[lg policy] South Africa: Fight for Afrikaans at universities hotting up

[Harold Schiffman]

Fight for Afrikaans at universities hotting up 1 day ago written by Julius
Botha <https://www.sapromo.com/author/julbotha>
[image: Afrikaans at university]

The fight for retaining Afrikaans as medium of instruction at South African
universities is far from over despite earlier setbacks in court hearings.

Minority rights group AfriForum and trade union Solidarity have now won an
application for leave to appeal an earlier court ruling by the North
Gauteng High Court against the use of Afrikaans as primary medium of
instruction at the University of Pretoria (UP). Yet, the case can only be
heard after a similar case is heard about Afrikaans at the University of
The Free State (UFS).

AfriForum says in a statement it has won leave to appeal the earlier ruling
by the the North Gauteng High Court to accept the new language policy of
the University of Pretoria (UP) but this appeal can only be heard once the
Highest Court of Appeal delivers judgement in a similar case of AfriForum
and Solidarity against the newly accepted language policy of the management
of the University of the Free State (UFS).

Both cases deal with the phasing out of Afrikaans as primary language of
instruction at the two institutions.

The above-mentioned decision is welcomed by both apposing parties. “Even
though the cases of the two universities display differences, both are
about the wider principles of vindicating language rights, the right to
mother tongue education, as well as stipulations of the Constitution and
other South African legislation in this regard,” AfriForum says in a
statement.

The judgement in the UFS appeal case will identify important arguments and
principles. By reserving judgement in the ruling regarding permission for
leave to appeal in the UP case, an opportunity is presented to AfriForum
and Solidarity to also update their arguments in the case and subsequently
include it.

AfriForum and Solidarity will take any steps necessary for the protection
and vindication of the rights of Afrikaans students to study in their
mother tongue. Members of AfriForum Youth who study at the UP also observed
today’s proceeding with great interest and once again emphasised that
Afrikaans education is of great interest to them.
https://www.sapromo.com/fight-afrikaans-universities-hotting/12557


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