By Simon Nare
ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has dismissed claims that allowing Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube to set norms and standards for language policy under the Basic Education Law Amendment Act was a compromise to secure Government of National Unity support for full implementation.
Mbalula told reporters on Saturday that the 1996 Schools Act empowers the minister to determine language policy norms and standards, making this a routine practice.
He said that the minister must implement the government’s decision or face consequences for non-compliance.
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday approved the full implementation of the Bela Act following three months of negotiations among political parties in the Government of National Unity.
This came after the Democratic Alliance, a senior member of the GNU, and other parties raised concerns over the contentious Sections 4 and 5.
The sections address language and admissions in schools.
Reacting to the DA’s statement
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