Pretoria: President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged the settlement agreement between the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, and the Solidarity union concerning the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act. The President emphasized the importance of this development in managing the ongoing discussions about the Act’s implementation.

According to South African Government News Agency, the BELA Bill was passed by the 6th democratic Parliament on 26 October 2023, and President Ramaphosa gave his assent to the Bill on 13 September 2024. During the public signing ceremony, President Ramaphosa announced a three-month delay in the implementation of sections 4 and 5 to give parties time to discuss and resolve issues related to admission and language policy.

On 28 November 2024, the Minister of Basic Education announced her agreement with Solidarity regarding her powers and responsibilities in implementing the BELA Act. It was highlighted that Solidarity is one of many stakeholders involved, and the agreem
ent does not affect the ongoing multiparty discussions about sections 4 and 5. The President remains committed to receiving proposals on these sections within the three-month timeframe.

The BELA Act aims to amend sections of the South African Schools Act of 1996 and the Employment of Educators Act, 1998, reflecting changes in the education landscape. Despite progress in education access since the end of apartheid, challenges persist, and the Act seeks to address these issues to foster a more effective and equitable education system.

A significant aspect of the new legislation is its focus on language policy, urging schools to consider the linguistic needs of their communities. The Presidency reiterated that the BELA Act is now law, with the Minister of Basic Education responsible for its implementation, excluding sections 4 and 5. The next steps involve the President setting a commencement date and finalizing necessary regulations without unnecessary delays.