AfriForum warns that the government is still trying to deceive about the Bela Act
9 October 2024
AfriForum warns the public not to fall for the Department of Basic Education’s attempts to deceive. This follows the department’s information sessions where it is claimed that the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (better known as the Bela Act) does not threaten governing bodies’ powers.
According to Alana Bailey, AfriForum’s Head of Cultural Affairs, the Premier of Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, as well as the MEC for Education in Gauteng, Matome Chiloane, have already confirmed that their aim with the implementation of this law is ultimately the destruction of single-medium Afrikaans schools.
“Officials, such as the legal advisers of the department, are now trying to conceal these objectives, but Afrikaans school communities are not misled by this. These schools are already under immense pressure to take in more learners than they have capacity for, as well as to implement English as the language of instruction. The law’s wording makes it clear that the head of education can decide at any time that the policies proposed by governing bodies can be amended to introduce more learners and ‘more languages’ – which would be English. The public realises this and that is why they support the AfriForum petition so enthusiastically,” says Bailey.
Bailey adds that public pressure is crucial to countering the threat this Act poses to single-medium Afrikaans schools. “Public pressure will play an important role especially during the three-month window for discussions on the two controversial articles dealing with admission and language policy.”
The Solidarity Movement, of which AfriForum is a part, is hosting a crisis summit on the Bela Act in Pretoria tomorrow (10 October 2024). The organisations’ objections to the law will be detailed there.
AfriForum once again appeals to all those who have not yet supported this organisation’s petition against the Bela Act to also register their opposition to it at www.stopbela.co.za.
Issued by Alana Bailey, Hoof: Kultuursake, AfriForum, 9 October 2024
