Doubt not about indigenous status of Afrikaans, but rather about the suitability of Nzimande

The civil rights organisation AfriForum believes that the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Blade Nzimande’s sluggishness to correct his mistake about the indigenous status of Afrikaans, demonstrates a disturbingly malicious attitude towards the language and its speakers. Furthermore, it creates the false impression that Nzimande’s approval is required for a language’s status as indigenous. This follows in response to Nzimande’s answer to a question by the DA, in which he mentioned that the denial of the status of Afrikaans as an indigenous language in the Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions will only be rectified later this year.

According to Alana Bailey, Head of Cultural Affairs at AfriForum, with the exception of Nzimande, there has not been any doubt about the indigenous nature of the language. Unfortunately, the debate about it creates a false impression with the public about the nature of the language, instead of focusing on Nzimande’s stubborn refusal to admit and correct the facts.

“If there had been any doubt about the legal grounds for the recognition of Afrikaans as an indigenous language, it was removed by the judgment of the Constitutional Court in the Unisa versus AfriForum case. On several occasions, Ministers of Basic Education and Arts and Culture have confirmed the indigenous status. Geographically and historically, the language is clearly indigenous ‒ it originated and developed to high-level status locally. Internationally, experts in the field of language have clarity in this regard.”

“Just as one swallow does not make a summer, a single minister cannot determine a language’s status. However, the bickering about the status of the language may well expose the minister’s ideological attitude, raising questions about his competence to hold office,” Bailey added.