Lesufi accidentally gives away the actual purpose of the planned BELA legislation
21 June 2022
Today during a session of the Gauteng Legislature, the Gauteng MEC for Education, Panyaza Lesufi, continued his onslaught on Afrikaans schools. He let it slip that the planned BELA legislation is solely aimed at transforming, and thus destroying, Afrikaans schools.
Lesufi once again lashed out at Afrikaans schools, which comprised a mere 6% of all schools in Gauteng in 2019, and equated the language to a form of racist exclusion, implying that the Afrikaans school community is racists.
He made it very clear that the planned BELA legislation will be used to transform all single- and parallel-medium Afrikaans schools to schools where at least three different languages are simultaneously used as medium of instruction. It is not feasible and in truth, it is solely aimed at eradicating all Afrikaans public schools from Gauteng.
It is becoming more and more evident that the BELA Bill's existence centres around transforming Afrikaans schools only. Based on Lesufi's statements, no other schools are on the radar.
With regard to the alleged racism at Hoërskool Jan Viljoen in Randfontein, Lesufi said that an independent inquiry report has been submitted to his department and that it will be discussed.
According to the FF Plus's knowledge, the report did not identify any racism and indicates that the conflict among learners arose due to a lack of discipline in adhering to the school rules.
The FF Plus asked to see the report. The request was granted and the party will study it for further context.
The FF Plus itself is also busy with an investigation into the events that transpired at the school and is providing information to the Human Rights Commission (HRC), which is also conducting an investigation.
Lesufi once again ranted about the broader Afrikaans community as well, including the private Afrikaans Sol-Tech College and AfriForum.
This display of prejudice will prove to be useful in the FF Plus's endeavour to protect Afrikaans schools, particularly where court cases are concerned. Lesufi’s hate for the Afrikaans community is the poison that will ultimately lead to his own demise.
On this battlefield that Lesufi created, the FF Plus will keep fighting to protect the rights of the Afrikaans community.
Issued by Anton Alberts, FF Plus national chairperson and MPL: Gauteng, 21 June 2022
