASA) decided to close down and give resources, including human resources for SADTU to be birthed and grow.
“Dolin, as an employee of TASA, decided to be handed over to SADTU and witness the dream of a non-racial, non-sexist union growing from nothing to be the biggest union in the public sector. He was immediately placed in the midlands working as the regional administrator. Around 1994, he was moved to the provincial office,” Caluza said.
Singh became the labour officer of SADTU. Part of his responsibilities was to train members and leaders on labour law, grievance and dispute handling. He represented members in welfare cases.
“He had an incredible passion for his work. He understood workers' vulnerability in employers' hands, hence his over preparation when attending to members' cases. He criss-crossed the province, capacitating regional and branch leaders as well as site stewards. Because of his success in membership representation, he became known as the 'SADTU Bush Lawyer'. He got this name because of the knowledge and skills he had of the education employment law even though he had never trained in that aspect,” Caluza said.
On Facebook Nathi Nyembe said, “That's very sad news. He played a crucial role towards my development as a branch secretary of the Bergville branch. I grew in leaps and bounds in the welfare politics of the union membership through him. May his graceful soul rest in eternal peace as a patriot of the working class.”
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