HETN condemns AfriForum language litigation
27 July 2016
The Higher Education Transformation Network (HETN), acting on behalf of its alumni members, hereby notes the recent planned High Court judgement against the introduction of English as the sole medium of instruction at the University of Free State (UFS). We further note the current court application by Afriforum against the introduction of English as the sole medium of instruction at the University of South Africa (UNISA) which we support.
Whilst we condemn and deplore the unfortunate High Court order against the UFS and above-mentioned legal challenge by Afriforum, the Network is considering both cases with major interest and is considering its options whether or not to formally join the planned litigation through a request for admission as friend of the court (amicus curiae) in order to vicariously oppose any legal attempts by Afriforum and its parent, Solidariteit, to undermine the transformation of the higher education sector.
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa requires that all citizens have access to education and equal access to educational institutions. In order to eliminate poverty and create jobs, the National Development Plan has set a national target for the country to increase the outputs of black and female teachers, students and researchers to reverse gender and racial imbalances in the higher education sector to ensure that African and women make up 50% of the teaching and research staff of universities.
It is no secret that Afriforum in its pro-white ideology has already successfully hijacked most alumni and Convocations of historically Afrikaans universities suck as University of Pretoria, North West University (Potch), Stellenbosch amongst others.. Our successive legal victories against the University of Pretoria and it's then Afriforum-controlled Tuks Alumni Board at the Equality Court (31st July 2013) as well as recently in the High Court (10th June 2014) lends credence to our assertions.