DA satisfied with ‘win-win’ situation regarding newly-implemented BELA Act

BELA

Cape Town — Despite continually opposing the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has described the final decision as a win-win situation.

President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the BELA Bill into law on Friday in what was a historic move for South Africa. However, it has come under contention from parties within the Government of National Unity (GNU) who hold different views on the implementation of the new Bill.

One such party that had been opposed to it was the DA, one of the ANC allies in the GNU. The party was, however, happy with the BELA Act being implemented without undermining existing constitutional rights, a statement read.

“Crucially, the President’s announcement on the implementation of the BELA Act makes it clear that the Minister of Basic Education, the DA’s Siviwe Gwarube, is now tasked with developing regulations as well as norms and standards that will govern the Act, including contentious sections around language and admissions,” DA leader, John Steenhuisen said.

He added: “We have full confidence in Minister Gwarube’s ability to introduce fit-for-purpose guidelines that will protect school autonomy from subversion. The fact that a sober-minded DA Minister is tasked with this critical work is a vindication of the DA’s role in the GNU as the champion of constitutional rights, including the right to mother-tongue education.”

Steenhuisen said the parties in the Task Team (DA, FF+, GOOD Party and the ANC) accepted the BELA Act being implemented in full, on the condition that Minister Gwarube issued norms, standards and regulations to govern the contested sections of the act. The DA said it was a gruelling process but showed the parties in the GNU could work together to find conflict resolutions.

“The DA remains determined to defend the existing right to mother-tongue education and expand it to increasing numbers of learners in South Africa. Our insistence that the contested sections of the BELA Act can only be implemented with sufficient guardrails put in place under a DA Minister has been vindicated,” he concluded.

According to IOL, the DA’s federal chairperson, Helen Zille, said the party had objected to clauses 4 and 5 of the BELA Act as it was deemed “unnecessary” and a retaliatory plot against Afrikaans.

Clause 4 looks to amend sections of the South African Schools Act (SASA) where an admission age is required, despite the school attendance age being compulsory. Clause 5 seeks to amend section 6 of the SASA to provide a governing body to submit the language policy of a public school.

Gwarube believed the Act should have been implemented with support from the National Regulations, Policy and Norms and Standards that have been developed. She said the Department of Basic Education to begin drafting the process.

“It must be noted that this process takes time. Once these have been drafted, they will need to go through the necessary public participation processes after which full implementation can take place,” she added.

Rise Mzansi leader, Songezo Zibi, welcomed the announcement and said the decision aligns with the party’s long-held view that any contestation to the BELA Act should be put before the courts.

“This law is a vital piece of legislation that, if implemented properly and with sincerity, will go far in furthering access to basic education for all South Africans, regardless of race, class or locality,” Zibi said.

“What is now of importance and urgent, is for the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, to formulate the relevant norms, standards and guidelines,” he added.

Zibi added that the Act is not an assault on any language, but rather is about access, equality and the advancement of all of South Africa’s languages.

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Compiled by Matthew Petersen

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