A CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT FOR 13-YEAR-OLD AND OTHER MINORS WHO HAVE DIED IN ENYOBENI TAVERN, SOUTH AFRICA; ALLEGED NEWS

 

A LIT CANDLE HAS BEEN BURNING 

IN REMEMBRANCE OF 

THE YOUTH WHO HAVE DIED IN ENYOBENI TAVERN, 

EAST LONDON, SOUTH AFRICA: R.I.P. 

OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE 

WITH THEIR  FAMILIES AND FRIENDS. 

MAY STRENGTH AND BLESSINGS 

BE THEIRS AT THIS TIME 

OF GRIEF AND MOURNING.

1. Enyobeni tavern deaths: all were minors, age of youngest victim confirmed; Alleged News

https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/enyobeni-tavern-deaths-all-were-minors-age-of-youngest-victim-confirmed/ar-AAYTeSd?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=541a04f51a4746978138f3490922e1cb

2. South Africa: Groups call for extension of deadline for

public comments on "Bela Bill" amid concerns

https://lumierecharity.blogspot.com/2022/06/south-africa-concerns-over-bela-bill.html

With thanks to msn.com

UNITED STATES: ROE V WADE OVERTURNED

 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: THE SUPREME COURT HAS OVERTURNED ROE V. WADE, WITH A 6-3 MAJORITY RULING IN THE DOBBS CASE THAT 'THE CONSTITUTION DOES NOT CONFER A RIGHT TO ABORTION," ALLEGED NEWS. [1] “We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled. The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion. Roe and Casey arrogated that authority. We now overrule those decisions and return that authority to the people and their elected representatives,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority; Alleged News. [1]

No right to abortion

“The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly rely—the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment,” Justice Alito continued. “That provision has been held to guarantee some rights that are not mentioned in the Constitution, but any such right must be ‘deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition’ and ‘implicit in the concept of ordered liberty,’” Alleged News. [1]

Dobbs upheld

Justices ruled to uphold Dobbs, which limits abortion to 15-weeks in Mississippi, thus effectively overturning Roe v. Wade. This action has returned abortion law to the states, Alleged News. [1]

“Abortion presents a profound moral question. The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion. Roe and Casey arrogated that authority. We now overrule those decisions and return that authority to the people and their elected representatives,” Justice Alito wrote, Alleged News. [1]

Roe egregiously wrong

“Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences,” Justice Alito wrote. “And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division,” Alleged News. [1]

Roe responsible for over 60 million deaths

Pro-life groups welcomed the decision, including Ms Kim Schwartz of Texas Right to Life, Alleged News. [1]

“After nearly 50 years, Roe has been responsible for the deaths of over 60 million preborn American children. Today, the Supreme Court has finally overturned the grievous error of Roe v. Wade that has cost so many precious lives,” Ms Schwartz said, Alleged News. “Now, the abortion question will return to the states, authorizing state governments to set their own laws without being suffocated by federal courts,” Alleged News. [1]

[1]  Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade: "Constitution does not confer right to abortion," Alleged News

https://www.lifenews.com/2022/06/24/supreme-court-overturns-roe-v-wade-constitution-does-not-confer-right-to-abortion/

With thanks to lifenews.com

SOUTH AFRICA: GROUPS CALL FOR EXTENSION OF DEADLINE FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS ON "BELA BILL" AMID CONCERNS

SOUTH AFRICA: GROUPS CALL FOR EXTENSION OF DEADLINE FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS ON "BELA BILL" [1] AMID CONCERNS REGARDING THE BILL. 

Widespread public outcry

There has been a widespread public outcry against elements of the BELA Bill, [2] and more than 13,000 people have signed the Democratic Alliance petitions opposing this Bill, Alleged News. [3]

SAAPA concern regarding liquor

The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance in SA (SAAPA SA) has noted with concern the inclusion in the BELA Bill of a recommendation that liquor be allowed on school premises, and at school functions on and off school premises, for purposes of fund-raising: Alleged News. [4] 

This is regarded as an issue of concern because of the multiple risks this poses to learners at schools. [4]

The Basic Education Laws Bill (BELA Bill)

The Basic Education Laws Bill, also referred to as the Bela Bill, which is before Parliament's portfolio committee on basic education, calls for the amendment of the SA Schools Act of 1996 and the Employment of Educators Act of 1998: Alleged News. [1]

A section of the bill that proposes allowing alcohol sale and consumption on school premises by adult guests and not pupils during fundraising activities has become a contentious issue; Alleged news. [1] Part of the bill also proposes that alcohol be allowed in school halls which are hired for church or weddings and for functions held by the staff; Alleged News. [1] 

Alcohol problem

Advocacy group SAAPA SA expressed that "There is a huge problem around alcohol in our country"; Alleged News. [1]

SAAPA Executive Director Maurice Smithers apprised that there are existing problems in schools around alcohol; Alleged News. [1] 

Opposition to alcohol in schools

Executive Director Smithers said that the position of SAAPA and its 58 civil society alliance partners is that alcohol has no place in schools, Alleged News. [1] 

"We call on learners, parents, teachers and other school staff, as well as community members generally, to voice their opposition, through whatever means possible, to the liquor clauses in the bill that will legitimise the use of alcohol on school premises and during school activities," Alleged News.  [1]

On 8 November 2012, SAAPA was established at the inaugural Southern African Alcohol Policy Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa. Attending the forum were delegates selected from civil society organizations from regional countries Namibia, Malawi, Madagascar, Zambia, Botswana, Lesotho and South Africa, as well as organizations from Kenya, Sierra Leone, Sweden and Norway; Alleged News. [5]

Inkatha Freedom Party

Committee member Siphosethu Ngcobo from the IFP (Inkatha Freedom Party) also rejected the parts of the proposed legislation, Alleged News. [1] 

Democratic Alliance concerns

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has several concerns with the BELA Bill, as well as with the method of calling for public participation, which the DA political party believes will disadvantage wide portions of the South African public; Alleged News. [2] 

School admission policies

The Democratic Alliance opposes Clause 4 as the party believes that local communities should have the right to determine their own school admission policies, Alleged News. [2] 

Power of determination

In respect of Clause 19, the Democratic Alliance believes that the power of determination of number of School Governing Body Members, and their Manner of Election at Public Schools for Learners with Special Needs, should remain with the MEC; Alleged News. [2]

Home Schooling concerns

Clause 37 regarding Home Schooling provides that parents of a home-schooled child must apply to the Head of Department to register their learner, as well as requiring additional assessments of a child's educational attainment up to the age of 15 or grade 9; Alleged News. [2] 

A delegated official may also be required to perform a pre-registration home education site visit; Alleged News. [2]

While the Democratic Alliance believes that there must be accountability measures in place to ensure home schools provide quality education standards, the party believes that there is a need for greater consultation with the home schooling sector to determine their views, and to consider their concerns with Clause 37; Alleged News. [2]

DA "BELA Bill" submissions

The Democratic Alliance Party submitted comments on the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill, and encourages the public to submit their concerns to Parliament by 15 June 2022; Alleged News. [3]

African Christian Democratic Party

ACDP Member of Parliament Marie Sukers called for the home education sections of the proposed Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill (BELA) to be removed and sent back to the Department of Basic Education (DBE), in order for it to be redrafted, as adequate research was was not conducted into home education," Alleged News. [6]

WHY NOT SUBMIT A COMMENT 

BY 15 JUNE 2022?

Members of the public can read the BELA Bill and related documents at https://pmg.org.za/bill/1055/. They can write to Parliament to say they don't want alcohol in school - belabill02@parliament.gov.za - or send written objections by 15 June 2022 addressed to Ms B P Mbinqo-Gigaba, Chairperson, Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Parliament, Cape Town and emailed, for the attention of Portfolio Committee Secretary Llewellyn Brown, to lbrown@parliament.gov.za [4]

[1] Concerns over bill allowing alcohol sales at schools, Alleged News

https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2022-06-07-concerns-over-bill-allowing-alcohol-sales-at-schools/

[2] DA. Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill (BELA), 2022 Public Submission of the Democratic Alliance, Alleged News

https://press-admin.voteda.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/DA-Submissions-BELA-Bill.pdf

[3] DA submits BELA Bill submissions - Bax Nodada; Alleged News

https://www.politicsweb.co.za/politics/da-submits-bela-bill-submissions--bax-nodada

[4] Child Protection Week and the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill; Alleged News

https://www.roadsafety.co.za/2022-06/child-protection-week-and-the-basic-education-laws-amendment-bela-bill/

[5] SAAPA Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance; Alleged News

https://saapa.africa/about-saapa/

[6] ACDP MP calls for a halt to proposed Home Education Law; Alleged News

https://www.acdp.org.za/acdp-mp-calls-for-a-halt-to-proposed-home-education-law/

With thanks to sowetanlive.co, press-admin.voteda.org, politicsweb.co.za, roadsafety.co.za, saapa.africa and acdp.org.za