Pressure on ANC ensures victory to retain Afrikaans Taal Monument’s name

17 June 2022

Pressure on the ANC from all sides, including from the FF Plus by means of direct questions to President Cyril Ramaphosa in Parliament, seems to have ensured a victory to retain the Afrikaans Taal Monument's name for the time being.

The fight for the Taal Monument's name clearly took a positive turn after President Ramaphosa joined the debate last week.

And it was confirmed this week when the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, also stated that there are no discussions of a name change.

Last Thursday during the Budget Vote Debate on the Presidency, I asked the President outright whether he has a problem with Afrikaans, and whether he would be willing to visit the Monument with me so that I can explain its inclusivity to him.

He accepted my offer and in his response to my question, he made it clear that there is no intention to change the Monument's name.

The FF Plus was continually and fully involved in the fight against the name change. Likewise, the party will keep fighting for the preservation of Afrikaans in general, and especially in schools and universities.

The party will not allow the ANC to bully Afrikaans speakers in the fight for their language and mother-tongue education. And this fight is expected to continue for as long as the ANC remains in power.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus Leader, 17 June 2022