INLSA
President Jacob Zuma. Picture: Bongiwe Mchunu
President Jacob Zuma has lamented the fact that South Africa’s youth only wanted to speak English and not their historical languages.
“The younger generation only speak English,” Zuma said in Durban at the centenary gala dinner of the Hindu cultural organisation SA Maha Sabha on Saturday.
He said the youth needed to speak their original languages.
“Let us encourage the Hindu youth to learn Indian languages, and that will keep them in touch with their cultures.”
He said that similarly he wished the same for the Zulu, Xhosa and youth of other cultural and ethnic groups.
Zuma said he did not believe it would make the youth any less South African.
“We believe the diversity that we have is a strength to our nation. A nation that understands and tolerates diversity is a nation at peace with itself.”
Zuma praised South African Hindus for their role in the struggle to free SA.
He said SA was estimated to have 1.28 million people of Indian descent, of whom 60 percent were Hindus. – Sapa
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