The portfolio committee on basic education extended the period for written comments on the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill to August 15.

According to the committee, numerous requests were received for an extension of the deadline, which was June 15.

AfriForum Head of Cultural Affairs, Alana Bailey, said the bill’s proposals dealt “would have dire consequences for the future of education by means of Afrikaans and also other indigenous languages”.

“Therefore, AfriForum encourages all members of the public who have not taken the stand against the bill yet to do so now.”

Bailey said AfriForum had already submitted its comments on June 14.

“However, the amendments proposed by this bill are so far-reaching that more time for stakeholders to respond is appropriate,” she said.

Bailey said on June 22, AfriForum asked basic education minister Angie Motshekga to withdraw the bill in light of remarks made by the Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi.

“He made it clear that he supports the bill because it can be used to destroy schools that offer Afrikaans-medium education once and for all.

“Especially the bill’s proposals that deal with the decision-making powers regarding schools’ admissions and language policies would indeed make it possible. Thus, we encourage all members of the public who have not taken a stand against the bill yet, to do so now,” Bailey said.

“The online petition launched by AfriForum to obtain support against the bill has now also been reactivated, so that people can also make their voices heard against the bill via this channel.”

The petition is available at www.redafrikaans.co.za