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
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