The Office of Deputy President Paul Mashatile has confirmed that a task team has been established to address issues raised regarding the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act. The task team will seek to find common ground on this ongoing piece of legislation within the Government of National Unity (GNU).
The decision to form the task team followed a Wednesday meeting involving leaders from multiple parties, aimed at resolving two controversial clauses in the Act related to school admissions and language policy.
These clauses have sparked concerns among signatories to the GNU’s statement of intent. The new task team, created under the clearing house mechanism, will work toward a solution on these issues.
The Deputy President’s Office noted that, despite differing views, there was consensus on the need to set aside party-political interests in favour of a solution that benefits all South Africans. The GNU clearing house mechanism, established by President Cyril Ramaphosa last month, aims to resolve policy disagreements and maintain unity within the 10-member GNU coalition, led by Deputy President Mashatile.
Following extensive discussions, the clearing house mechanism agreed to form a small team to address the concerns raised by some parties.
Deputy Minister Andries Nel will lead the task team, joined by Cornelius Mulder from the Freedom Front Plus, Brett Herron from the GOOD Party, Helen Zille from the DA, and Mdumiseni Ntuli from the African National Congress. The team has been given two weeks to prepare their report for the clearing house mechanism.
How We Got Here
After the African National Congress (ANC) failed to secure enough votes to govern independently, it formed a GNU with several political parties, including the Democratic Alliance (DA).
The DA has consistently expressed opposition to several elements of the BELA Bill, and concerns about potential friction within the GNU were raised when DA member Siviwe Gwarube was appointed as Minister of Basic Education.
In September, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the BELA Bill into law. However, due to outstanding concerns, he postponed the implementation of clauses 4 and 5 for three months to allow for further dialogue.
Minister Gwarube declined to attend the signing, citing unresolved issues, particularly around public school admissions, language policies, and the phased introduction of compulsory Grade R.
The Minister called for Parliament to address these concerns to ensure that all learners receive quality education. Gwarube acknowledged the need for compromise within the GNU and confirmed that she had discussed the Bill with the President.
