Iconic Afrikaans singer Steve Hofmeyr slammed Charlize Theron for claiming Afrikaans is a “dying” language.
While tweeps had a field day with the actress’ recent statement on an American podcast, most were waiting to hear from the controversial Hofmeyr to react.
Theron who is originally from Benoni in South Africa, recently shared her sentiments on the “Smartless” podcast with hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett where she said: “I didn’t speak English until I was 19. I grew up in an area where nobody in my neighbourhood spoke the language, when I came here at 19, it was easy for me to drop the (South African) accent because I was really learning English from scratch.
“There’s about 44 people still speaking it, it’s definitely a dying language, it’s not a very helpful language,” she added.
Shortly after her interview, social media was abuzz with South Africans bashing the award-winning actress, not too long before Hofmeyr came out in an interview with TshisaLIVE, where he rubbished claims made by the 47-year-old star.
According to the title, Hofmeyr said he felt the language was still relevant and useful today. He mentioned it being used in the first heart transplant, and said although marginalised, the language was still alive and well .
Hofmeyr referred to the South African cardiac surgeon Dr Christiaan Barnard who performed the world’s first human-to-human heart transplant operation at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town on December 3, 1967.
Hofmeyr counted himself among the 44 Afrikaans-speaking individuals left in the claim by Theron.
He said on Twitter: “Ek is #1uit44 wat trots Afrikaans praat.”
Ek is #1uit44 wat trots Afrikaans praat.
— Steve Hofmeyr (@steve_hofmeyr) November 17, 2022
He added that even though the Afrikaans community’s last university was wrenched from Afrikaans-speaking individuals, they were still finding ways to produce admirable tertiary education.
It’s clear that Hofmeyr was never a fan of Theron. In 2019, Hofmeyr also called out Theron for saying her daughter was transgender at three years old.
Hofmeyer mocked her post and said: “Dear Charlize, my daughter sometimes wears underpants. She is 20 months old. Is it perhaps the right time to ask her if she feels a balance of y-chromosome?”
Liewe Charlize
— Steve Hofmeyr (@steve_hofmeyr) April 21, 2019
My dogter dra soms broekies. Sy is 20 maande oud. Is dit dalk die regte tyd om haar te vra of sy 'n oorwig aan y-chromosoom aanvoel?
Read the latest issue of IOL Entertainment’s digital magazine here.