The Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa’s second-largest party, warned on Wednesday that an education bill set to be signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa could jeopardize the coalition government, marking the first signs of tension within the unity administration.
The DA formed a coalition with the African National Congress (ANC) and smaller parties after the ANC lost its parliamentary majority in the May election, despite major ideological differences between them.
In a statement, DA leader John Steenhuisen expressed concerns that the bill’s passing would breach the agreements that established the coalition.
“The DA regards this issue in the most serious light, and I will convey to the President the destructive implications it holds for the future of the GNU,” he stated.
Although Steenhuisen did not detail specific consequences, he is expected to address the matter further at a press briefing in Cape Town on Thursday.
The controversial bill introduces several amendments to South Africa’s basic education laws.
The most contentious clause would increase government control over schools’ language and admission policies, sparking debate on racial integration.
The ANC argues that language has been used as a substitute for race, excluding some children from schools, and believes the new legislation will address this issue.
The DA supports school governing bodies’ rights to set their own language policies, emphasizing the importance of mother-tongue education.
Despite the bill not targeting specific languages or groups, it has faced strong opposition from South Africa’s white Afrikaans-speaking community, with AfriForum arguing it endangers Afrikaans schools.
The DA’s statement came after the presidency announced that President Ramaphosa would sign the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) bill into law on Friday at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
Both an ANC spokesperson and Ramaphosa’s spokesperson did not immediately comment.
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