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.