DailySun
Johannesburg – John Steenhuisen, the Leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA), has unveiled a “win-win compromise” that enables the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (BELA).
In reaction to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement about resolving contentious elements of BELA at the clearing house, Steenhuisen commented that this progress permits the Act’s enforcement “without compromising the established constitutional rights to mother tongue education.”
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“Significantly, the President’s statement regarding the execution of the BELA Act clarifies that the Minister of Basic Education, the DA’s Siviwe Gwarube, is now tasked with developing the regulations as well as norms and standards to oversee the Act, including sensitive matters related to language and admissions,” Steenhuisen stated.
“We have complete confidence in Minister Gwarube’s ability to establish effective guidelines that will protect school autonomy from potential threats.
“The assignment of this essential responsibility to a rational DA Minister underscores the DA’s role within the GNU as the guardian of constitutional rights, including the right to mother-tongue education.”
Steenhuisen highlighted that the President’s announcement regarding the full implementation of the BELA Act was accepted by all parties in the Task Team (DA, FF-Plus, GOOD, and ANC), with the consensus that DA Minister Siviwe Gwarube would provide the necessary norms, standards, and regulations to regulate the implementation of the contentious sections of the Act.
“This has been a demanding process, but this outcome illustrates that the conflict resolution mechanisms of the GNU can be effective when parties demonstrate the necessary goodwill,” remarked Steenhuisen, who also serves as the Minister of Agriculture.
“The DA remains steadfast in its commitment to uphold the current right to mother-tongue education and to expand access to more learners across South Africa.
“Our insistence that the disputed sections of the BELA Act can only be enacted with proper safeguards under a DA Minister has been confirmed.”
The GOOD Party expressed its appreciation, stating it, “commended President Ramaphosa for enacting the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act today, without weakening its provisions to appease right-wing factions intent on ‘defending’ a fictitious ‘attack’ on Afrikaans-speaking children stemming from cultural integration.”
