JOHANNESBURG, Sept 11 (Askume) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said he would sign a controversial education bill into law, the first real conflict in his coalition government as the second-largest party.
Ramaphosa’s spokesman called on all parties to exercise restraint in reacting to the DA’s statement on Wednesday, saying there was no need to jeopardise the stability of government over any bill.
After the ANC lost its parliamentary majority in the May elections, the DA formed a coalition with Ramaphosa’s African National Congress and other smaller parties , despite strong ideological differences between them.
Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen said in a statement that passing the bill would violate the agreements and understandings that form the basis of the national unity government.
“The DA takes this issue very seriously and I will make the President aware of the devastating impact it has on the future of the GNU,” he said.
Steenhuizen did not say what the impact would be. He will address journalists in Cape Town on Thursday to explain the DA’s role in the coalition government.
Presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya said the law was expected to be divisive and relevant parties in government would meet on Wednesday night to discuss a dispute resolution mechanism.
“Don’t worry, whenever there is a dispute, the whole governance structure of this country is at risk,” Magwenya told reporters in Cape Town.
“The president is not concerned about the collapse of the GNU (Government of National Unity),” he said.
The controversial bill makes several changes to South Africa’s basic education laws. The most controversial part will increase government oversight over school language and admissions policies, sparking sensitive debate about racial integration.
The ANC says some children are still excluded from schools because of race and language use and this law will help prevent this.
The DA defended the right of school governing bodies to set their own language policies and noted the importance of mother tongue education.
Although the bill does not name any specific language or group, the strongest opposition has come from South Africa’s white Afrikaans-speaking community, with interest group Africa Forum saying the bill threatens the existence of Afrikaans schools.
The DA president’s office said Ramaphosa will sign the Basic Education Act Amendment (BELA) bill at a ceremony at the Union Buildings, the government headquarters in the capital, Pretoria, on Friday.
