Mbeki's Review Exposes GDE's Political Intrusion in Pretoria School, Fuelling Bela Act Opposition

AfriForum has highlighted a report by the Thabo Mbeki Foundation that strongly criticizes the Gauteng Department of Education's (GDE) undue intervention at Pretoria High School for Girls (PHSG). This report, delivered by the former president Thabo Mbeki to Matome Chiloane, the MEC for Education in Gauteng, on October 10, 2024, serves as an indictment of the GDE's actions and signifies the imperativeness for persistent opposition to the proposed Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act.

The Bela Act has been in the spotlight for its contentious provisions that would afford the provincial education department increased control over school governance, a move critics argue would diminish the authority and autonomy of school governing bodies.

In the document, Mbeki takes specific issue with the GDE's proclivity to meddle hastily into school affairs without substantial evidence, stressing the negative impact such interventions could have on community cohesion and the stifling of constructive debate. His letter to Chiloane laments the premature interference by the GDE in the PHSG affairs, labelling the episode as both "unfortunate" and potentially harmful in the way it may foster divisions.

AfriForum’s head of Cultural Affairs, Alana Bailey, echoes Mbeki's concerns, pointing out a pattern of behavior by the GDE characterized by overreactions to unproven claims at the expense of schools that are performing well. She raises concerns that this tendency overshadows the plight of underperforming schools within the province that are often ignored and left unsupported.

The actions of Panyaza Lesufi, Premier of Gauteng, alongside the GDE are likened to those of "bullies" by Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum. The case at PHSG is cited as evidence of an administration seeking to exert undue influence over school operations, which, in their view, infringes on the rights of children, parents, and the power vested in school governing bodies.

This contentious state of affairs has fortified AfriForum's resistance towards the Bela Act, which they argue grants overly authoritarian powers to Lesufi and his department. The civil rights organisation is using the report as a catalyst to mobilise the public against what they perceive to be a legislative overreach into the education sector.

In a bid to gather support and encourage public demonstration against the said Act, AfriForum has organized a march set to take place on November 5, 2024. The march is planned to start at 09:00 from the historical Voortrekker Monument, leading up to Freedom Park in Pretoria. Those wishing to participate or require additional information are invited to register and seek details on the dedicated website, www.belaprotes.co.za.

The GDE's past interventions and the current uproar signify a complex debate around governance and autonomy in South Africa's education system. The stark opposition represented by institutions like AfriForum and figures such as Thabo Mbeki highlight the friction between provincial authorities' efforts to enforce a certain level of standard and control, and the stakeholders' demand for autonomy and respect for established functional systems.