In a battle for the preservation of Afrikaans language and culture, AfriForum has vowed to fight against the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill (BELA) set to be signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday.
The controversial Bill, which grants provincial officials control over school language and admissions policies, has been denounced by AfriForum as a form of “cultural ethnic cleansing” by the ANC government.
According to Alana Bailey, AfriForum’s Head of Cultural Affairs, the implementation of the BELA Bill could spell the end for Afrikaans schools, threatening the existence of the linguistic community.
She stated, “This is an aggressive act of contempt for public opinion, transforming the government of national unity into a government of national disunity.”
AfriForum has been a staunch opponent of the Bill since its inception in 2017, mobilizing thousands of members and supporters to voice their opposition through public consultations and protests.
Despite their efforts, the Department of Basic Education has continued to push forward with the Bill, sparking outrage among supporters of mother-language education and Afrikaans-speaking learners.
The consequences of the BELA Bill are dire for Afrikaans schools nationwide, with the potential for single-medium institutions to be transformed into dual- or parallel-medium schools, ultimately eroding the linguistic and cultural identity of Afrikaans-speaking communities.
Bailey warned that AfriForum is prepared to take legal action at both national and international levels to safeguard the rights of Afrikaans speakers.
“We cannot let Afrikaans be eroded in our schools as it has been in public universities,” she stressed.
As AfriForum prepares to take a stand against the impending threat posed by the BELA Bill, the fight for the preservation of Afrikaans language and culture is just
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