Language complaints as an instrument of language rights activism: The case of PanSALB as a guardian of the right to mother-tongue education

Abstract

Language activism in South Africa has a long history. Various instruments of language activism have been used in the past, leading to the emergence of two particular traditions. One tradition, which is linked to a ‘struggle’ for the Afrikaans language, is mostly viewed in a negative sense and relates to language activism under Afrikaner Nationalism. The other tradition associated with the struggle for a democratic South Africa, is viewed in a more positive sense, and relates to language activism under the Mass Democratic Movement. The new political dispensation in South Africa, ushered in in 1994, requires a reappraisal of the current instruments of language activism, particularly in view of the newer instrument of activism concerning the lodging of language complaints as an avenue to attain redress for alleged language rights violations. With a special focus on Afrikaans and the African languages, this article sets out to examine the language and education issues covered in complaints lodged with the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) in the period 1997 to 2007. The article discusses how this new instrument has been used and by whom, while examining how this fits into the broader linguistic status quo in South Africa.

Keywords:

• Afrikaner nationalism
• language policy
• language rights activism
• language rights complaints
• Mass Democratic Movement
• mother-tongue education
• PanSALB