The Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) says while progress has been made to promote multilingualism, there is still much work to be done. This as the country observes the African Language Week. Speaking at the International Mother Language Day commemoration in the City of Mbombela in Mpumalanga, PanSALB CEO, Lance Schultz has called on citizens to support all initiatives aimed at developing and preserving marginalised languages.

“In South Africa, we’re trying to promote multilingualism, so this day gives us an opportunity to reflect on what are we are doing in society. We always make the point as PanSALB that languages and the preserve of languages can only happen if it is spoken. So we encourage the program within the Department of Basic Education in terms of mother tongue-based bilingual education, which is trying to ensure that we afford opportunity for our learners to be taught, for curriculum to be developed, and for their cognitive development also then to take pride of place in terms of being able to engage and participate with mother tongue in their respective languages” Schultz says.

[QUESTION OF THE DAY]
Today is International Mother Language Day. Why is it essential for children to learn their mother tongue? pic.twitter.com/XhoLWhmNAl

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The Pan South African Language Board 2024 awarded Grade 12 top achievers in official language subjects. Recipients, Masebata Macalane and Ayanda Nkosi have encouraged other young people to speak their mother languages.

“I am a top achiever in Sesotho in Mpumalanga. I believe that mother tongue is just a constant reminder of your roots. It is what you take pride in. I live in a society where it is Zulu dominated, so speaking Sesotho, it is usually a challenge because of the dominant Zulu people, but then I believe that it is how you actually take pride in your language so that you can excel in it,” Macalane says.

“I’m here to receive an award for IsiZulu, which is my mother language. And I want to encourage all learners and people that they should consider their mother language as young and they should be growing up knowing their language,” says Nkosi.