Reregistration of AfriForum Youth Tuks denied due to Afrikaans application forms

 21 April 2015

AfriForum Youth has given their legal team the instruction to investigate various legal options after the University of Pretoria (UP) denied the organisation’s application for the reregistration of AfriForum Youth Tuks on campus because their application forms, which was submitted to the Department of Student Affairs (DSA), were completed in Afrikaans.

“This is a direct attack against Afrikaans by staff members of the DSA who are openly opposed to the language. This is also in contradiction to the language policy of the UP which makes provision that all communication with the University may be in English or Afrikaans,” said Eduan Dupper, spokesperson for AfriForum Youth.

The decision that organisations who submit their application forms in Afrikaans may not reregister was made by Mzikazi Noholoza, Head of Student Affairs, who told AfriForum Youth that Afrikaans applications are not accepted since she is not fluent in the language.

However, AfriForum Youth was able to confirm that Nohozola told a former member of the Student Representative Council that she is fluent in Afrikaans, but refuses to speak or read the language purely out of principle.

“This is not the first time Noholoza has attacked Afrikaans. AfriForum Youth is in possession of e-mails in which she openly discriminates against students who communicate in Afrikaans. This raises the question if she is equipped for her position as Head of Student Affairs,” Dupper said.

“Noholoza is also acting outside her decision making area since campus organisations are administrated by the Student Council and have nothing to do with her.”

AfriForum Youth demands that Nohozola must be fired and replaced with someone who has the necessary and required skills.

Statement issued by Eduan Dupper, Spokesman: AfriForum Youth, April 21 2015