Ramaphosa signs Bela Bill but puts two contentious clauses on hold

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday signed the Basic Education Laws Amendments (Bela) Bill into law but said it will not be fully implemented for three months to allow for more consultations over two contentious clauses.

Bela Bill clauses on hold

The two clauses that will be further debated are around school admissions and language.

“I am willing to allow those who believe a solution will be found to the two clauses that they believe they have solutions for, to give them the opportunity and delay the implementation of clauses 4 and 5 for a period of three months. The rest of the act is implemented immediately,” Ramaphosa said at the Union Buildings.

If no common ground is found around those two clauses after three months, the president said the Bill will be fully implemented.

Watch: Ramaphosa signs Bela Bill into law

The Presidency said the Bill will strengthen governance within South Africa’s education sector.

The main changes that the Bela Bill will implement are:

• The education department has the final say in admission and language policies at schools;
• Regulation on school governing bodies;
• Grade R will now be the compulsory for children starting school;
• Parents who do not ensure their children attend school may face jail time;
• Regulation of home education;
• Admission policies must be improved.

“The signing of this Bill marks an important step towards resolving longstanding challenges in our education system,” said Ramaphosa on Friday.

ALSO READ: Here’s why the Bela Bill is so controversial

DA prepares for court action

The Democratic Alliance has been one of the biggest critics of the Bela Bill. On Friday it said it has instructed its lawyers to prepare for court action challenging sections of the Bill.

It also said that Ramaphosa’s signing of the Bill went against “the spirit of the statement of intent that formed the foundation of the GNU”.

DA leader John Steenhuisen hit out at the language clause.  

“There could hardly be a more divisive issue in South Africa than the right to mother tongue instruction in schools where this right has been established for decades.

“Afrikaans medium schools constitute less than 5% of the country’s schools.

“Their existence in no way contributes to the crisis in education, and turning them into dual-medium or English-medium schools will not help improve the quality of education for South Africa’s learners,” he said.

Education minister boycotts Bela Bill signing

The Bela Bill is seen as the first major hurdle for the government of national unity (GNU).

The DA and the Freedom Front Plus have previously voiced their disapproval of the Bill.

ALSO READ: Basic education minister Gwarube skips Bela Bill signing in protest

On Friday morning, Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube announced she would not attend the signing of the Bill. Gwarube is a DA member.

“Parliament must be allowed to fix what is currently wrong with the Bill so that millions of learners across the country can access and receive quality education for a better South Africa,” she said.