PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA SHOULD NOT RUSH TO SIGN THE BELA BILL

By Education Activist Hendrick Makaneta

As an Education activist I am calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa not to rush into signing the BELA Bill into law until he is satisfied that it will stand the test of time in the event that it is brought under Constitutional scrutiny.

Both Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Minister Siviwe Gwarube are within their rights to call on President Ramaphosa to sign or not to sign the BELA Bill.

President Cyril Ramaphosa should thoroughly go through the BELA Bill and, if he is satisfied, assent to and sign the bill into law. Of importance is that the president should look into the issue of language.

The key issue that the president should look into is the whole issue of mother tongue education. The constitution facilitates this where it is practical, but the BELA Bill, as argued by those opposed to the bill, proposes to undermine the issue of mother tongue education, in particular the Afrikaans language

If the president is not satisfied and has reservations about the the BELA Bill, then he should refer the bill back to the National Assembly in line with section 79(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.

There is no doubt that up to now, the BELA Bill has resulted in contestation from certain sections of society. Not long ago, the GNU was established with a view to serve the interests of all South African, black and white. The last thing that we want is for Bill to reverse the gains that have been registered by GNU.

We must all note that should the president sign the bill when it is flawed, the new law might be contested successfully in the Constitutional Court by one-third of members of the National Assembly in terms of section 80(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.

It is also important to note that there is a general consensus about almost ninety nine percent of what the bill proposes.

The main issue that is contested is the mother tongue education and the fact that going forward, powers of the School Governing Bodies will be removed and centralized in the office of the Head of Department.