Lack of indigenous language use in government, hindering democracy

Indigenous languages in South Africa constantly seem to be getting the short end of the stick, leading to communities lacking the confidence to request adequate service delivery, since most public administration communication is in English.

This was one of the theories raised in a webinar hosted by the office of the Public Protector of South Africa on languages in public administration, guests and panelists scrutinised the predominant use of ‘foreign’ languages as medium of instruction or communications in vital sectors, such as government and institutions of learning.

The webinar came after Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane was met with allegations of prejudicial use of official languages in rendering public services during her numerous interactions with the public.

This included languages of the Khoi, San, !Xun and Khwe communities.

According to actress Florence Masebe, the poor use of indigenous languages apparently start in early childhood development, where the most common household source of information is television.

“If a child cannot listen to folk songs and stories often on the one thing that sits in their home and influences how they speak, they are never going to play catch-up.

“Our children have British and American accents before they go to pre-school, because we copy everything and forget to create what belongs to us.

“If we don’t start with children, it means as little ones, they didn’t absorb the content in their mother tongue [meaning] they won’t want to absorb it when they have grown up because they would find themselves detached and bored with it,” Masebe said, who is also an language and cultural activist.

The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) chairperson Professor Luka Mosoma said the commission would ensure programmes of culture and language are incorporated in schools and institutions of higher learning following engagements with student organisations on the use of indigenous languages to be used for research, knowledge production, commerce and trade.

“Appreciation of both language, culture, and religion starts at the point of offering education. We are working on programmes to ensure that we have CRL chapters in schools and institutions of higher learning, because that is where language is seized at the initial stages,” he said.

The most neglected languages were those of the Khoi and the San, which are not even recognised by the Constitution as official languages and are not taught in schools.

This is something the Pan South African Language Board (PANSALB) is advocating for, said Boichoko Moremi.

“We have speakers of these languages, but we don’t have textbooks, teachers, or resources adequate enough to ensure this right is attained and achieved.

“Even today, communication officials are still delivering government messages only and mostly in English. There are still inequalities when it comes to service deliveries,” said Moremi.

Deputy Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka highlighted that democracy can, however, be said to be fully at play if services are delivered in a language the majority of South Africans cannot understand, as language is either a barrier or tool for the advancement of society.

“What is the impact of this in terms of the confidence of the people? How are people able to approach the government and say ‘this is lacking in my community and this is what we want?’

“If the same public servants do not speak our languages, it reduces one’s ability to be able to fight for their rights and what they should be served with.

“When you cannot be spoken to in a language you understand, how can you be free?” said Gcaleka.

rorisangk@citizen.co.za

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