The African National Congress (ANC) said it was dismayed when Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube snubbed the signing of the contentious Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill into law.
On Friday, IOL reported that Gwarube, a senior official of the Democratic Alliance (DA) , announced that she would not attend the event at the Union Buildings where President Ramaphosa signed the Bill.
Addressing mourners in Joburg at the memorial service of former Cabinet minister Pravin Gordhan, Ramokgopa said the Government of National Unity is at time misunderstood by some of its participants.
We watched with concern, at the signing of the BELA Bill the absence of the relevant minister. We understand that the GNU is not only a complexity to ordinary South Africans but this complexity and conundrum confronts those who are participating in it, who misunderstand it and from time to time veer away from it, she said.
As the president indicated, the BELA Bill aims to amend certain sections of the South African Schools Act focusing on strengthening administrative and management processes at school level. It includes making Grade R compulsory. We said early childhood development is key to a society that is developing.
