South Africa: Western Cape Authors Call on Government to Enforce Language Policy

[Harold Schiffman]

Western Cape Authors Call on Government to Enforce Language Policy

 9 April 2008

SOURCE: Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Sport and Recreation (Provincial
Government of the Western Cape)
The African languages in South Africa are constantly under serious
threat because there is no legislation that enforces their protection
and usage, a meeting of authors, aspiring African writers and
academics told the Minister of Arts and Culture at an imbizo held in
the University of Stellenbosch earlier today. The imbizo noted that
the erosion of isiXhosa and other African languages was further
perpetuated by the critical shortage of new written material in
African languages as a result of the publishing companies' resistance.

This focus meeting was organized as part of the Ministry of Arts and
Culture imbizo with authors of the province to discuss issues
affecting them directly. Writers voiced their serious concern about
the continued marginalization of isiXhosa at schools in particular at
the so-called model C schools, at government departments and in the
private sector. They have re-iterated the call for government to
introduce legislation that would enforce the usage of all official
languages. They say that currently the constitution of the country
recognizes 11 official languages only on paper, there are no attempts
to give practical effect to the provisions enshrined in the
constitution.

The Education Policy which stipulates that from grade 10 learners must
take only two languages as subjects got under scrutiny. They claim
that this places isiXhosa and other African languages at a
disadvantage because of the perceived inferiority of these languages.
They reiterated the call by the Minister of Education for teaching in
mother tongue at the foundation phase to ensure good prospects for the
development of these marginalized languages.

The publishing companies were also fingered for not providing adequate
support to African writers resulting in the scarcity of written
material in isiXhosa and other languages. They have asked Minister
Jordan to set bursaries for aspiring African writers as a strategic
intervention to ensure the development of these previously
marginalized languages. Minister Jordan informed the meeting that his
department does have a bursary for postgraduate studies in African
languages but conceded that his department did not communicate
effectively in this regard. He said his department will contact all
the universities with details of their bursary. He added that talks
with publishers to be more accomodative towards African writers were
continuing however they realize that it is not a walk in the park
given the business objectives of publishers to publish books that will
sell.

A second imbizo was with the Western Cape Musicians Association,
cultural activists and community based cultural organizations at a
separate venue in the same university. The issue of accessing funding
and resourcing structures dominated the imbizo. Minister Jordan said
in response that he will ask the National Arts Council to do a
roadshow in all provinces, workshoping organizations about the
processes and procedures for a successful application. Minister Jordan
was accompanied by MEC Jacobs during his two-day imbizo programme in
the Western Cape.

http://www.capegateway.gov.za/eng/your_gov/3576/news/2008/apr/168518

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