Read more
OVERVIEW: Bela: ‘When they said there won’t be a march at Freedom Park, I said that doesn’t play on my f***ing TV’ – McKenzie
Ten thousand demonstraters came together to march to Freedom Park and hand over a memorandum of demands and objections against the bill.
The Voortrekker Monument on the outskirts of Pretoria. Pictures: Marizka Coetzer
AfriForum members and more than 40 other organisations gathered at the Voortrekker Monument to march and protest against the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act 32 of 2024 (Bela Act).
Ten thousand demonstrators came together where they were joined by Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen, Minister of Sports Gayton McKenzie and Minister of Correctional Services Dr Pieter Groenewald to march to Freedom Park and hand over a memorandum of demands and objections against the bill.
Sarie Marais to start off the day
09:53 Before the march, singer Steve Hofmeyr took to the stage singing Sarie Marais.
09:54 Ten thousand people at the Voortrekker Monument
‘Leave our kids alone’
AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said it’s the angriest the Afrikaans community has been since 1994. “Leave our kids alone,” he said. Kriel said the fact that 10,000 people showed up for the march demonstrates people’s sentiments towards the Bela Act.
‘Protect all our languages’
10:30 Steenhuisen addressed the crowd saying there are 12 official languages in South Africa and they all need to be protected. “We must protect mother tongue education. You don’t have to be Afrikaans to stand up for Afrikaans.”
Groenewald followed Steenhuisen on stage saying, “You must be proud of who you are whether you are Zulu or Xhosa. I am a proud Afrikaner”.
🇿🇦 The DA is fighting for mother-tongue education and will not allow the BELA Act to take away this right. This Act threatens the rich diversity of culture and language in SA.
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) November 5, 2024
🎥 Watch here: https://t.co/8gYOCBLr8B#StopBELAAct pic.twitter.com/utPTynCHql
The #StopBela march at the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria.
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) November 5, 2024
Supporters from the DA, Freedom Front Plus and the Patriotic Alliance dominate the crowds.
Leaders from the 3-parties will accept a memorandum of demands from lobby group Afriforum regarding the BELA Act. TCG pic.twitter.com/S87IbcoYLB
❗️❗️❗️Ons staan saam teen BELA! #BELAPROTES #STOPBELA #BELA pic.twitter.com/1RMJzA44hj
— VRYHEIDSFRONT PLUS / FREEDOM FRONT PLUS (@VFPlus) November 5, 2024
10:45 The protestors start their march to Freedom Park
Kriel: ‘This is a historical day’
“Ons beskou hierdie protes as ʼn stryd om kulturele oorlewing omdat Afrikaanse skole ʼn sentrale rol binne ons kultuurgemeenskap speel,” sê Kallie Kriel, uitvoerende hoof van AfriForum. Kyk die video om meer uit te vind oor die Bela-protes. #stopbela #losonskindersuit pic.twitter.com/n2ZRnNlvzD
— Solidariteit (@solidariteit) November 5, 2024
11:13 Kriel, speaking to Solidarity, said it was a historical day. “This is the biggest march by the Afrikaans community since 1994. And there’s a reason for it. It’s because we are the angriest since ’94. Our children are targeted, our schools are targeted.
“Therefore, we fight for survival against the Bela Act. We will go to court if it’s necessary, but today we speak the language of the ANC. The language of protest. With more than 10,000 people here, we send out a very strong message to leave our children alone.”
Protestors to hand over memorandum at Freedom Park
11: 45 The march started at the Voortrekker Monument and ended at Freedom Park where the protestors will meet with the government to hand over a memorandum.
The crowd is now chanting: “Bela is boos, los ons kroos,” which loosely translates to: “Bela is evil. Leave our children alone.”
DA: ‘We are committed to fighting Bela’
‼️ The DA takes a stand to #StopBELA! The Act hands excessive power to provincial governments, limiting school governing bodies and parents. The DA is committed to fighting the BELA Act to protect the best interests of children.
— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) November 5, 2024
🎥 Watch here: https://t.co/8gYOCBLr8B pic.twitter.com/78JDXBacYY
Freedom Front Plus: ‘Enough is enough’
Genoeg is genoeg! 👊 Dit stop hier! #BELAPROTES #BELA #STOPBELA @wouter_wessels pic.twitter.com/yOL1Y82bdV
— VRYHEIDSFRONT PLUS / FREEDOM FRONT PLUS (@VFPlus) November 5, 2024
11:22 Freedom Front Plus MP, Wouter Wessels said, “Enough is enough. We will not let our rights be trampled upon. Our children have the right to mother tongue education.”
Steenhuisen: ‘We’ve heard you and we’ll make sure your voice is heard’
12:07 After receiving the memorandum, Steenhuisen said to the protestors that the DA heard them and “we listened and we will ensure that your voices are heard all the way to the Union buildings”.
McKenzie: Afrikaans is my home language
12:15 “Afrikaans is also my home language. I love Afrikaans I am not shy about it. We will fight to the end. Afrikaans is not going anywhere,” McKenzie said. “When they said there won’t be a march here at Freedom Park, I said ‘no, no, that doesn’t play on my f***ing TV’. Then I wrote a letter.”
Groenewald: “Mother tongue education is common sense
12:19 “I’m sure we can all agree on the importance of mother tongue language to ensure quality education,” Groenewald said under loud applause from the crowd. “That is common sense, though I understand that common sense is not so common in today’s politics anymore. I will convey the message. We have stopped fighting for a better past, now we are fighting for a better future.
13:15 Steenhuisen: ‘We can find a compromise’
15:10 King Khoi-San on how he feels about Afrikaans
NOW READ: Education minister responds to question on calls to subsidise school uniforms in SA
For more news your way
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
