Cape Town — Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has urged Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, to put politics aside and ensure the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill is implemented.
President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the BELA Bill into law on Friday and it proved to be contentious before it was made official. While some political parties are in favour, others are not. One such party is the ANC’s partner in the GNU, the Democratic Alliance.
DA leader, John Steenhuisen, urged Ramaphosa not to sign the bill and threatened to leave the GNU if it was implemented. Ahead of the signing, Gwarube caused some controversy when she did not attend the signing as she was opposed to the language policy and making grades compulsory, as the new amendment suggested.
Speaking after the signing, Lesufi referred to Gwarube’s comments and said she would have no other choice but to ensure the BELA Bill was implemented. He said she should keep political views out of the sector, EWN reported.
“We indicated she must not bring politics into the sector because that will be a very dangerous game. Just imagine if I urge my MEC (of education) not to interact with her or other MECs not to interact with her, I believe that with that three-month window period, she will review her boycott of this particular process but she has a responsibility to implement it,” he said.
They might have oppressed our grandparents and parents and succeeded but from today, they will never try to oppress the education of our children and our children’s children, never again! Thanks my President! pic.twitter.com/zYeXXXjKDs
— Panyaza Lesufi (@Lesufi) September 13, 2024
Ramaphosa said he would delay the implementation of the schools’ admission and language policies for three months to allow for an engagement process.
Meanwhile, the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) has called for Gwarube to resign after she opposed the signing. SADTU said it was unacceptable for Gwarube not to attend the signing, and argued that her opposition indicates the DA will now run a separate cabinet within the GNU, eNCA reported.
“It is unacceptable for the Minister of Education not to attend the BELA Bill when in actual fact, has been part of the planning team to ensure we are here today for the signing,” SADTU’s secretary general. Mugwena Maluleke, said.
“This is the beginning of where the minister will then be instructed by Helen Zille (DA’s federal chairperson) not to be part of this particular signing because Zille is another pseudo-president of our country,” he added.
He said the ball is in the Minister’s court over what she will do. He said she could not operate in an environment where she has two bosses – Zille and Ramaphosa.
Maluleke has called on Gwarube to immediately decide whether she will implement the bill or tender her resignation.
SADTU is calling for the resignation of Basic Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube. This after she boycotted the signing of the Bela bill. The organisation’s Mugwena Maluleke spoke to eNCA’s @FaithJDanielsSA. #DStv403 #eNCA pic.twitter.com/oRZhMcWGrB
— eNCA (@eNCA) September 13, 2024
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
