By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has reaffirmed her commitment to the full implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA Act).
This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s directive last Friday, Gwarube announced guidelines for the Act’s rollout would be sent to public schools by January 2025.
The Act, hailed as transformative, seeks to address historical inequities in school admissions and language policies, among other issues.
The Bela Act came into effect despite the strong opposition expressed by parties in the government of national unity (GNU), particularly her party, Democratic Alliance (DA).
Speaking during the media briefing in Gauteng yesterday, Gwarube says more work needs to be done to ensure the system is fully prepared for the Act.
“The system needs to kick into gear and the system is not at a place where there are certain things that can be done as of yet but the president has commenced with it. So now we are moving at pace to make sure the system catches up with the announcement,” said Gwarube.
“I want to ensure South Africans that I’m committed to moving with pace but we need to make sure we doing this correctly.”
She says government is ready to legally defend the Act should there any challenges.
“If there are organisations that seek to take this in review and bring it before the court of law, we then, as a government have to defend the position. We are ready to receive any legal challenges.”
The Minister says draft regulations on the Act will be ready for public comment by June.
Meanwhile, the African National Congress (ANC) in a statement said, the implementation of the Bela Act was a victory for constitutional values and the vision of a united, non-racial,non-sexist country.
“We are aware of the anti-transformation pushback by forces opposed to change who are nostalgic of the apartheid past.
“…We denounce baseless fearmongering by those who oppose these progressive changes, seeking to entrench outdated language hierarchies and exclude the majority from education opportunities,” read the statement.