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.

BELA: AfriForum submits comments for next round of public hearings, calls on public also to participate

The next round of public hearings on the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill (also known as the BELA Bill) is currently underway in Mpumalanga. Short and limited notice has been given regarding this process. AfriForum has just submitted written comments to Mpumalanga’s legislature and will also attend the public hearings in the province whenever possible.

This process follows after the bill was approved by the National Assembly on 26 October this year and referred to the National Council of Provinces. Judging by Mpumalanga’s appeal to the public to make submissions, the provinces have decided to undertake another round of public consultation before approving or rejecting the bill.

According to Alana Bailey, AfriForum’s head of Cultural Affairs, previous consultation sessions had been well supported and an overwhelming number of those present emphasised that the bill includes articles that pose a serious threat to the future of quality education in general and Afrikaans mother-language education in particular. It will also bring an end to communities’ and parents’ final decision-making powers regarding their children’s education. The bill inter alia proposes that the final decision on schools’ admission and language policies should be centralised in the hands of the provincial heads of education. Currently this power is held by the democratically elected governing bodies of schools, and not the state. Moreover, provincial heads of education are political appointments with ideological agendas.

“Communities have a right to decide on access to and the language of tuition used in their schools. Mother-language education is essential for the best learning outcomes. Governing bodies also spend millions of rands annually to create extra posts in schools to ensure that children do not end up in overcrowded classrooms. If the current version of the bill is passed, parents will lose these final decision-making powers and children will be even more at the mercy of the political power games and administrative mismanagement of the state. AfriForum therefore calls on everyone who has an interest in our children’s future to participate in this public consultation process, even if they may already have made oral or written submissions on previous occasions,” Bailey said.

The public hearings in Mpumalanga are scheduled as follows:

23 November 2023: Mmametlhake Community Hall, Dr JS Moroka Local Municipality (10:00-13:00)
29 November 2023: Vukuzakhe Community Hall, Pixley Ka Seme Local Municipality (10:00-13:00)
30 November 2023: Jepees Reef Community Hall, Nkomazi Local Municipality (10:00-13:00)

Written submissions on the bill can be sent to prettyma@mpuleg.gov.za before or on 31 January 2024.