Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

Education and leadership projects Media statements | Media statements

Petition directed to the President: Do not declare Afrikaans schools to be the enemy

ByAfriForum 20/05/202420/05/2024

Three organisations have today intensified their joint pressure on the government regarding the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill with a petition directed to Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa.

With this petition, Solidarity, AfriForum and the Solidarity Support Centre for Schools (SCS) demand that Pres. Ramaphosa does not approve the Bill and that he sends it back to the National Assembly (NA) for reconsideration.

Anton van der Bijl, Solidarity’s deputy chief executive for legal matters, says the amendments to give heads of the department of education and other government officials the final say on schools’ language and admissions policy could have serious consequences.

“These amendments threaten the survival of the few single-medium Afrikaans schools that still exist. In the petition we indicate that it attacks their identity and culture.

“After all, this piece of legislation is not worth the paper it is written on. If the President continues to sign it, we will proceed with litigation without hesitation,” Van der Bijl said.

Kallie Kriel, chief executive of AfriForum, says if Pres. Ramaphosa signs this anti-Afrikaans Bill, he will officially declare the Afrikaans language community and particularly Afrikaans schools and children to be the enemy.

“AfriForum, Solidarity and the SCS will then take further steps. We therefore address this letter to him with the request not to sign the legislation. If the President ignores it, AfriForum will oppose it nationally and internationally on all possible legal levels,” Kriel said.

Leon Fourie, chief executive of the SCS, says if Pres. Ramaphosa signs the BELA Bill, it will be a step back towards even greater government control over public schools.

“We demand that the amended BELA Bill be sent back for public input again and would gladly help formulate the amendments in such a way that it does not contradict the Constitution.

“The amended BELA Bill is not aligned with the original intent of the South African Schools Act. It leaves us with no other choice than to start with legal action if the President refuses to heed our concerns,” Fourie said.