Implementing Bela Act not a win-win compromise as DA claimed: Mbalula

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has rubbished claims by DA leader John Steenhuisen that the implementation of the Bela Act was a compromise reached after negotiations between GNU partners.

This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the commencement of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act. DA leader John Steenhuisen said this was a “win-win compromise” reached after negotiations in the GNU clearing house mechanism.

Mbalula, who addressed the media on Saturday on the act and other matters at Luthuli House, said there was “no win-win compromise”.

“There's no win-win there because the DA did not want clauses 4 and 5 [of the Bela Act] so that did not actually happen. Now, we are moving ahead with the implementation so I am saying it's not a win-win.” .

Mbalula said that basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube, a DA MP, will be implementing the Bela Act which was a “normal process” and no pushback was expected from her.

“It's not a compromise that a minister must determine the norms and standards [of the Bela Act] for language policy. South Africa's School Act of 1996 provides for this, it's a standard practice,” Mbalula said.

He said if the minister did not implement the decision then she would be putting herself on the wrong side.

“If a minister in government does not implement the decision of government, which has come full circle in terms of the law, there would be consequences for that. We don't think we will get to that stage,” he said.

Mbalula said all political parties in the GNU clearing house mechanism have met and found each other on the Bela Act.

“We put the Bela Act [on hold] for three months for engagement ... the act has come full circle. We did that in the spirit of the GNU to engage with partners.”

The DA had initially raised issues with clauses 4 and 5 of the Bela Act which concerns the authority to determine school language policies and the procedures governing school admissions.

In a statement on Friday, Steenhuisen said: “We have full confidence in minister Gwarube’s ability to introduce fit-for-purpose guidelines that will protect school autonomy from subversion.

“The fact that a sober-minded DA minister is tasked with this critical work is a vindication of the DA’s role in the GNU as the champion of constitutional rights, including the right to mother-tongue education.”

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