Mapulana tribe pushes for Sepulana as SA’s 13th official language

The Mpumalanga-based Mapulana tribe is battling to convince the government to include their language as the 13th official language.

According to language activists advocating for the recognition of Sepulana, the language is spoken by about a million people in areas within Mpumalanga and Limpopo. Such areas include Nelspruit, Bushbuckridge, Hoedspruit, Graskop and Sabie.

The battle for the recognition of Sepulana, spearheaded by the Mapulana Renaissance Group (MRG) started some years back.

Research to determine if Sepulana qualifies

Recently, the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) visited the Sepulana-speaking people to conduct research which will determine whether the language qualifies to be an official language.

Jerry Mashile, deputy secretary of the MRG, said they hoped the meeting with the CRL Rights Commission would assist them in their mission.

“Last week, the CRL research unit came to conduct research. According to them, the results of the research will be binding. We are waiting for the report, which will go through the parliamentary process.

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“However, the journey is going to be long as there is still a lot to be done. We are continuing to work on other aspects of the matter. We know that Sepulana deserves to be a language of its own instead of a dialect.”

Mashile said the language was unique and declaring it as a dialect was a political development stemming from colonialism and apartheid.

During the apartheid era, Sepulana and other languages, including isiHlubi, isiBhaca and Northern Ndebele, were classified as dialects.

One of SA’s oldest languages

Mashile said the language was one of South Africa’s oldest and it had been the tribe’s mother tongue since the 15th century. “

The issue of language is taking a back seat in government, therefore there is slow progress. There is no commitment on their part nor a clear process.”

Mpiyakhe Mkholo, CRL commission spokesperson, was not immediately available for comment.

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