Matie language policy invalid; AfriForum Youth serves urgent application on university

5 March 2016

The civil rights organisation AfriForum Youth served an urgent application on the University of Stellenbosch (US) yesterday to obtain an interdict to force the university to implement its language policy and plan, as well as the language specifications as published in its 2016 calendar.

This comes only a month after AfriForum Youth wanted to bring a similar application before the court, when the US literally conceded on the steps of the court and undertook in writing to take steps to ensure that all faculties will implement the university's language policy.

"Shortly after this, however, the university broke its undertaking and continued with the illegal implementation of its plans to support English as the only language of instruction on the US campus," said Hein Gonzales, AfriForum Youth spokesperson.

In the new court application, AfriForum Youth is also supported by other organisations that were equally shocked by the US's breach of a written undertaking not to depart from its language policy and plan.

The youth organisation has been inundated with messages of support by widely disparate groups who have been lobbying for the preservation of Afrikaans at the Maties campus. AfriForum Youth is hopeful that many organisations will formally support the civil rights watchdog in the current proceedings, by joining the legal battle as friends of the court.

"We are talking about an unacceptable and illegal invasion of constitutional rights. The US's breach of a written undertaking is indicative of the fact that the US administration can in no way be trusted with the responsibility to respect and protect constitutional rights."

Statement issued by Hein Gonzales, AfriForum Youth spokesperson, 5 March 2016