Open Stellenbosch reveals 'progressive' language policy proposal
Cape Town - A “progressive” language policy proposal for Stellenbosch University (SU) has been released by the Open Stellenbosch movement.
“This document is the culmination of more than two decades of struggle for more equitable language practice at SU,” the proposal reads.
“Resistance to progress has largely been driven by a conservative desire to safeguard what is today known as standard Afrikaans.
“Historically, standard Afrikaans was used, by and large, as a vehicle for the marginalisation of South Africans who did not belong to the Afrikaner ethnic minority.”
Open Stellenbosch’s proposal aims to facilitate a “breakaway from the constraints of the historical injustices perpetuated by this institution and a public image that has been characterised overwhelmingly by Afrikaner culture at the expense of inclusivity”.