AfriForum wants DA, FF Plus to reconsider GNU participation if BELA Act fully signed into law
In September, President Cyril Ramaphosa made the BELA Bill an official government policy, but said two of its clauses, which deal with language and admission policies, wouldn’t be implemented for three months.
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JOHANNESBURG - Minority interest lobby group AfriForum said it would be asking the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front (FF) Plus to reconsider their participation in the Government of National Unity (GNU) if the rest of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act is signed into law.
In September, President Cyril Ramaphosa made the BELA Bill an official government policy.
However, Ramaphosa said two clauses of the BELA Bill, which deal with language and admission policies, won’t be implemented for three months.
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Ramaphosa said the time would be used for a consultative process, after which he would decide on whether to change the clauses or keep them as they are.
Constitutional experts have questioned whether Ramaphosa has the mandate to sign part of a bill into law and place a moratorium on others.
This has raised suspicion as to whether the three-month consultative period is a window-dressing exercise or something concrete.
AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said if the BELA Act remained unchanged, it would signal the beginning of the end for Afrikaans schools.
"The hope that the GNU has ushered in a new era of co-operation will, of course, be dashed if it turns out to be that the ANC [African National Congress] has simply co-opted the DA and FF Plus to blindly follow and implement ANC policies."
AfriForum said it is still mobilising public support to oppose the BELA Act.