[lg policy] South Africa: Languages Bill discriminates against Afrikaans - Afrikanerbond

[Harold Schiffman]

Languages Bill discriminates against Afrikaans - Afrikanerbond

06 February 2012

Pieter Vorster says ANC has had 18 years to promote indigenous
languages, but has failed to do so

EXTRACTS FROM A SPEECH BY PIETER VORSTER, CHAIRPERSON OF THE
AFRIKANERBOND,  DURING A REGIONAL MEETING OF THE AFRIKANERBOND IN
FRANKFORT

AFRIKAANS IN GOVERNMENT  - A NEW FORM  OF DISCRIMINATION? ANC AND
OFFICIALS MUST RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF THE AFRIKAANS LANGUAGE COMMUNITY
- A LANGUAGE CODESA REQUIRED

The latest controversy surrounding the South African Languages Bill
reaffirms that there is no understanding or respect within the ANC and
government circles for the South African language community. Instead,
the impression is confirmed that an element within the ANC wishes to
destroy every previous agreement and convention.

This is evident in the recent Green Paper on Land Reform but has now
also been confirmed in the insistence of politicians and officials to
remove Afrikaans as a language of government. The sweetener on offer
namely that indigenous languages will be promoted is received with
cynicism.

In the 18 years of government and since the 2003 National Language
Policy Framework no indigenous language has been promoted or
protected. In fact all indigenous languages, including Afrikaans, have
been sidelined and English became the lingua franca of the South
African government.

In the period preceding the constitutional negotiations which led to
the peaceful 1994 democratisation of South Africa , a number of
constitutional principles were negotiated. The eleventh principle
reads as follow: "The diversity of language and culture shall be
acknowledged and protected, and conditions for their promotion shall
be encouraged." This principle has also been reflected in the 1996
Constitution and the promotion and protection of all eleven official
languages have been assigned to the state.

Now however, the integrity of some ANC cadres regarding the
implementation and realisation of the constitutional democracy must be
questioned when viewed against the latest SA Languages Bill and
amendments. It is clear that there is no respect for the Afrikaans
language community. In fact the impression is that a form of
linguistic discrimination is now being implemented, in line with the
racial discriminatory measures already in existence in the public
sector.

It is now becoming more apparent that officials within the Department
of Arts and Culture do not understand the challenges but also many
opportunities offered by the South African languages.

Furthermore, it is increasingly clear that Afrikaans is now in the
cross-fire of political activists and that Afrikaans will be
sacrificed on the altar of subservience. Civil society cannot and will
not allow it. It probably is time for a Language Codesa during which
the South African language community can decide on the future of our
languages.

The current SA Languages Bill is an attempt by the government and the
ANC to decide for the SA language communities instead of the language
communities deciding for themselves. In our history Afrikaans as
language was a divisive factor. To put Afrikaans and other indigenous
languages in the political cross-fire again can have disastrous
consequences.

Issued by the Afrikanerbond, February 6 2012

http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71654?oid=278803&sn=Detail&pid=71616

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