Bela bill: South Africa's President Ramaphosa moves to avert coalition row

President Ramaphosa agrees to delay some education reforms that had threatened government stability.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatchHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS ElectionUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessWomen at the HelmFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersSouth Africa's leader moves to avert coalition rowAFPPresident Cyril Ramaphosa (L) and John Steenhuisen (R) agreed to form a coalition government after the ANC lost its majority in May's electionSouth Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has tried to head off a major row within his uneasy governing coalition by delaying the implementation of the most controversial part of a new education law.

A dispute over language policy had threatened the stability of the 10-party government created after the African National Congress (ANC) lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in May's election.

Speaking before he signed the new measures into law at a public ceremony, Mr Ramaphosa said there would now be a three-month consultation period.

But John Steenhuisen, the leader of the coalition's second largest party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has since reiterated the plan to challenge the new law in court.

Now partners in government, the ANC and DA had previously been bitter rivals.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd9d979k211o

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