Confederation of South African Trade Unions, Cosatu has condemned threats of court action by right-wing groups opposed to the BELA Act.
Afrikaans pressure group Afri-Forum and Trade Union Solidarity announced jointly that they will drag the government to court after it refused not implement sections of the legislation barring schools from excluding learners on the basis of language.
The two groups believe the sections will threaten the existence of Afrikaans only schools and expressed feeling let down by the Government of National Unity after it overlooked an agreement they had entered into with Basic Education Minister Siviwe Rwarwube.
The trade union federation said there was no chance of a court forcing the government not to implement the act.
“COSATU dares Afriforum to take legal action because we are certain it has less than zero chance of succeeding and a court ruling would ensure this matter is finalised once and for all, and will put paid to the theatrics that have distracted the state from the full implementation of this important transformative Act for far too long,” said spokesperson Zanele Sabelo in a statement.
Sabela said the aggrieved groupings should rather be making proposals to the regulations being developed by the government instead of playing victim, accusing them of deliberately misinterpreting the law.
“It appears Afriforum and others have deliberately chosen to remain confused and continue to believe the full implementation of the BELA Act will spell an end to the Afrikaans language and inexplicably harm Afrikaans children,” she said.
The federation also dismissed the groups’ claim that a secret agreement entered into with Rwarwube obliged the government to not proceed with the full implementation of the act saying the arrangement could not be binding.
“It appears the thrust of their case will be based on the clandestine agreement that was reached between themselves and Minister of Education Siviwe Gwarube in November, even though Minister Gwarube made it clear the agreement could not supersede any resolution reached under the GNU Clearing House Mechanism,” said Sabela.
Even within the GNU, the BELA Act, along with the National Health Insurance remain contentious issues with the ANC pursuing them as part of its transformation agenda while its right wing partners the DA, Freedom Front + and Patriotic Alliance are totally opposed to both laws.