[lg policy] South Africa: Department of Higher Education and Training publishes its Draft Language Policy, Xhosa excluded By Political Analysis South Africa Feb 15, 2016 On 12 February 2016, the Department of Higher Education and Training

[Harold Schiffman]

DHET publishes its Draft Language Policy, Xhosa excluded
By Political Analysis South Africa
<http://www.politicalanalysis.co.za/author/political-analysis-south-africa/>
Feb 15, 2016

On 12 February 2016, the Department of Higher Education and Training
published its Draft Language Policy (Gazette No.39679). Comments can be
submitted within 30 days after the publication of the notice in the Gazette.

The Use of Official Languages Act (2012) requires (amongst other things)

   - the regulation and monitoring of the use of official languages by
   National Government;
   - the adoption of a language policy;
   - the establishment of a national language unit by the Department.

The Regulations to the Act came into effect on 5 February 2014 and the
Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) developed this Language
Policy in order to fulfil the requirements of the Act and the Constitution.
Section 29 of the Constitution guarantees equal access to education
including the rights to receive education in the official language or
languages of choice and to establish and maintain independent educational
institutions. The rights to equal access to information are guaranteed in
sections 9 and 32 respectively of the Constitution.

The purpose of the Language Policy is to outline how the DHET will use
official languages to meet its communication needs and deliver information
to citizens as well as articulate articulate policy and services.

Objectives

   1. to adopt, implement a language policy and monitor its application by
   its entities in the use of official languages for government purposes
   2. to promote equal respect and treatment of official languages
   3. to facilitate equitable access to services and information of DHET;
   and

Principles

The principles of this policy derive from the Constitution and the Act; and
involve:

   1. the recognition and promotion of the use of all eleven official
   languages to ensure language equity.
   2. the elevation of the status and use of indigenous languages
   3. equal respect and treatment of official languages
   4. good language management by the DHET to ensure efficient public
   service administration that meets public needs and equitable access to
   services and information of the DHET;
   5. preventing the use of languages for domination and discrimination
   6. supporting special redress programmes for previously marginalized
   official indigenous languages
   7. the learning and teaching of all the official languages.

*Factors taken into account*

This policy takes into account the language needs at national and provicial
level.The following factors have been taken into consideration when
choosing the official languages that the DHET will use in each
context/situation:

   - Usage;
   - Practicability;
   - Expense;
   - Regional circumstances; and
   - The balance of the needs and preferences of the public it serves

The national DHET will use for official government business, the following
languages:

   - *English*
   - *Sepedi *
   - *isiZulu *

Provinces can adopt at least three or more official languages and will
adopt an additional, reserve or alternative language:

Gauteng: English, Setswana and isiZulu

Mpumalanga: English, Sepedi, Xitsonga, isiNdebele and siSwati

Free State: English, Sesotho and Afrikaans

Northern Cape: English, Sesotho and Afrikaans

Eastern Cape: English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans

Western Cape: English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa

North West: English, Setswana and Afrikaans

Limpopo: English, Sepedi, Xitsonga, Tshivenda

KwaZulu-Natal: English and isiZulu

   - In addition to the above languages, the DHET will also use other
   official languages as and when required.
   - The chosen languages may not apply to electronic communication
   platforms such as the DHET website content

*Diversity Priority*

As the second most spoken language in South Africa  (spoken by 16% of South
Africans) the DHET should have included isiXhosa in the list of languages
used for national official government business, considering that Sepedi
(Sesotho sa Leboa or Northern Sotho) is only the fourth most common
language in South Africa.

*Vanessa Freerks*

*v.freerks at politicalanalysis.co.za <v.freerks at politicalanalysis.co.za>*


*http://www.politicalanalysis.co.za/2016/02/15/dhet-publishes-draft-language-policy-xhosa-excluded/
<http://www.politicalanalysis.co.za/2016/02/15/dhet-publishes-draft-language-policy-xhosa-excluded/>*


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