DA's Gwarube used by Solidarity, AfriForum to ‘block transformation'

Minister's Bela regulations agree with rightwing organisations

- By Mzwandile kaBizokwakhe and Boitumelo Kgobotlo

The Good Party has accused basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube of being used by right-wing organisations Solidarity and AfriForum to “subvert” the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act from the inside.

Party secretary general Brett Herron said that Gwarube, who is a DA member, “appears to be using regulations to undermine the intention of the Bela Act and the South African Schools Act at the direction of these two rightwing organisations”.

The details of the agreement came to light in response to a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application for access to Nedlac proceedings after Solidarity declared a dispute over Bela last year.

The law accords the minister an opportunity to write the rules of engagement for Bela’s implementation, and depending on how these regulations are written, they can derail the law.

Herron said in a package that was sent to him as a response to his PAIA enquiry, there was a bilateral agreement between Gwarube and Solidarity, whose wording is the same as that which she wrote in the Bela draft regulations gazetted on Thursday.

He said the wording was contrary to the wording of the act.