Fedsas and AfriForum delighted with verdict

27 May 2015

The civil rights organisation AfriForum supports the competence of school governing bodies to take decisions within a school community that are in the best interest of both the school and the community. AfriForum has strongly condemned the Gauteng Department of Education after the Department tried its best to undermine the functions that are entrusted to school governing bodies in accordance with the South African Schools Act (Act 84 of 1996). Principals were also intimidated to take action against the language and admission principles of their respective schools with regards to the registration process for 2016 (see report).

AfriForum last night welcomed Judge Gregory Wright’s verdict where he ruled in favour of the objections of the Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools (Fedsas) against the Gauteng MEC for Education, Mr Panyaza Lesufi, and also ordered that the District Director and Head of the Department must take schools’ language and admission principles into account at all times. Schools thus have the right to take their own decisions regarding language and admission principles.

“Even though this is only an interim order until a verdict is made about the 124 Afrikaans schools that must change to parallel medium schools, we are delighted about the verdict and proud of the fact that we supported Fedsas in the process. We also regard it as a definitive step in the right direction,” said Carien Bloem, Campaign Coordinator for Education Campaigns at AfriForum. 

Statement issued by Carien Bloem, Campaign Coordinator: Education Campaigns, AfriForum, May 27 2015