[lg policy] South Africa: Revolt at Tuks over Afrikaans

[Harold Schiffman]

Revolt at Tuks over Afrikaans
news/south-africa/gauteng <http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/gauteng>
 /
01 June 2016 at 11:26am
*By:* *Virgilatte Gwangwa*

Pretoria - Afrikaans speakers at the University of Pretoria will be
protected at all costs. So vowed AfriForum Youth, as Tuks mulled over the
adoption of English as the official language for lectures, tutorials and
assessments.

The civil rights organisation on Tuesday declared it would go to any
lengths, including approaching the Constitutional Court, to protect the
rights of Afrikaans students at the university.

AfriForum blasted the university and accused it of being obsessed with
English instead of promoting other official languages.

Spokesman Henrico Barnard said the adoption of English as the medium of
instruction would not only exclude Afrikaans-speaking students, but result
in huge financial implications.

“The Afrikaans community contributes approximately R1.1 billion to the
coffers of the university,” Barnard said. The state only contributed about
R678 million, he said.

The possible adoption of the proposed language policy recommended by the
transformation lekgotla last weekend would lead to academic impoverishment,
he added.

“The cost of losing non-English-speaking students and donors, and courses
that students would fail or discontinue because of language problems, will
cripple the institution,” Barnard said.

AfriForum walked out of the lekgotla that adopted the proposal that English
be the only medium of instruction for lectures, tutorials and assessments.

The university had brought together different student movements to discuss,
among others issues, the Tuks language policy. Submissions were made and
the English-only policy proposal adopted. AfriForum representatives,
however, staged a walk-out.

“We walked out of the lekgotla after being repeatedly denied the right to
voice our opinion on the issues raised,” AfriForum youth leader Marthinus
Jacobs said. “All attempts from our side to participate in the lekgotla
constructively were negated.”

But SRC head Thabo Shigange begged to differ and said AfriForum leaders
stayed on until the proposal was made - at that moment they walked out. “We
objected after an agreement had already been reached on the proposed
policy.”

Shigange said AfriForum had been given the chance to voice its opinion.
“The fact that AfriForum objected indicates that it did indeed get a chance
to say something.”

However, Jacobs accused the institution of short-sightedness in its
obsession with English. It should rather promote the expansion of all
official languages, such as Sepedi, as a language of tuition, he said.

“We condemn and disregard the proposed policy as it takes away students'
constitutional right to be taught in their mother tongue.”

Jacobs said AfriForum would prepare its own presentation on the language
policy and submit it to the independent transformation panel of the
university council, since it could not do so during the lekgotla.

The panel was set up to advise on transformation, including language policy
and institutional culture.

Alana Bailey, deputy head of AfriForum, said Tuks, like other universities,
seemed to succumb to ideological pressure and anarchist threats of
violence. This was not what an institution that highly regarded academic
freedom and excellence should do, she said.

University spokeswoman Anna-Retha Bouwer confirmed that AfriForum could
still make its submission after missing the opportunity at the lekgotla.

Bouwer said all registered students and movements, such as the EFF Student
Command, DA Students Organisation and AfriForum Youth, had been invited to
make submissions to the panel.

“It is too soon to discuss any group of students being disadvantaged by the
adoption of the policy.

“The implementation of the policy will still be debated. A consultation
process is ongoing and various considerations and transitional strategies
are being taken into account,” she added.

The recommendation adopted by the lekgotla has to be passed by the Senate
on June 2 before a council sitting of June 30.

But AfriForum said it would not take the policy’s progression lying down.
“If it gets adopted and made official we will institute legal action,” said
Jacobs.

“We are willing to escalate the case of every citizen’s constitutional
right to mother tongue education to the highest court in South Africa.”

virgilatte.gwangwa at inl.com



http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/gauteng/revolt-at-tuks-over-afrikaans-2029058

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