Legal Practice Council must reinstate Afrikaans within seven days – Solidarity 

10 January 2024

Solidarity’s Law Network demands that the Legal Practice Council of South Africa (LPC) should revoke its abolishment of Afrikaans examinations for candidate attorneys by 17 January.

On 13 December last year, the LPC issued a notification announcing its intention to adjust its language policy so that exams can no longer be taken in Afrikaans, and can only be taken in English.

This applies to attorney, conveyancing and notary exams taking place under the auspices of the LPC from 2024.

According to Riaan Visser, head of Solidarity’s Law Network, this irrational decision was taken without proper consultation with interest groups in the legal profession, or even a survey about their language preferences.

“The LPC fulfils a public role and should be informed regarding its responsibility to promote multilingualism in terms of the Constitution. However, in the media the LPC argues that Afrikaans-speaking candidates unfairly benefit from being able to write the exams in Afrikaans. 

“Instead of trying to promote the other indigenous languages to this level as well, they abolish Afrikaans and retain the advantage for one language group only – and that is English,” Visser said. 

Visser said the LPC should much rather preserve and strengthen the legal profession’s historical connection with English and Afrikaans; in addition, it is under an obligation to promote and develop other indigenous languages within the context of the legal profession.

He further emphasized that even government offices are obliged by law to be able to provide services in at least three of the country’s official languages.

“As one of the country’s official languages, Afrikaans has a right to exist, and individuals who choose to write the exams in Afriaans have a right to do so. After all, this applies to speakers of all our official languages.

“If the LPC had doubts about these principles, it should at least have consulted with interest groups before taking such a decision,” Visser said.

Solidarity’s Law Network is prepared to meet with the LPC to address this issue with the urgency it deserves.

Nonetheless, the Law Network demands that the decision be withdrawn no later than 17 January 2024, otherwise Solidarity reserves the right to take legal action. 

Issued by Riaan Visser, Head: Solidarity Law Network, 10 January 2024