SADTU President Magope Maphila delivers the closing address at the teachers unions congress in Boksburg. Picture: Cosatu
Re-elected South African Democratic Union (SADTU) President Magope Maphila has vowed to push for the full implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill.
The teacher union made the announcement at its 10th national congress at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg on Saturday.
Sadtu announced its national leadership, with all candidates in the top 8 retaining their positions.
Maphila retained his position as president, with his deputy Mabutho Cele also remaining as the SADTU’s number two.
Mugwena Maluleke retained his role as general secretary, a position he has held since 2009.
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Maphila insisted the union wants the Bela act to be rolled out immediately despite facing a mammoth task to advance the needs of basic education amid looming budget cuts.
“We shall fight austerity measures, therefore we declare that we will mobilise the members and the communities to counter new policies that promote budget cuts instead of investing in education. On fighting corruption, we declared that we are determined to expose and fight corruption as it steals from the poor.
“GNU has created a peculiar set of circumstances where we have to be very vigilant and be steadfast in pursuit of what is good for education, what is good for our members and what is good for the poorest of the poor,” Maphila said.
Maphila said the union will fight for the Bela Bill to be implemented.
“It is prudent to declare the Bela act no longer a bill but an act. It is prudent to declare that Bela act is close to our hearts. We must at all times be ready to fight for its implementation. No one should stand on its way, not even madam Helen Zille,. Not baas Oosthuizen, not even [Siviwe] Gwarube. In fact, no devil from hell will stand in the way of the implementation of the Bela act.”
Maphila said the non-implementation of the Bela act is a ” declaration of war” on the side of Gwarube.
Sadtu will not shu away from this challenge. We are saying to her, bring it on Gwarube, we are combat ready. we can fight and teach at the same time.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Bill into law earlier this month amid criticism from the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), which form part of the government of national unity (GNU).
Ramaphosa allowed for the suspension of the admission and language policies for three months while discussions take place.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube boycotted the signing of the Bill, and said “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.”
The two parties had reservations about clauses 4 and 5 of the Act, which give the Basic Education Department control over admissions policy and compels the school governing body to submit the school’s language policy to the provincial head of department for approval.
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