Select Committee on Education condemns infrastructure failures after Eastern Cape School tragedy, pledges accountability
Chairperson of the Select Committee on Education, Sciences, and Creative Industries, Makhi Feni, has addressed a range of urgent national issues affecting the basic education sector.
Speaking at the Social Services Cluster Briefing on Monday, he highlighted challenges ranging from infrastructure damage caused by recent floods to the implementation of progressive education legislation, including the BELA Act and the Early Childhood Development Amendment Act.
Feni expressed his deepest condolences following a tragic incident where 13 schoolchildren died after a minibus fell into a river while crossing a bridge in the Eastern Cape. He described it as a national tragedy that reflects broader infrastructure and safety failures.
"We lost the future. As the committee, we are with the families. We are feeling what they are feeling," Feni said.
He emphasised the committee's commitment to investigating the incident and supporting the affected families.
He confirmed that oversight visits and a full disaster management report would be pursued to investigate possible negligence or poor workmanship in infrastructure projects.
Feni stressed the importance of accountability in infrastructure spending, especially after floods have severely damaged school properties across the country.
"We do not want to find ourselves rebuilding because someone ticked a box without providing quality."
Moreover, Feni said the committee would work with the Auditor General to monitor the use of public funds and submit quarterly broadcast reports to ensure transparency.
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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Andre De Bruyn from EUSA Image: Supplied 'The committee will continue to closely monitor this process and engage robustly with the Minister on the gazetted regulations, which seem to deviate from the national objective,' emphasised Maimela. 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'The regulations on admissions, for example, refer to taking into account the demographics and education needs of the 'surrounding community'. In the Bela Act the responsibility for admission policy lies with the head of department (HOD) and is based on the 'broader Education Districts'. This potentially reinforces local demographic homogeneity, contrary to the type of inclusivity the Act intended,' said Maimela. While the BELA Act refers to the broader community in the education district in which the public school is situated, the gazetted regulations instead use the term 'feeder zones' to manage learner numbers and coordinate parental preferences. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The introduction of 'feeder zones' in the regulations deviates from the BELA Act, which references 'education districts', said Maimela. 'This, points to keeping previously disadvantaged learners out via location. Historically it has been linked to exclusion. It seems these regulations are attempting to re-write the Bela Act and re-introduce matters that were unsuccessfully contested in the Bela Act legislative drafting process,' Maimela added. Sadtu said they were still studying the regulations and intended to make their submissions on or before the deadline. 'In June this year, the Minister released guidelines for the implementation of the BELA Act, a move that SADTU strongly rejected as the Act does not empower the Minister to issue implementation guidelines. The Minister is only allowed to make regulations. SADTU viewed the issuing of guidelines as an attempt to sow confusion, delay the implementation of the Act and advance the DA's political agenda against the full implementation of Sections 4 and 5. SADTU will exercise extreme vigilance to ensure that the regulations align strictly with the letter and spirit of the BELA Act,' the union said. GOOD Party secretary-general Brett Herron said Gwarube cannot use the regulations to introduce concepts that undermine or "limit the rights created by Parliament through legislation". Herron added that school language policies remain among the most contested and politically weaponised tools used to preserve historical privilege. 'Regulations must not be allowed to reinforce this. BELA was meant to reform outdated admissions and language policy frameworks and dismantle the spatial, linguistic, and racial barriers that persist in South Africa's public education system. However, the wording of the regulations does not reflect that intention. Instead, the Minister has selectively chosen language that risks entrenching exclusion,' said Herron. Parents for Equal Education South Africa (PEESA) said the organisation had mixed feelings, while they did not seek to strip School Governing Bodies (SGBs) of their power entirely, they believed that reform was necessary to enforce accountability where it had long been lacking. 'The Western Cape was the only province that took real issue with the Bella Bill, they call it centralisation of power, (but it's) because they didn't want to be held accountable for the exclusion, discrimination that they have embraced for far too long. The Bella Bill forces them to account, now we will address real issues such as inequalities, they can't hide behind an SGB anymore. Because for far too long former model C schools have gotten away with the violation of the rights to basic education for all learners,' said PEESA founder Vanessa Le Roux. While Gwarube's office did not respond to requests for comment by deadline, the draft regulations are available on the Department of Basic Education's website and in the Government Gazette No. 53119 and 53120 of 6 August 2025. Comments on the draft regulations must be made by September 30 via AdmissionRegz@ Cape Times
