LISTEN | Lesufi slams DA-led education department over Bela Bill

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi has urged the ANC to form an alternative structure to pressure the education department now that it is in the hands of the “enemy”.

Lesufi challenged his party to ensure the Bela Bill is implemented by next year so all high schools (state or private) learn the country's history and basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube does not become a barrier to this project.

“We have to ensure that the reactionary department of basic education must know that they will never shelve that resolution to make history compulsory in all high schools in our country. We must underline ‘all’ — whether the high school is in Orania. They must learn our history and this must not be stopped by this minister,” he said.

“This minister who failed to participate in the Bela bill may want to stop our children from learning the true history of our country.”

Listen to Lesufi:

Gwarube boycotted the signing of the bill into law by President Cyrl Ramaphosa just more than a week ago, while her party president John Steenhuisen said the signing threatened the government of national unity (GNU). Ramaphosa delayed implementation of some clauses by three months amid disagreements. The DA, a GNU partner, instructed its lawyers to prepare for court action on the adoption of the Bela Bill.

Lesufi warned that Gwarube may want to stop the implementation.

“We want to call on the [ANC] youth league, Sasco, Cosas, Young Communist League, the [ANC] women’s league — comrades, now that the portfolio of education is no longer in our hands, we need to put a strong alternative structure to pressure this department. We need to put that education alliance to ensure that the enemy must not take advantage of the power we have given them. The pressure must be there.”

The act:

• reaffirms the ban on corporal punishment and introduces fines and imprisonment for those who administer it;
• proposes grade R be compulsory;
• criminalises parental negligence regarding their children's school attendance, proposing jail time as a consequence;
• proposes culture and religious beliefs be accommodated in codes of conduct; and
• proposes school governing bodies submit their language policies for approval which reflect the linguistic needs of the broader community.

On social media Lesufi has remained unmoved by the DA’s opposition to the bill:

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