National Assembly adopts BELA Bill but DA vows legal challenge

CAPE TOWN - The National Assembly on Thursday adopted the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill which has been slammed by most parties.

Opposition MPs have rejected the so-called BELA Bill, with some parties vowing to take the legislation on review.

The BELA Bill will amend the South African Schools Act to respond to changing demographics in communities and transform the sector.

It also confirms the abolishment of corporal punishment and also bans the bringing of liquor onto public school premises or being in possession of alcohol.

Parties clashed on Thursday over the contentious BELA Bill, with opposition parties saying it centralises power and takes over language and admission policy from school governing bodies.

But Deputy Minister Makgabo Mhaule said it was necessary.

"The bill that responds to the current needs in terms of the changing demographics of our communities and findings by the courts and out own observations."

But Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Baxolile Nodada said that the bill would be challenged in court.

"We will take the BELA Bill on legal review over the flawed public participation process and its myriad shortcomings and reach out to all the organisations opposing the bill to coordinate legal challenges to protect our schools from ANC capture."

African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) MP Marie Sukers called it a "dead bill".

"But the truth is it is a bill that is dead in the water. The BELA bill died when the Department of Basic Education took ten years to develop it."

The bill will now go to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) for concurrence.