'Don't touch Siviwe Gwarube': John Steenhuisen warns that firing ...

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has hit back at speculation that its member and Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube could lose her job as tensions continue to simmer around the Bela Act.

On Sunday, newspaper reports suggested that President Cyril Ramaphosa is under intense pressure from within his African National Congress (ANC) to fire Gwarube who – in accordance with her party position – is openly opposed to the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act.

Reacting to the media reports, leader of the Democratic Alliance, John Steenhuisen insisted that firing Gwarube or any other DA minister “for doing their jobs” would not be tolerated.

“Doing so would signal an end to the Government of National Unity (GNU),” said Steenhuisen in a statement.

He said there is ongoing misinformation around the consultation process which has been taking place since Ramaphosa signed the Bela Act into law nearly three months ago, withholding clauses 4 and 5, to allow for further consultation from concerned parties.

“These consultations are ongoing through the clearing house mechanism within the GNU. During this time, the minister has met with members from Solidarity, and the Presidency, at Nedlac (National Economic Development and Labour Council) after a dispute was lodged by the union,” said Steenhuisen.

“This process is entirely separate from the consultation process, and conflating the two is misleading, and factually incorrect. This was a mandatory process, in terms of the law, to prevent strike action arising out of the dispute. The outcome of this engagement was a settlement, signed by the Minister of Basic Education, the Presidency, and the union.”

Steenhuisen said the Presidency is now seeking to backtrack from the Nedlac engagements which it is party to.

“The fact that the Presidency has now distanced itself from this legislated process, which they were party to, is as disgraceful, as it is confusing,” said Steenhuisen.

“As leader of the DA I would like to make this point loud and clear. We support the process followed by the minister, as she was fulfilling her legally obligated responsibilities, and respect the outcome of the negotiations at Nedlac.

“We have been clear since the outset. We are in government to bring about positive change, including inclusive economic growth, and jobs, and at all times we are guided by the rule of law, and the Constitution of South Africa. Anything to the contrary will not be tolerated,” Steenhuisen warned.

Last week, IOL reported that Nedlac said the agreement reached by Minister of Basic Education and the Solidarity union on the Bela Act is only binding on those parties who were part of the settlement.

While the Act was passed by Parliament in October 26, 2023, and assented to in September, the implementation of sections 4 and 5 have been delayed by three months to allow for multi-party discussions and proposals on resolving the disputes.

Lisa Seftel, Nedlac executive director said the agreement reached by Solidarity and the department is binding, but only to the parties which signed it.

“The agreement is only binding on the parties. The agreement does not bind the parliamentary process, or the GNU (Government of National Unity) process or the president, or the clearing house, or the deputy president, or anybody else for that matter,” she said.

“It is an agreement between Solidarity and the minister of Basic Education (Siviwe Gwarube) about the issues that she should raise with the president as a solution to this matter.”

Seftel clarified that the Labour Relations Act allows a union like Solidarity to raise the specific dispute, as the union did, and for the matter to be deliberated on at Nedlac.