Stellenbosch University denies allegations of ban on Afrikaans

STELLENBOSCH University (SU) has maintained that there is no ban of Afrikaans at the institution, as the inquiry into allegations by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) continues today.

This, after the SAHRC said they received a number of complaints “alleging students were banned from communicating in selected languages, specifically Afrikaans” in March.

The DA said recently that they have heard from students, from different residences, that they were “forbidden from speaking Afrikaans while brushing their teeth in the morning”, while others said they were “intimidated” when they complained.

The inquiry will be held over two days, at the Wallenberg Research Centre (STIAS), from today. The first session was on May 10.

A student, who asked not to be named, said they welcomed the probe with an air of “hope and expectation”.

“Everyone has the right to use their mother tongue, whether that's isiXhosa or any other language recognised by the Constitution, and no one should be excluded/banned from doing so.

“My continuous plea to SU management has always been that they should build on a true multilingual and multicultural space/ university – which recognises all three official languages of the Western Cape,” he said.

SU senior director of social impact and transformation Dr Leslie van Rooi said there is no ban on Afrikaans at the university “not in lecture halls, in residences, or anywhere else on campus”.

“The SAHRCs first session was on Monday, May 10, during which the University responded to the matter.

“There is no ban on Afrikaans at Stellenbosch University ... The University could not condone that, as it would be incongruous with our vision, our values, as well as our language policy.

“Our view is that our students have more choices, broader access and a better future, as a result of our approach to language. Our language policy advances multilingualism, taking into account the diversity of our society and the intellectual wealth inherent in that diversity,” he said.

DA constituency head for Stellenbosch Leon Schreiber will be testifying at the inquiry today.

“I will be testifying there myself about how the DA has responded to the cries for help from students,” Schreiber said.

The DAK Netwerk said it would make an input into the inquiry today.