As of next year, Stellies will be introducing English as a primary language. A bold move, the decision came to light after discussions between various student groups and management were conducted over the past months. Groups such as “Open Stellenbosch”, the SRC and the SA Students Congress have pressurised the institution into utilising language task teams to consider various options for how best to implement the decision in 2016.

Since English is the common language in South Africa, all learning at Stellenbosch University will be facilitated in English, and substantial academic support will be provided in other South African languages, according to students’ needs.

At the same time, by means of its Language Policy and Language Plan, the university is committed to the creation of spaces within which English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa and other languages can flourish. In particular, the university remains committed to the further development of Afrikaans and isiXhosa as academic languages.

The group also called for the dissolution of the council.

Although many people are shocked and saddened by the decision, it is once again a direct relation to the historical relation between the language and the Afrikaans culture and the oppression of non-whites. Think of it as another #RhodesMustFall situation.

[source: iol]