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.”
The Act also revises the admission and language policy of schools across South Africa, regulates home schooling and seeks to strengthen governance and accountability.
Ramaphosa said two contentious clauses in the new law have been put on hold, pending consultations requested by parties in the GNU.
“He (Ramaphosa) has opened a window of engagement. We, however, would like to remind all the ministers that our Constitution accords executive authority and executive power in the president of the country. If all members of the executive can learn to respect the president as the head of State, we all as South Africans will forge against our differences, through our diversities, we will be able to support this GNU so that it succeeds in advancing our country,” said Ramokgopa.
“It must start with those that are involved in it.”
On the other hand, civic movement Save South Africa has called on Ramaphosa to “act seriously” against Gwarube.
Tebogo Mashilompane, campaigns and communications director at Save South Africa, described Gwarube’s conduct at “arrogant”, in an interview with Newzroom Afrika.
“We view this type of arrogance as the one not only directed to the president, but to the entire education fraternity. This arrogant behaviour by the minister comes a day after Minister John Steenhuisen addressed the media, and in his address, he came up with scare tactics of saying the so-called GNU is loved by the investors and insinuating that the failure of this fake marriage will see a drop in the rand. Democratic Alliance used the rand and investors story as their ticket to the Cabinet,” said Mashilompane.
“So, as citizens, we want to know from the Minister of Basic Education if she is a DA minister or South African minister. The minister must come clear and straightforward to all of us.”
IOL