JOHANNESBURG, Sept 11 (Askume) – The second-largest party in South Africa’s coalition government said on Wednesday that President Cyril Ramaphosa plans to sign an education bill into law this week, signalling a first-time coalition agreement over the bill could be at risk.
After the African National Congress (ANC) lost its parliamentary majority in May’s election, the Democratic Alliance continued to fight against Ramaphosa’s ANC and other smaller parties, despite strong ideological differences between the parties.
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.
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 said some children were still being excluded from schools because of race and language use and this law would help prevent this.
The DA defends the right of school governing bodies to make their own language policies, based on the right to education in the mother tongue.
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.
Spokespeople for the ANC and Ramaphosa did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
