Prof. Michael le Cordeur
In the recent past, there have been several statements about colored people’s apathetic attitude towards Afrikaans, despite the fact that they are the largest group of Afrikaans speakers. This is how the journalist and opinion former Tim du Plessis writes in Rapport (27.08.17) that “colored people now hold the future of Afrikaans in their hands”. The commentator Heindrich Wyngaard asks “Why are colored people so quiet?” (Report, 21.01.18) following colored people’s silence after the courts’ ruling on the status of the language at the Universities of Stellenbosch and the Free State. The journalist and historian Leopold Scholtz (25.01.18) responds with: “… it is all our mother who was sentenced to a slow death in the constitutional court and we must all step in to save her.”
Denies Afrikaans people’s Afrikaansness
In the past, especially during apartheid, the Afrikaansness of brown and black people was denied. Today it is common knowledge that the majority of South Africans who have Afrikaans as their mother tongue are not white, but brown; (also black). More than 51% of all Afrikaans speakers are from the group classified as colored under apartheid. This word is rejected by this group of people today. Most of us just want to be known as colored Afrikaans-speaking South Africans.
Today it is common knowledge that the majority of South Africans who have Afrikaans as their mother tongue are not white, but brown.
Each time the numbers of colored Afrikaans speakers are dragged along if someone wants to substantiate an argument in favor of Afrikaans. When the Gauteng Minister of Education announced that Afrikaans schools would change to English, some were quick to point out that more colored people speak Afrikaans than white people. We often have to hear that Stellenbosch does not dare to give up its Afrikaansness because it is the home language of many colored students.
But where did it all start?
In his book So we get Afrikaans which deals with the very latest research on the origin of Afrikaans, Prof Christo van Rensburg mentions that the first signs of Afrikaans were already present in 1500. So long before the Dutchman Jan van Riebeeck arrived in the Cape. I would like to quote him: “The Khoi-Khoin lived halfway between Europe and the East. The European seafarers often left Europe on their way to the East. Scarce spices and other commodities had to be transported from there to Europe. Without a resting place at the Cape, the voyage was inhumanly long and dangerous. Many people became ill and died. Food, fresh meat and water were obtained from the Khoi-Khoin who were the first inhabitants of the Cape. This had to be negotiated – and so a language was born spontaneously. ”
After the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck and the Dutch, large-scale development took place. There was a lot of work, and few hands. Slaves were imported on a large scale from the East especially Indonesia, Java and Batavia. European farmers, the so-called Vryburgers, came to the Cape on a large scale where the United East India Company (Dutch officials) allocated land to them. The Khoi residents were hired to cultivate the farms. Fifty years after Jan van Riebeeck’s arrival, there were four groups at the Cape: (1) the Dutch officials of Europe, (2) the free burghers, (3) the slaves from the East and (4) the local Khoi-Khoin. These four groups were interdependent for their survival. For the successful coexistence, the four groups at the Cape had to find a language. That language was Afrikaans.
Three groups of Afrikaans speakers
For this reason, the following words of NP van Wyk Louw were placed on the foundation of the Afrikaans Language Monument on Paarlberg: “Afrikaans is the language that connects Western Europe and Africa; it draws its power from these two sources; it forms a bridge between the great bright West and the magical Africa – sometimes even so obscure Africa; they are both great powers, and what can emerge great from their association – that is perhaps what lies ahead for Afrikaans to discover. ” Afrikaans is also the language that connects the East with the West here at the southern tip of Africa. For this reason, the Taalmonument consists of three pillars: two smaller ones, for the West (Europe) and the East and the largest pillar symbolizes the African element of Afrikaans. A language from the bottom of Africa with all its words derived from the African languages like Khoi. Today, South Africa’s population still bears the marks of these three groups: the whites from Europe, the colored people from the East and the black people from Africa. Everyone speaks Afrikaans.
One of only a handful
Allow me to introduce myself: I was received and born in Afrikaans. My parents (Michael snr. And Sylvia) both still speak standard Afrikaans. My Grandpa Willie, who, if he were still alive, would be 105 years old this year, was born Afrikaans and one of the first six matrics at (Afrikaans) Bergrivier High School in Wellington. The same school where I matriculated. Unlike many of my brown contemporaries, I raised my children in Afrikaans and sent them to a local Afrikaans school. Thanks to numerous temporary jobs (because the state bursary only paid tuition fees) I was able to study at the UWC and become an Afrikaans teacher. I was involved with Afrikaans trade unions from an early age and today I am still involved with Afrikaans organizations. Yet no Afrikaans institution was willing to give me a scholarship for my doctoral study on Afrikaans education. Every penny came out of my pocket. I give this detailed background so that no one should doubt my love and passion for Afrikaans or make me suspect that I am abandoning Afrikaans about what I am going to say now.
In my opinion, it is not entirely true that colored people are ‘silent’ about Afrikaans. I wrote in Die Burger 26 years ago the “Preservation of Afrikaans requires a new approach at school” (DB, 21 May 1992). And a year later I write that “Afrikaans’ future has long since seemed as certain as it does now” (DB, 23 July 1993). Since then, more than 250 articles about Afrikaans and my love for the language have appeared from my pen (It is now according to my 80-year-old mother who has carefully cut out and filed all my articles over the past 26 years.) I have stated Afrikaans’ case in almost every Afrikaans daily newspaper and magazine; even in English and Dutch publications. Today I am one of only a handful of Stellenbosch academics who still write and publish in Afrikaans. I am also not the only colored person who is passionate about Afrikaans. Just look at the many statements by colored colleagues on social media: Everything in beautiful Afrikaans. The question is therefore:
Why are colored people outside the Afrikaans debate
First of all, I believe that colored people get less exposure in the media. The articles they write are not as readily accepted as they are submitted for publication. Because most colored people’s views on Afrikaans differ from the mainstream, their opinion is ignored. This led to an apathetic feeling of What does it help? The second reason why colored people are wary of engaging in a language debate is because colored people naturally do not like trouble. This is a remnant of their slave legacy when they were taught to keep their mouths shut and just do what the ‘boss’ says. That’s why they kept quiet under apartheid for so long. Even when the colored youth took the initiative in 1976, we often heard: “You must stay out of trouble. A third and very legitimate reason for colored people’s non-involvement in the language debate is their struggle for survival. There are so many other problems, such as poverty, education, security and the gang issue in the colored community. Most brown people’s first priority is and always has been to put food on the table. The majority of white people cannot understand why the largest group of Afrikaans speakers do not want to take up arms for Afrikaans with them. Colored people on the other hand cannot understand why white people always want to make war on language. Meanwhile, white people do not care about the real gang war on the Cape Flats. Most brown people’s first priority is and always has been to put food on the table. The majority of white people cannot understand why the largest group of Afrikaans speakers do not want to take up arms for Afrikaans with them. Colored people on the other hand cannot understand why white people always want to make war on language. Meanwhile, white people do not care about the real gang war on the Cape Flats. Most brown people’s first priority is and always has been to put food on the table. The majority of white people cannot understand why the largest group of Afrikaans speakers do not want to take up arms for Afrikaans with them. Colored people on the other hand cannot understand why white people always want to make war on language. Meanwhile, white people do not care about the real gang war on the Cape Flats.
Afrikaans and English
The apartheid government’s classification policy of grouping everyone who is not white or not black under the swear word colored has motivated colored people to convert something so negative to the positive. Khoi and San, Griqua and Muslim and Indian have found a way to live with each other in a relatively short time. They learned each other’s habits, values, religion and even each other’s language. That is why most colored people are equally comfortable with Cape Afrikaans as Standard Afrikaans. Also with Afrikaans and English, because we grew up with both languages. As Jo-Anne Floris writes: “Afrikaans and English have always held hands and openly flirted”, (DB: 14.02.2018). One side of the family was the English of District Six (my mother) and the other side were the Afrikaans people of the Boland (my father). That is why colored people to this day do not talk about uncle and aunt, but about auntie Sonie and uncle Mikey. So to go against English is to discriminate against the language of a part of your family. Then there was (is) the brown elite among us. Those who became involved in politics. Who hated everything about the apartheid government. Which encouraged people to have nothing to do with the ‘farmers’. These include sports and language. Their children were raised English. The sports boycott of the apartheid era was carried out mainly in English. Meetings and minutes were held in English (even though we only spoke Afrikaans during tea breaks). Afrikaans has been declared the language of the oppressor. Anyone who sought rapprochement with Afrikaans and white sports was vilified and marginalized. These colored people have not forgotten how white Afrikaans-speakers betrayed their colored tongues. The Afrikaner Natte (= members of the National Party) who deprived the colored people of their right to vote in the 1950s are still fresh in the memory. These people believe that colored people are only recognized if their numbers are to come and save the white people and their language. Add to this the Afrikaner nationalists who have committed numerous injustices to their colored family, and regarded Afrikaans as their sole property, even though colored people contributed just as much to the development of Afrikaans, and it is understandable that colored people would view this sudden approach with suspicion and with a few exceptions will never feel the same about Afrikaans as their white language peers. The Afrikaner Natte (= members of the National Party) who deprived the colored people of their right to vote in the 1950s are still fresh in the memory. These people believe that colored people are only recognized if their numbers are to come and save the white people and their language. Add to this the Afrikaner nationalists who have committed numerous injustices to their colored family, and regarded Afrikaans as their sole property, even though colored people contributed just as much to the development of Afrikaans, and it is understandable that colored people would view this sudden approach with suspicion and with a few exceptions will never feel the same about Afrikaans as their white language peers. The Afrikaner Natte (= members of the National Party) who deprived the colored people of their right to vote in the 1950s are still fresh in the memory. These people believe that colored people are only recognized if their numbers are to come and save the white people and their language. Add to this the Afrikaner nationalists who have committed numerous injustices to their colored family, and regarded Afrikaans as their sole property, even though colored people contributed just as much to the development of Afrikaans, and it is understandable that colored people would view this sudden approach with suspicion and with a few exceptions will never feel the same about Afrikaans as their white language peers.
So what do we do about it?
We can start by respecting the feelings of colored people much more than has been the case so far. Colored people should also start on their part to respond positively to this outreach. Most of these outreach actions are sincerely intended and come from a good heart. Twenty-six years ago I had to overcome my own fears and cross the psychological rubicon that kept me passive and dumb for years. “To hell with those who want to despise me for being proudly Afrikaans,” I decided. I want to hope that I will motivate other colored Afrikaans to do the same. The adults who entered the Promised Land in 1994 became entangled in their own arguments, their perpetual strife, and secret agendas. The responsibility that rests on our shoulders is therefore much more than just the future of Afrikaans. It calls for respect for all languages. Because in the process of nation-building, everyone who really helps build a new South Africa has long since realized that our future is multilingual. The youth of 2018 live side by side and communicate in many languages - unlike us before 1994.
After this we will have to steer the discourse on language in a different direction. Instead of getting caught up in the debate between Afrikaans or English, we will have to prove more than just lip service to the indigenous mother tongues of our country. In this way, the future South African will gain respect for each other’s languages and therefore also for each other. It requires new initiatives and creative thinking. Instead of paralyzing ourselves by brooding over our mistakes of the past, we can use the little energy we still have left to equip young people with skills to fill their place in the new South Africa. One of these is multilingualism. While we as Afrikaans speakers must continue to promote Afrikaans, we must not be blind and insensitive to the equalizing role that English and especially our indigenous languages can play on a very unequal playing field.
se verlede was daar verskeie uitsprake oor bruin mense se apatiese houding teenoor Afrikaans, ten spyte daarvan dat hulle die grootste groep Afrikaanssprekers is. So skryf die joernalis en meningsvormer Tim du Plessis in Rapport (27.08.17) dat “bruin mense nou die toekoms van Afrikaans in hul hande hou”. Hierop vra die kommentator Heindrich Wyngaard “Waarom is bruin mense so stil?” (Rapport, 21.01.18) na aanleiding van bruin mense se stilswye na die howe se uitspraak oor die status van die taal aan die Universiteite van Stellenbosch en die Vrystaat. Die joernalis en historikus Leopold Scholtz (25.01.18) reageer met: “… dis ons almal se moeder wat in die konstitusionele hof tot ’n langsame dood gevonnis is en ons moet almal inspring om haar te red.”
Bruin mense se Afrikaansheid ontken
Vroeër, veral tydens apartheid, is die Afrikaansheid van bruin en swart mense ontken. Vandag is dit algemene kennis dat die meerderheid Suid-Afrikaners wat Afrikaans as moedertaal het, nie wit is nie, maar bruin; (ook swart). Meer as 51% van alle Afrikaanssprekendes is van die groep wat onder apartheid as kleurling geklassifiseer is. Hierdie woord word vandag deur hierdie groep mense verwerp. Die meeste van ons wil net as bruin Afrikaanssprekende Suid-Afrikaners bekend staan.
Vandag is dit algemene kennis dat die meerderheid Suid-Afrikaners wat Afrikaans as moedertaal het, nie wit is nie, maar bruin.
Telkens word die getalle van bruin Afrikaanssprekendes bygesleep as iemand ’n argument ten gunste van Afrikaans wil staaf. Toe die Gautengse Minister vir Onderwys aankondig dat Afrikaanse skole gaan verander na Engels, was sommige gou om daarop te wys dat meer bruin mense Afrikaans praat as wit mense. Dikwels moet ons hoor dat Stellenbosch nie sy Afrikaansheid durf prysgee nie omdat dit die huistaal van baie bruin studente is.
Maar waar het dit alles begin?
In sy boek So kry ons Afrikaans wat handel oor die heel nuutste navorsing oor die onstaan van Afrikaans, noem prof Christo van Rensburg dat die eerste tekens van Afrikaans al in 1500 aanwesig was. Dus lank voordat die Hollander Jan van Riebeeck in die Kaap aangekom het. Ek haal hom graag aan: “Die Khoi-Khoin het seelangs so halfpad tussen Europa en die Ooste gewoon. Die Europese seevaarders het dikwels uit Europa vertrek op pad na die Ooste. Skaars speserye en ander handelsware moes daarvandaan na Europa vervoer word. Sonder ’n rusplek aan die Kaap was die seereis onmenslik lank en gevaarlik. Baie mense het siek geword en gesterf. Kos, vars vleis en water is gekry van die Khoi-Khoin wat die eerste bewoners aan die Kaap was. Hieroor moes onderhandel word – en so op spontane wyse is ’n taal gebore.”
Ná die koms van Jan van Riebeeck en die Hollanders het grootskaalse ontwikkeling plaasgevind. Daar was baie werk, en min hande. Slawe is op groot skaal ingevoer uit die Ooste veral Indonesië, Java en Batavia. Europese boere, die sogenaamde Vryburgers, het op groot skaal na die Kaap gekom waar die Verenigde Oos-Indiese Kompanje (Hollandse amptenare) grond aan hulle toegeken het. Die Khoi-inwoners is gehuur om die plase te bewerk. Vyftig jaar na Jan van Riebeeck se koms was daar vier groepe aan die Kaap: (1) die Hollandse amptenare van Europa, (2) die vryburgers, (3) die slawe uit die Ooste en (4) die plaaslike Khoi-Khoin. Hierdie vier groepe was vir hul voortbestaan interafhanklik van mekaar. Vir die suksesvolle naasbestaan moes die vier groepe aan die Kaap ʼn taal vind. Daardie taal was Afrikaans.
Drie groepe Afrikaanssprekendes
Om hierdie rede is die volgende woorde van NP van Wyk Louw aangebring op die fondament van die Afrikaans Taalmonument op Paarlberg: “Afrikaans is die taal wat vir Wes-Europa en Afrika verbind; dit suig sy krag uit dié twee bronne; dit vorm ’n brug tussen die groot helder Weste en die magiese Afrika – soms nog so ónhelder Afrika; hulle is albei groot magte, en wat daar groots aan hulle vereniging kan ontspruit – dit is miskien wat vir Afrikaans voorlê om te ontdek.” Afrikaans is ook die taal wat die Ooste met die Weste verbind hier aan die suidpunt van Afrika. Om hierdie rede bestaan die Taalmonument uit drie suile: twee kleineres , vir die Weste (Europa) en die Ooste en die grootste suil simboliseer die Afrika-element van Afrikaans. ’n Taal uit die bodem van Afrika met al sy woorde wat ontleen is aan die Afrika-tale soos Khoi. Vandag dra Suid-Afrika se bevolking steeds die tekens van hierdie drie groepe: die wittes uit Europa, die bruin mense uit die Ooste en die swart mense uit Afrika. Almal praat Afrikaans.
Een van slegs ’n handjievol
Laat my toe om my voor te stel: Ek is in Afrikaans ontvang en gebore. My ouers (Michael snr. en Sylvia) praat albei steeds standaardafrikaans. My Oupa Willie wat, as hy nog geleef het, vanjaar 105 jaar oud sou wees, was gebore Afrikaans en een van die eerste ses matrieks aan die (Afrikaanse) Hoërskool Bergrivier in Wellington. Dieselfde skool waar ek gematrikuleer het. Anders as talle van my bruin tydgenote het ek my kinders Afrikaans grootgemaak en na ’n plaaslike Afrikaanse skool gestuur. Danksy talle tydelike werkies (want die staatsbeurs het slegs klasgelde betaal) kon ek aan die UWK studeer en ’n Afrikaansonderwyser word. Ek was van vroeg af reeds betrokke by Afrikaanse vakverenigings en is vandag steeds betrokke by Afrikaanse organisasies. Tog was geen Afrikaanse instansie bereid om vir my ’n beurs te gee vir my doktorale studie oor Afrikaanse onderwys nie. Elke sent het uit my sak gekom. Ek gee hierdie breedvoerige agtergrond sodat niemand moet twyfel oor my liefde en passie vir Afrikaans nie of my moet verdink dat ek Afrikaans versaak oor wat ek nou gaan sê nie.
Dat bruin mense ‘stil’ is oor Afrikaans is myns insiens nie heeltemal waar nie. Ek het reeds 26 jaar gelede in Die Burger geskryf die “Bewaring van Afrikaans vereis ’n nuwe benadering op skool” (DB, 21 Mei 1992). En ’n jaar later skryf ek dat “Afrikaans se toekoms het lank laas so seker gelyk as nou” (DB, 23 Julie 1993). Sedetdien het meer as 250 artikels oor Afrikaans en my liefde vir die taal uit my pen verskyn (Dis nou volgens my 80-jarige moeder wat al my artikels die afgelope 26 jaar sorgvuldig uitknip en liasseer.) Ek het Afrikaans se saak gestel in byna elke Afrikaanse dagblad en tydskrif; selfs in Engelse en Nederlandse publikasies. Vandag is ek een van slegs ’n handjievol Stellenbosse akademici wat nog skryf en publiseer in Afrikaans. Ek is ook nie die enigste bruin mens wat passievol oor Afrikaans is nie. Kyk maar na die talle uitsprake deur bruin kollegas op sosiale media: Alles in pragtige Afrikaans. Die vraag is dus:
Waarom staan bruin mense buite die Afrikaanse debat
Heel eerste is ek van mening dat bruin mense minder blootstelling kry in die media. Die artikels wat hulle skryf, word nie so geredelik aanvaar as hulle dit vir publikasie voorlê nie. Omdat die meeste bruin mense se standpunt oor Afrikaans verskil van die hoofstroom, word hulle mening geïgnoreer. Dit het gelei tot ’n apatiese gevoel van Wat help dit tog? Die tweede rede waarom bruin mense versigtig is om by ’n taaldebat betrokke te raak, is omdat bruin mense van nature nie van moeilikheid hou nie. Dit is ’n oorblyfsel van hul slawenalatenskap toe hulle geleer is om hul mond te hou en net te doen wat die ‘baas’ sê. Daarom dat hulle so lank stil gebly het onder apartheid. Selfs toe die bruin jeug in 1976 die inisiatief geneem het, moes ons dikwels hoor: “Julle moet uit die moeilikheid bly.” ’n Derde en baie legitieme rede vir bruin mense se onbetrokkenheid by die taaldebat, is hul stryd om oorlewing. Daar is soveel ander probleme, soos armoede, onderwys, veiligheid en die bendevraagstuk in die bruin gemeenskap. Die meeste bruin mense se eerste prioriteit is en was nog altyd om kos op die tafel te sit. Die meerderheid wit mense kan nie begryp waarom die grootste groep Afrikaanse sprekers nie die wapen vir Afrikaans saam met hulle wil opneem nie. Bruin mense aan die ander kant kan nie verstaan waarom wit mense alewig wil oorlog maak oor taal nie. Intussen gee wit mense geen snars om vir die werklike bende-oorlog op die Kaapse Vlakte nie.
Afrikaans én Engels
Die apartheidsregering se klassifikasiebeleid om almal wat nie wit of nie swart is nie, onder die skelwoord kleurling te groepeer, het bruin mense gemotiveer om iets so negatief om te skakel na die positiewe. Khoi en San, Griekwa en Moslem en Indiër het binne ’n relatiewe kort tyd ’n manier gevind om met mekaar saam te leef. Hulle het mekaar se gewoontes, waardes, godsdiens en selfs mekaar se taal aangeleer. Daarom is die meeste bruin mense ewe gemaklik met Kaapse Afrikaans as Standaardafrikaans. Ook met Afrikaans én Engels, want ons het met albei tale grootgeword. Soos Jo-Anne Floris skryf: “Afrikaans en Engels het nog altyd handjies vasgehou en openlik gevry”, (DB: 14.02.2018). Die een kant van die familie was die Engelse van Distrik Ses (my ma) en die ander kant was die Afrikaanse mense van die Boland (my pa). Daarom praat bruin mense tot vandag toe nie van oom en tannie nie, maar van auntie Sonie en uncle Mikey. Om dus teen Engels uit te vaar, is om teen die taal van ’n deel van jou familie te diskrimineer. Dan was (is) daar ook die bruin elite onder ons. Diegene wat by die politiek betrokke geraak het. Wat alles van die apartheidsregering gehaat het. Wat mense aangemoedig het om niks te doene te hê met die ‘boere’ nie. Dit sluit in sport en taal. Hulle kinders is Engels grootgemaak. Die sportboikot van die apartheidsera is hoofsaaklik in Engels gevoer. Vergaderings en notules is in Engels gehou (al het ons tydens teepouses net Afrikaans gepraat). Afrikaans is tot die taal van die onderdrukker verklaar. Enigeen wat toenadering tot Afrikaans en wit sport gesoek het, is verguis en gemarginaliseer. Hierdie bruin mense het nie vergeet hoe wit Afrikaanstaliges hul bruin taalgenote verraai het nie. Die Afrikaner-Natte (= lede van die Nasionale Party) wat die bruin mense in die 1950’s van hul stemreg ontneem het, is nog vars in die geheue. Hierdie mense is van mening dat bruin mense net erken word as hulle getalle die wit mense en hul taal moet kom red. Voeg hierby die Afrikanernasionaliste wat talle onregte teenoor hul bruin familie gepleeg het, en Afrikaans as hul alleenbesit beskou het al het bruin mense net soveel tot die ontwikkeling van Afrikaans bygedra, en dit is te verstane dat bruin mense hierdie skielike toenadering met agterdog sal bejeën en op enkele uitsonderings na nooit dieselfde oor Afrikaans sal voel as hul wit taalgenote nie.
So wat doen ons daaraan?
Ons kan begin deur bruin mense se gevoelens veel meer te respekteer as wat tot nou toe die geval was. Bruin mense moet ook van hulle kant begin om positief op hierdie uitreiking te reageer. Die meeste van hierdie uitreikaksies is opreg bedoel en kom uit ’n goeie hart. Ses en twintig jaar gelede moes ek oor my eie vrese kom en die sielkundige rubicon oorsteek wat my jare lank passief en stom gehou het. “Te hel met diegene wat my wil verguis oor ek trots Afrikaans is,” het ek besluit. Ek wil hoop dat ek ander bruin Afrikaanses sal motiveer om dieselfde te doen. Die volwassenes wat die Beloofde Land in 1994 binnegegaan het, het verstrengel geraak in hul eie argumente, hul alewige stryery en geheime agendas. Die verantwoordelikheid wat op ons skouers rus, is dus baie meer as net die toekoms van Afrikaans. Dit vra vir respek vir álle tale. Want in die proses van nasiebou het almal wat werklik help bou aan ’n nuwe Suid-Afrika, lank reeds agtergekom dat ons toekoms meertalig is. Die jeug van 2018 leef naas mekaar en kommunikeer in vele tale – anders as ons voor 1994.
Ons sal na dese die diskoers oor taal in ’n ander rigting moet stuur. Pleks dat ons vashaak by die debat tussen Afrikaans of Engels sal ons meer as net lippediens moet bewys aan die inheemse moedertale van ons land. Sodoende sal die toekomstige Suid-Afrikaner respek vir mekaar se tale en dus ook vir mekaar kry. Dit vereis nuwe inisiatiewe en kreatiewe denke. Pleks van onsself te verlam deur te tob oor ons foute van die verlede kan ons die bietjie energie wat ons nog oor het, gebruik om jongmense toe te rus met vaardighede om hul plek in die nuwe Suid-Afrika vol te staan. Een hiervan is meertaligheid. Terwyl ons as Afrikaanssprekendes moet voortgaan om Afrikaans te bevorder, moet ons nie blind en onsensitief wees vir die gelykmakende rol wat Engels en veral ons inheemse tale kan speel op ’n baie ongelyke speelveld nie. Slegs dan sal ons as ’n nasie in harmonie met mekaar kan leef in hierdie mooi land.
