AfriForum, Solidarity and SOS welcome tactical breakthrough on BELA
A tactical breakthrough was made this morning in AfriForum, Solidarity and the Solidariteit Skoleondersteuningsentrum’s (SOS) fight against two unacceptable articles in the Basic Education Act (BELA) that was just signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa. In what these organisations consider a win for Afrikaans communities, Ramaphosa decided to open Articles 4 and 5 of this law for further discussion and therefore not to implement it immediately. This serves as proof that public pressure can succeed.
The president’s announcement in this regard follows discussions between AfriForum, Solidarity and the president yesterday (Thursday), during which the organisations requested the president not go through with the implementation of these articles. These articles stipulate that the head of the provincial Department of Education will have the final say on schools’ admission and language policies. A civil servant will therefore be able to veto a school governing body and, among other things, consider the demographics of the broader education district in applying these relevant articles.
Furthermore, the organisations welcomed the fact that the president announced his intention to them earlier this morning.
“Although the danger posed by this law has not now been fully averted, it creates room for further discussions. AfriForum, Solidarity and SOS’s legal team are still ready to fight the case in the courts should these discussions lead to nothing. Our position remains that those articles of BELA will have destructive consequences for Afrikaans schools and children if they are implemented and AfriForum therefore remains ready to oppose it on all possible national and international platforms,” says Alana Bailey, Head of Cultural Affairs at AfriForum.
If it were to be implemented, it would be an act of aggression against the Afrikaans community that would not only break the 1994 settlement but also damage the spirit of the government of national unity.
“Further lobbying and pressure are only now beginning. If there are no changes, we will continue with our court action. We are going to keep up the pressure. Our fight is not against a law, but for the future of our schools and our children,” says Dr. Dirk Hermann, Chief Executive of Solidarity.
“Our schools are institutions to which our community is emotionally connected; they are not just places where the transfer of knowledge and skill development take place. These are cultural spaces where value transmission to our children and subsequent generations takes place. The state cannot hijack Afrikaans schools while they do not fulfil their obligation to build enough schools,” says Leon Fourie, CEO of the SOS.
The president announced that discussions on Articles 4 and 5 will take place in the next three months. AfriForum, Solidarity and the SOS look forward to the opportunity to participate in it and encourage the public to continue their support for the campaigns against it.
(Photo: Flickr, GovernmentZA)
