Liberate our languages

Using Human Rights Month to promote indigenous tongues will promote equality, dignity

OUR MOVE from an oppressive regime under apartheid to a democratic society brought about a sea change in South Africa’s social and cultural landscape. It guaranteed the human rights of all South Africans, and ensured that indigenous languages would be protected and promoted.

It has given South Africans the freedom to communicate and effectively express themselves in our democracy. Moreover, it enhances our culture and self-identity, and contributes to nation-building.

Today our multilingual diversity makes us a unique society and is a national treasure that fosters our bonds of unity. We see language as an important instrument to strengthen that.

This is a far cry from the days of apartheid when language was used to enforce minority rule and create division. Indigenous languages, other than Afrikaans, were marginalised.

As part of our commemoration of Human Rights Month we will celebrate and draw specific attention to our indigenous languages. The appreciation of indigenous languages has the potential to promote equality, understanding and greater human dignity.

In advancing indigenous languages we can give social and political recognition to disadvantaged groups. It helps keep our individual cultures alive and connects us to our history.

While our Constitution emphasises that all official languages must “enjoy parity of esteem”, the use of indigenous languages has been declining.

There is an urgent need to preserve, revitalise and promote indigenous languages. We can do so through supporting its teaching, protection and revival in our communities.

We will therefore mark Human Rights month under the theme: “The Year of Indigenous Languages: Promoting and Deepening a Human Rights Culture” to foster a greater love and appreciation for indigenous languages.

Government encourages all citizens to make a personal effort to support and learn a local language. For its part, government is ensuring pupils at state schools learn an African language.

In embracing the different languages of our nation we give effect to the rights of all South Africans as enshrined in the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and honour our obligations as citizens to each other and the country. It is part of an ongoing effort as a democratic society to promote values, beliefs and attitudes that encourage all individuals to respect the rights of others.

This is what many of our countrymen and women sacrificed their lives for in the Struggle for freedom.

Among these heroes are the men and women who took to the streets across the country on March 21, 1960 to protest against apartheid’s unjust pass laws.

The pass laws were one of the most oppressive policies, as they controlled the movement of black Africans in such a way that made them pariahs in their own country.

The protests came to a head at Sharpeville, where thousands of residents gathered at the local police station without their passbooks demanding to be arrested, and were subsequently gunned down.

In the new democratic era, March21 was declared Human Rights Day to honour those who fought for our liberation, and to celebrate the rights guaranteed by our Constitution.

Sharpeville became a symbol in the struggle of all those who were committed to human rights for all South Africans and heightened our national consciousness around our rights.

In the spirit of the courageous men and women of Sharpeville who gave up their lives for the many rights we enjoy today, let us continue our pursuit of making human rights tangible to all citizens, and ensure that the culture of human rights is evident in our daily lives.

Let’s use Human Rights Month to ensure greater social cohesion, foster nation-building and a shared national identity. Everyone has a right to freedom of movement, to use their language, participate in the cultural life of their choice and to live where they choose.

In protecting and supporting the promotion of indigenous languages in our nation, we can help advance the rights of our fellow South Africans. It ensures all South Africans experience the fullness of our democracy.

PHUMLA WILLIAMS

In protecting and supporting the promotion of indigenous languages in our nation, we can help advance the rights of fellow South Africans

Williams is acting director-general, Government Communication and Information Systems