ACDP threatens to take BELA Bill fight to ConCourt if signed into law

JOHANNESBURG - The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) has threatened to fight the BELA Bill all the way to the Constitutional Court if it is signed into law. 

The Basic Education Law Amendment Bill is up for a vote on Thursday in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP). 

The bill seeks to transfer more power to the provincial education department to regulate school language policies, curriculum and home schooling, among other things. 

About 200 ACDP supporters showed up at the Department of Basic Education offices in Johannesburg to stage a picket.

The party’s leader, Kenneth Meshoe, said there should be less government regulations in school, not more. 

"It's the parents who must choose. Those who want Christian education in a private Christian school, government must not interfere, they must have that Christian education and those who want to do it at home, we say government must not interfere. They must be free to educate their children."

Meshoe said it's likely the African National Congress (ANC) will use its majority in the NCOP to pass the bill. 

There have also been calls from ANC leaders for President Cyril Ramaphosa to sign the bill into law before the elections.