South Africa’s Ramaphosa Signs Contested Schools Bill Into Law
(Bloomberg) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a contentious education bill into law, but delayed the implementation of some parts of it to allow for further consultation on key clauses that are opposed by parties that form part of the nation’s coalition government.
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Ramaphosa assented to the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill at a ceremony in the capital, Pretoria, on Friday, that was snubbed by Siviwe Gwarube, the basic education minister — one of six cabinet members from the Democratic Alliance, the country’s second-biggest party. The DA says the legislation gives the education department excessive powers to determine language policy and admission criteria at government schools.
“We have seen cases of learners being denied admission to schools because of their language policies” or because their parents cant afford the fees, Ramaphosa said. “We have also seen great disparities in norms and standards, in governance and access to resources that should enable our education to operate at the optimal level. The Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill seeks to address these and many other challenges.”
The row over the bill was the first major test for South Africa’s so-called government of national unity that was established after May elections failed to produce an outright winner. The business-friendly alliance had been functioning well prior to the latest dispute, bolstering the rand and the nation’s stock market, and its unraveling would stoke political uncertainty and spook investors.
Ramaphosa said he would delay the implementation of two clauses that deal with admissions and language policy and the powers of school governing bodies to determine if a suitable compromise can be reached.
“I cannot say no to engagement even at this late hour,” he said. “Should the parties fail to agree on an approach, then we will proceed with the full implementation with all the parts of the bill within a three-month period.”
While the DA initially said the signing of the bill posed a threat to the cohesiveness of the new administration, its leader John Steenhuisen on Thursday played down the possibility that it could collapse.
Gwarube said she remained opposed to the current iteration of the law.
“We must consider the objections to the bill and ensure that it is rectified to avoid protracted and costly legal action,” she said in a statement on Friday. “I have thus written to the president and notified him that, in the present circumstance, I cannot attend today’s signing ceremony until concerns regarding the bill are rectified.”
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