PRESS RELEASE: GNU Has Become A Rubber Stamp For ANC Policy

GNU has become a rubber stamp for ANC policy 

President Ramaphosa’s announcement that the BELA Act will be implemented in full is a seminal moment for the GNU. 

At the heart of the GNU is an ideological battle between those parties who wish to concentrate power in the hands of the national government, and those who wish to decentralise it, bringing power closer to the people and empowering local communities.

BELA has become a critical test of this issue, and the GNU itself.

The ANC want to take power away from parents and School Governing Bodies (SGBs) over language and admission policies, whilst the DA wish to leave it in the hands of parents. In the context of protecting mother tongue education, this distinction is critical.

Section 19 of the GNU’s founding statement of intent requires “sufficient consent” between the parties to make decisions, and section 19.3 establishes that this shall mean “Parties to the GNU representing 60% of seats in the National Assembly agree”. The significance is that, at least in theory, the ANC cannot act unilaterally without the DA’s consent.

The reality is that the ANC are acting unilaterally regardless of the agreement.

RP leader Phil Craig says,

“This decision is extremely significant. It confirms what we already strongly suspected, that the GNU has become a rubber stamp for ANC policy. This has serious implications which extend well beyond just BELA. The ANC continues to implement its own economic policy, is proceeding full speed ahead with NHI, and is extending race-based policy making.

The DA now should take serious stock of its situation. People voted for it to remove the ANC from power, not to enable its destructive ideology. Gaslighting voters that it has somehow saved them from BELA because Minister Gwarube must still write the regulations is as derisory as it is offensive.”

DATE: 21 December 2024

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RNE het 'n rubberstempel vir ANC-beleid geword

President Ramaphosa se aankondiging dat die BELA-wet volledig geïmplementeer sal word, is 'n keerpunt vir die Regering van Nasionale Eenheid (RNE).

Die kern van die GNU is 'n ideologiese stryd tussen daardie partye wat mag in die hande van die nasionale regering wil konsentreer, en diegene wat dit wil desentraliseer, om mag nader aan die mense te bring en plaaslike gemeenskappe te bemagtig.

BELA het 'n kritieke toets van hierdie kwessie geword, en ook van die GNU self.

Die ANC wil mag oor taal- en toelatingsbeleide wegneem van ouers en Skoolbeheerliggame (SBL's), terwyl die DA dit in die hande van ouers wil laat. In die konteks van die beskerming van moedertaalonderwys, is hierdie onderskeid krities.

Afdeling 19 van die RNE se stigtingsverklaring van voorneme vereis "voldoende toestemming" tussen die partye om besluite te neem, en artikel 19.3 bepaal dat dit sal beteken "Partye tot die RNE wat 60% van die setels in die Nasionale Vergadering verteenwoordig, stem in". Die belangrikheid daarvan is dat, ten minste in teorie, die ANC nie eensydig kan optree sonder die DA se toestemming nie.

Die werklikheid is dat die ANC nieteenstaande die ooreenkoms eensydig optree.

RP-leier Phil Craig sê,

"Hierdie besluit is uiters betekenisvol. Dit bevestig wat ons reeds sterk vermoed het, dat die RNE 'n rubberstempel vir ANC-beleid geword het. Dit het ernstige implikasies wat ver buite net BELA strek. Die ANC gaan voort om sy eie ekonomiese beleid te implementeer, gaan volspoed voort met NGV, en brei rasgebaseerde beleidmaking uit.

“Die DA moet nou sy situasie ernstig heroorweeg. Mense het vir die party gestem om die ANC uit die mag te verwyder, nie om sy vernietigende ideologie te bemagtig nie. Om kiesers te mislei (‘gaslight’) dat dit hulle op een of ander manier van BELA gered het omdat Minister Gwarube nog die regulasies moet skryf, is so neerhalend as wat dit aanstootlik is.”

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