The Democratic Alliance (DA) has voiced strong objections to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of the signing of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill into law on Friday, 13 September 2024.
DA leader John Steenhuisen said by doing so, Ramaphosa would be violating both the letter and spirit of the joint Statement of Intent that forms the basis of the fictitious Government of National Unity (GNU).
The DA argues that the BELA Bill, in its current form, is unacceptable “because it has constitutional implications for the right to mother-tongue education, amongst other issues.”
Steenhuisen said he will ask the president to send the Bill back to Parliament for amendments.
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Meanwhile, the Presidency explained that the BELA Bill aims to strengthen governance within South Africa’s education sector.
“The BELA Bill amends sections of the South African Schools Act of 1996 (SASA) and the Employment of Educators Act, 1998 (EEA) to account for developments in the education landscape since the enactment of the original legislation.
“The amendments are a response to court judgments that protect and give effect to the Bill of Rights,” the Presidency said in a statement.
The Bill seeks, among other things, to make Grade R the new compulsory school starting age, and to provide penalties for parents or guardians who do not ensure that their children are in school.
In addition, the BELA Bill aims to confirm that corporal punishment is no longer allowed in schools, with penalties for those found guilty of such offences.
Steenhuisen warned that “if the President continues to ride rough-shod over these objections, he is endangering the future of the Government of National Unity, and destroying the good faith on which it was based.”
