Overview

• The Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill introduces significant changes, including national regulation of school admissions and language of instruction.
• The Democratic Alliance (DA) and Afrikaans-speaking community oppose the bill, citing threats to mother-tongue education and existing school governance rights.
• President Ramaphosa's African National Congress (ANC) argues the bill is essential to address educational inequalities and improve the system.
• DA leader John Steenhuisen warns that the bill's enactment could violate the coalition agreement and has threatened legal action.
• Despite tensions, both ANC and DA leaders express that policy disagreements do not pose an existential threat to the coalition's stability.