‘The minister declared war on black people’: Why Cosas wants Gwarube axed
Gwarube is accused of not being willing to implement the controversial Bela Act.
The Congress of South African Students (Cosas) has vowed to pressure President Cyril Ramaphosa into dismissing Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube. An ANC-affiliated students' organization held a media briefing in Johannesburg, where its secretary-general, Onesongo Matikinca, criticized Gwarube for his unwillingness to implement the controversial Basic Education Amendment Laws (Bela) Act.
The Act, enacted in September 2024, has sparked controversy, particularly clauses 4 and 5 concerning school admissions and language policies.
Matikinca claims Gwarube is not prepared to implement the Act, specifically rejecting clauses 4 and 5. He argues that President Ramaphosa should have fired Gwarube when he signed the Bela Act, as the minister "declared war on black people" by declining to attend the signing ceremony. Matikinca further stated that Cosas will mobilize young people to ensure Gwarube's removal through demonstrations and marches, placing pressure on the president.
The organization views the adoption of the Bela Act as a triumph for the Department of Basic Education, striving to address equality issues. However, they criticize Gwarube for placing regulations on the implementation of the Act, which is meant to be carried out by Parliament. They emphasize that the Act has timeframes for implementing its clauses, but no progress has been made in admissions.
The Citizen has contacted the Department of Basic Education and Gwarube's spokesperson, Lukhanyo Vanqa, for comment, which will be added to this report upon receipt.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
