MEDIA PRESS RELEASE:
AFRIKAANS ZAL BLIJVEN AT STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY – PROTEST 9 APRIL 2021
The Anglo-Afrikaner Union condemns Stellenbosch University for the policy practices which have slowly erected institutional structures that have been put in place by sections within the University to prevent students from communicating or engaging in Afrikaans on campus spaces. These policies have led to the down-scaling of Afrikaans lectures/classes/tutorials, the slow down-scaling and in some cases removal/removing of student support, both academically and administratively orientated around Afrikaans-speakers. The reach of these policies going as far as banning the use of Afrikaans in residences, bathrooms and even on and in groups on digital platforms such as WhatsApp. Complaints have been received that these policies go as far to impact interactions on park benches in front of students’ residences; dare we draw parallels?
It cannot be right that taxpayers’ money is spent towards the suppressing of the freedom of expression, the Constitution is supposed to protect the right of a state funded University like Stellenbosch University to retain its unique cultural character. The trend of Stellenbosch University continually neglecting their responsibility to uphold their practical constitutional mandate of the upholding of the regional linguistic rights of a regional linguistic majority, in pursuit of national democratic revolutionary interests & policies. One can see that these that these interests and policies have created a narrative, almost to the extent of being adversarial in nature when considering the regional reality. This can be seen through the implementation of the 2016 language policy – which effectively abolished Afrikaans as an equal language alongside English.
In consideration of these changes, we find it deplorable that the Stellenbosch University would interfere so deeply into students’ personal rights dictating to them what words can and cannot be used within private spaces. This gross misconduct must be illuminated and addressed.
We are of the understanding that the South African Human Right Commission (SAHRC) is investigating this alleged ban that is being enforced by the university to prohibit the use of Afrikaans in private spaces. We support such an investigation and call on the transparency of the SAHRC in its investigation, particularly considering the alleged improper influence in relation to a particular Justice who was hearing a constitutional court case in relation to the language policy at Stellenbosch University and look forward to their findings.
We at the Anglo-Afrikaner Union understand that allowing an institution to abuse ones’ rights enables them to become repeat abusers. This will not stand. This why we wish to start the Afrikaans Zal Blijven campaign to stand for the cultural and linguistic history of Stellenbosch University. We wish to open-up debate and dialogue between concerned citizens who wish to stop this abuse.
We hereby call upon Anglokaners & Afrikaners, particularly students at the University to stand together in mutual unity opposition against this misconduct and corruption which has taken hold in our institutions. We are assembling an activism action on the Friday, the 9th April 2021.
Further information in relation to the us and our future activist actions found on our Telegram broadcast channel: www.
t.me/angloafrikanerunionWe wish to express our support of and to organisations who are actively involved in fighting for the right to retain Afrikaans and what it represents at the University.
