[lg policy] South Africa: Referendum needed over Afrikaans

[Harold Schiffman]

Referendum needed over Afrikaans
July 12 2016, 05:00

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   <http://www.bdlive.co.za/opinion/letters/2016/07/12/letter-referendum-needed-over-afrikaans?service=print>
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[image: PROTEST: Students demonstrate in support of the retention of
Afrikaans as the primary medium of instruction outside the University of
Pretoria’s Hatfield campus in February. Picture: THE TIMES]
PROTEST: Students demonstrate in support of the retention of Afrikaans as
the primary medium of instruction outside the University of Pretoria’s
Hatfield campus in February. Picture: THE TIMES
Related articles

   - ON THE WATER: Fear drives fight for Afrikaans
   <http://www.bdlive.co.za/opinion/columnists/2016/07/11/on-the-water-fear-drives-fight-for-afrikaans>

I AM stunned that Neels Blom in "Let us be clear about the work of a
university
<http://www.bdlive.co.za/opinion/columnists/2016/07/11/on-the-water-fear-drives-fight-for-afrikaans>"
(July 8) should continue to argue against education in Afrikaans including
university education. The decision by the universities of the Free State
and Pretoria to impose an English-only policy represents a nightmare come
true, and reminds one of the early-19th century arrogance of the British
lords governing the Cape.

The imposition of English was one of the causes of the Great Trek. As we
can no longer trek away from the ANC except by emigrating, we have to fight
for our language.

No country except France with its myth of a "universal nation" would take
the position in the 21st century that only one language be allowed at
university and in public administration. Britain, where English presumably
comes from, subsidises Welsh and not so long ago, allowed the Scots to vote
in their "Indyref".

However, the ANC is less intelligent than France’s elite hauts
fonctionnaires who have to pass competitive examinations to get jobs, so
their language policy is illogical.

The Constitution, which no Afrikaner agreed to and was never put to a
referendum as promised, recognises 11 so-called official languages. The
notion that English is "more equal" in Orwellian terms than the other 10
seems to underlie Blom’s logic, but it has never been tested in court.

The hysterical Left, which is so strident when it comes to racial equality
and racism, is silent on the notion of linguistic equality.

All the universities need to be sued by the Afrikaans organisations. We
should open up everything to scrutiny, even the legality of a Constitution
that was imposed on us by Parliament, corrupt National Party politicians
and ANC terrorists.

Section 29(1) of the Constitution is a mess and in dire need of
clarification, especially in light of the longstanding equality between
Afrikaans and English, as well as international principles that eschew any
form of linguistic hierarchy. Even the UN has six (equal) official
languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

Afrikaners and other Afrikaans-speakers should be able to vote in a
referendum on whether their language should enjoy equality with English in
all spheres. Thereafter, we can also test the appetite for independence
among Afrikaners as in the Scottish referendum.

After all, the most persuasive argument among Blom and other anglophiles
is: this is how they do it in Britain. So, let’s get really British and go
the full monty: Let’s have two referendums in close succession.

*Dr Dan Roodt, Pro-Afrikaans Action Group*


*http://www.bdlive.co.za/opinion/letters/2016/07/12/letter-referendum-needed-over-afrikaans
<http://www.bdlive.co.za/opinion/letters/2016/07/12/letter-referendum-needed-over-afrikaans>*


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