Solidarity And Afriforum Initiate Legal Action Against Bela Act

Solidarity, AfriForum and the Solidarity Support Centre for Schools have initiated legal action against the promulgation of the BELA Act.

The organisations say President Cyril Ramaphosa acted irrationally and was in breach of various agreements as well as a recommendation by the Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube by promulgating the Bela Act in its entirety.

The organisations believe Gwarube also acted irrationally as she co-signed the promulgation notice and acted against her own recommendation.

The organisations have sent legal letters to President Cyril Ramaphosa and Gwarube giving them 10 days to resolve the dispute or face court action.

"With regard to the promulgation, we believe its irrational because what weve seen is that according to government itself, it cannot be implemented if there is not relevant norms and standards in place. Secondly, and that is on a more positive note, we will participate in the process to write norms and standards that is coming in the next few months. We want to make sure that there is sufficient protection for mother tongue education, as well as Afrikaans schools. And thirdly, we will take legal action against the act itself. We believe the act disregards the right of cultural communities, as well as the right to mother tongue education," AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel explains.