PEU Marks 120 Years with grand extravaganza for educators
Over the years, the event has provided members and their families with an opportunity to interact outside the workplace while celebrating diversity, unity and talent.
The Professional Educators’ Union (PEU) is set to commemorate 120 years of educator representation and unity with its annual PEU Extravaganza, bringing educators and their families from across South Africa together for a day dedicated to sport, culture, talent, networking and wellness.
The milestone celebration will take place on 19 September 2026 from 09:00 at Milner High School in Klerksdorp, with PEU members from all nine provinces expected to attend.
The Extravaganza forms part of a long-standing PEU tradition dating back to the organisation’s earlier years when it was known as TUATA. Over the years, the event has provided members and their families with an opportunity to interact outside the workplace while celebrating diversity, unity and talent.
This year’s programme will feature a variety of sporting and cultural activities, including soccer, netball, darts, volleyball, pool and chess. Entertainment will include music, while an Education Symposium will provide an opportunity to engage on issues affecting the education sector.
Members will also compete in the Mr and Mrs PEU pageant, while the cultural programme will showcase South Africa’s rich diversity, with participants encouraged to wear and celebrate traditional attire representing their different cultures.
Beyond entertainment and recreation, the Extravaganza provides an important platform for educators to network, build relationships and strengthen connections across provinces and generations.
As PEU celebrates its 120-year journey, the organisation is reflecting on its contribution to the teaching profession, particularly its role in giving educators a collective voice and advocating for their rights, dignity and interests in the workplace.
The union has also placed emphasis on the professional development of educators, recognising that teachers need both effective representation and opportunities to grow and advance within their profession.
PEU says its long history offers important lessons for the future, with unity, resilience, adaptability and strong leadership among the values that have helped sustain the organisation over the decades.
The union is also looking to the future by embracing younger generations of educators and responding to changes within the education sector. With technology continuing to reshape education and the workplace, PEU says innovation and digital transformation will be important in ensuring that it remains responsive to the evolving needs of teachers.
However, the celebration also comes against the backdrop of significant challenges facing educators. One of the key concerns raised by PEU is the safety and security of teachers, particularly the growing incidents of violence affecting educators in schools across the country.
The union maintains that protecting the rights, dignity and safety of educators must remain central to discussions about the future of education in South Africa.
The 120 Years Extravaganza therefore represents more than a celebration of PEU’s history. It is also an opportunity for members to reflect on the organisation’s achievements, acknowledge the challenges facing educators and consider how the union can continue supporting teachers in a rapidly changing education landscape.
With educators from all nine provinces expected to gather in Klerksdorp, the event will highlight the strength of collective action while celebrating the culture, diversity and talent that make up the PEU family.
