Latest news with #BELAAct
IOL News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Minister Siviwe Gwarube says BELA Act is being implemented despite ongoing work on regulations
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says the BELA Act is being implemented, but Parliament urges urgency on final regulations—especially for admissions and language policy—to ensure clarity, consistency, and full compliance across all provinces. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act is already being actively implemented, even as work continues on the finalisation of supporting regulations. Addressing Parliament's portfolio committee on Tuesday during the 2025/26 Budget Vote, Gwarube said her department had rolled out extensive support to provinces and districts to ensure the Act's smooth implementation since it came into effect on December 24, 2024. 'This support has included training of provincial and district officials, the development of interim guidelines and the development of an extensive suite of draft regulations to further support implementation,' she said. Gwarube confirmed that the first two regulations , focused on admissions and school capacity , will be published for public comment in the coming weeks. She stressed the Department of Basic Education's (DBE) commitment to a "legal and policy framework that is responsive and fit for purpose." However, the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education expressed concern over delays in the drafting of the full set of regulations. Committee Chairperson Joy Maimela said: 'The majority of Members of the committee are of the view that deliberate attempts are being made to hold the full implementation of the BELA Act by delaying the drafting of regulations, especially those that speak to the two contentious sections. These regulations should provide the necessary clarity to implementers of the Act.' The committee was particularly concerned about Sections 4 and 5 of the Act, which relate to school admission and language policy—issues that remain contentious. Although additional time had been given for stakeholders to reach consensus, no agreement was reached, and the Act was enacted with the understanding that detailed regulations would follow. Maimela reminded Gwarube that the deadline for finalising the regulations was the end of June 2025.
News24
04-07-2025
- Politics
- News24
Kicking sand and throwing tantrums: The DA and ANC's sandpit stalemate
EDITORIAL: Kicking sand and throwing tantrums: The DA and ANC's sandpit stalemate Given their long history of mutual antagonism, no one expected smooth sailing when the ANC and DA joined forces with eight other parties to form a government of national unity (GNU) after the ANC failed to secure a majority in the 2024 national elections. Over the past year, this uneasy alliance has stumbled from one crisis to the next, whether grappling with the BELA Act, NHI, or Budget disagreements, with each debacle escalating in intensity. What began with a minister boycotting a law-signing ceremony has culminated in the DA threatening to file a motion of no confidence in President Cyril Ramaphosa after his contentious decision to sack a deputy minister. Political analysts and journalists have repeatedly highlighted the fragile foundations of this partnership, warning that the mere statement of intent isn't enough to ensure cohesive governance. Yet little has been done to bolster this shaky arrangement. Two key structures within the GNU – the Political Party Leaders' Forum and the Clearing House – remain underutilised, missing opportunities to address disputes and foster collaboration. Instead, the parties act like squabbling children in a sandbox, bickering over 'buckets and spades' while ignoring South Africans' urgent pleas for maturity and decisive action. The call for leadership and governance is growing louder, yet the impasse continues. In this week's Friday Briefing, News24's political editor, Andisiwe Makinana, delves into this tenuous political experiment, writing both parties are waiting for the next local government elections before making their next move. We also hear from Wits' Professor David Everatt, who questions what both parties are getting out of the toxic arrangement, while University of Johannesburg's Professor Mcebisi Ndletyana, reflects on President Cyril Ramaphosa's role in making the GNU shaky, arguing that the brinkmanship between the two parties has reached its limit. We hope you enjoy these thought-provoking contributions, which you'll find below. Mutual dependence, mutual destruction: ANC-DA tensions here to stay The mutually destructive relationship between the ANC and the DA is set to continue until the local government elections, which is the next voter support testing station for both parties, writes Andisiwe Makinana. Read the full submission here. Love lost, yet bound together: The dysfunctional ANC-DA dance The ANC has no policy agenda, little energy and occasionally leans over to swat the DA for political sport. Quite what either side gets out of their toxic liaison is unclear, writes David Everatt. Read the full submission here. With this selective application of his presidential powers, President Cyril Ramaphosa has painted himself into a corner, argues Mcebisi Ndletyana.
Daily Maverick
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Who is your child's father figure?
If you are a parent and haven't yet watched the Netflix short series Adolescence, you need to. Besides the mind-jarring cinematic genius of the single-take approach to filming, the series has yet again brought into sharp focus the hidden influences (through technology) on our children. And, more importantly, their abject vulnerability to it. I am fascinated by the fervour with which we debate the BELA Act, prioritising the preservation of our cultural heritage, whilst simultaneously ignoring the more fundamental need – the protection of our children. In this, we are singularly unified – but only in our impotence. In a country where Gender Based Violence directly impacts one in five women, we have collectively abdicated responsibility for influencing our children to the algorithms. Perhaps the best way to illustrate this is through an infamous example: the 'Will Smith slap'. At the time, public opinion was split as to the moral justification thereof. On the one hand, it is important for a man to defend the honour of his wife. On the other, such violence, under any circumstance, is unacceptable. Both sides had reasonable points of view, and the internet blew up with validations of each. Literally everyone and their dog had chosen a side and made their view public. I remember reflecting on my own upbringing in contrast. Had such a public event occurred when I was a teenager, my dad would have brought it up eagerly at the dinner table that evening. We would have the opportunity to table our views, and he would then guide us on the moral side that our family subscribed to. Like most parents of the day, he had a knack for using news events to instil in us the moral compass that would ultimately guide us through life. The problem with today's parenting is that by the time your child arrives at the dinner table their views have already been cemented by millions of unsolicited opinions given by thousands of unqualified thumbs. Preselected only for their ability to keep your child glued to their phone. And, like my father's guidance, these opinions leave an indelible mark on our children's character. The tech giants have long since understood the power of this influence. At a time when most of us questioned the sense of Elon Musk's decision to buy Twitter, he knew that what he was actually buying was an influence algorithm. One, some would argue, that ultimately bought him the USA, albeit for a few million more in top-up 'campaign' spend. For the Elon fans out there, this not an indictment of him alone. Zuckerberg, Bezos and Pichai before him have each wielded algorithmic influence over all of us, without any of us seeming to notice, let alone object. There is a reason that the world is as polarised as it is today. And strangely, it's not because any of these tech giants have some deep hidden agenda to dominate the world. That would make sense. It's simply because their algorithms figured out that the best way to keep us on our phones is to irritate us slightly. The angrier you are, the more it knows what to send you next to keep you here. And, as a result, the world has descended into what it is today. It is in this context that we give these algorithms access to our children. In their most vulnerable, self-conscious phase of life, we hand them over to the influence of the Andrew Tates of the world. And now, with AI, these manipulative powers are supercharged. Meta, Gemini, OpenAI o1, Grok and others may not themselves have evil intent, they will just be much more efficient than the legacy algorithms that got us here. What's even more ominous is that they cannot be jailed or defamed in the way that Andrew Tate was. So, what now? Unfortunately, I do not have a more creative answer than that of the Australian government. We need to ban smartphones and social media from being in the hands of our children. And if the state doesn't, we as parents must. We need to release those hands from the grips of the tech giants and place them in our own hands. We must take back the responsibility for moral guidance. For society, the alternative will be to contemplate this important question: When the time comes, 'who will pay these pied pipers?' By then, they would have already captured our children. DM
IOL News
23-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Select Committee on Education condemns infrastructure failures after Eastern Cape School tragedy, pledges accountability
Makhi Feni urges accountability in school infrastructure after a tragic minibus accident, vowing oversight and support for affected families while addressing national failures in safety and disaster preparedness. Chairperson of the Select Committee on Education, Sciences, and Creative Industries, Makhi Feni, has addressed a range of urgent national issues affecting the basic education sector. Speaking at the Social Services Cluster Briefing on Monday, he highlighted challenges ranging from infrastructure damage caused by recent floods to the implementation of progressive education legislation, including the BELA Act and the Early Childhood Development Amendment Act. Feni expressed his deepest condolences following a tragic incident where 13 schoolchildren died after a minibus fell into a river while crossing a bridge in the Eastern Cape. He described it as a national tragedy that reflects broader infrastructure and safety failures. "We lost the future. As the committee, we are with the families. We are feeling what they are feeling," Feni said. He emphasised the committee's commitment to investigating the incident and supporting the affected families. He confirmed that oversight visits and a full disaster management report would be pursued to investigate possible negligence or poor workmanship in infrastructure projects. Feni stressed the importance of accountability in infrastructure spending, especially after floods have severely damaged school properties across the country. "We do not want to find ourselves rebuilding because someone ticked a box without providing quality." Moreover, Feni said the committee would work with the Auditor General to monitor the use of public funds and submit quarterly broadcast reports to ensure transparency.
IOL News
13-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
A Year of Unity or unfulfilled promises? Mashatile hails GNU's progress despite internal issues
Deputy Paul Mashatile has hailed the GNU's progress despite internal issues. Image: Henk Kruger / Independent Newspapers Deputy President Paul Mashatile has given the Government of National Unity (GNU) a strong performance rating and praised its progress despite internal challenges. Mashatile was addressing the media on the sidelines of the Harambee Youth Engagement event in Johannesburg on Friday. He admitted that there were challenges in the GNU but expressed confidence that they would continue working for the people. 'We are working very well. One year in office, we have had some challenges, but we are confident that we will proceed properly going forward,' he said. Mashatile suggested a rating of '8/10' for the GNU's performance, indicating a positive view of their progress. His remarks come as South Africa marks the first anniversary of the GNU's formation. The GNU was formed in June 2024 following the May 2024 national and provincial elections. This resulted in a hung parliament. On June 14, 2024, the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) signed a Statement of Intent, marking the formal establishment of the GNU and the appointment of the new cabinet. According to the first deputy secretary-general, Nomvula Mokonyane, in the past year, the DA has been behaving like a crybaby in the GNU, as the party expressed dissatisfaction with certain aspects of the GNU. The DA has taken the ANC to court several times over the past year in a bid to stop it from implementing the laws that would allow transformation in the country. Among others, were the signing of the Expropriation Act, the BELA Act and the National Health Insurance (NHI). The recent incident involved the DA's legal action against ANC MP and Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana regarding the 2025 national budget. Following this, ANC members urged Ramaphosa to respond to the DA's failure to support the passage of the 2025 national budget. Apart from demanding top positions, the DA also wanted its voice heard in the GNU, which led to the ANC considering taking action against the DA's behaviour in government. However, the ANC announced a plan to reassess the GNU's structure and open talks to other parties to join. To review the GNU performance, ActionSA has launched a series of engagements to mark this milestone by listening to the lived experiences of South Africans from all walks of life. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading This week, ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba met with small business owners in Dobsonville, Soweto, to hear first-hand accounts of their realities under the GNU. These entrepreneurs were promised a government focused on economic growth and support for small enterprises. 'Yet, a year later, their testimonies paint a different picture. Instead of progress, many describe continued stagnation, a harsh operating environment, and the absence of tangible support from the government,' the party said in a statement. IOL Politics
