Statement by academics and professional support services staff at Stellenbosch University in support of the Rector’s Management Team’s laguage proposal.
We support the proposal made by the Rector’s Management Team on 12 November 2015 with regard to the use of language at Stellenbosch University.
The choice of English as primary language of instruction with augmented support for Afrikaans and IsiXhosa is based on the principles of social justice and inclusivity. This decision will provide the university the opportunity to become a truly South African university that is open and accessible to all our country’s students and staff as well as from other parts of Africa and beyond.
The proposed new language policy is explicitly motivated by a concern to open up access to Stellenbosch University to students from a wide range of social backgrounds and to make sure that they are not marginalised when they come here by virtue of their inability to speak or understand Afrikaans. This concern has been given particular prominence this year by students and staff in meetings and forms of protest action, and we applaud senior management for taking these seriously.
We are very concerned, however, by talk of a backlash against these proposals, which is an attempt to retain Afrikaans as the primary language of academic communication and instruction. This backlash effectively celebrates the ‘exclusivity’ of Afrikaans and closes the door on the university’s ability to embrace different people from a wide range of cultures and language groups. We call on Council not to stand in the way of ensuring that the university is a genuinely inclusive educational environment for all its students and staff.
A decision to make English the language of meetings, documents and university business enables SU to effectively move beyond its political past. Developing an inclusive and shared institutional ethos based on equal worth, dignity and respect would establish our university as a welcoming place for students, academics, and all its workers.
It is in this light that we as concerned academics and professional support services staff at Stellenbosch University declare that we support the proposals of the Rector’s Management Team to adopt a language policy that would enable the university to establish itself as a truly inclusive South African university, a welcoming and culturally inclusive place of academic study for people from all walks of life.
Undersigned by:
1. Prof Ronelle Carolissen
2. Prof Aslam Fataar
3. Prof Rob Pattman
4. Prof Usuf Chikte
5. Dr Kylie Thomas
6. Dr K.I Theletsane
7. Prof Sandy Liebenberg
8. Dr Llewellyn MacMaster
9. Prof Jan Botha
10. Prof Alakendra N Roychoudhury
11. Dr H Ludolph Botha
12. Prof Yusef Waghid
13. Prof Magda Fourie - Malherbe
14. Prof Rafique Moosa
15. Prof Zsa-Zsa Boggenpoel
16. Professor Umezuruike Linus Opara
17. Dr Vincent J Smith
18. Prof Shaun Viljoen
19. Prof Anthony Leysens
20. Prof Tina Steiner
21. Mawethu Nyakatya
22. Prof Amanda Gouws
23. Prof Quinette Louw
24. Prof Marietjie de Villiers
25. Prof Tony Naidoo
26. Dr Lynne Damons
27. Prof Lesley Le Grange
28. Dr Faaiz Gierdien
29. Dr Francois Cleophas
30. Dr Jerome Joorst
31. Lynette Collair
32. Andreas Labuschagne
33. Dr Lorna Dreyer
34. Dr Trevor van Louw
35. Nomonde Maqubela
36. Bongani Mgijima
37. Dr Omar Esau
38. Monica Du Toit
39. Dr Rose Richards
40. Ms Anthea Lesch
41. Prof Leslie Swartz
42. Dr Jason Bantjes
43. Mr Zuhayr Kafaar
44. Prof Ashraf Kagee
45. Prof. M. Faadiel Essop
46. Prof Mark Tomlinson
47. Prof Kennedy Dzama
48. Dr Jodie Miller
49. Karen Bruns
50. Dr Therina Theron
51. Ellen Tise
52. John Ruiters
53. Crystal Hendrickse
54. Deon Bougardt
55. Darryn Havenga
56. Elza Lourens
57. Dr Nuraan Davids
58. Kasha Dickie
59. Prof Mdu Ndlovu
60. Anneke Müller
61. Dr Ubanesia Adams-Jack
62. An-Maree Nel
63. Maya Sutherland
64. Prof Nick Vink
65. Lizzie Witbooi
66. Danelda Van Graan
67. Melanie Johnson
68. Dr Carina America
69. Marilyn Sikade
70. Prof Liezel Frick
71. Lynthon Jacobs
72. Nugent Lewis
73. Cerenus Pfeiffer
74. Clarissa Graham
75. Prof Maureen Robinson
76. Huba Boshoff
77. Prof Kathy H Myburgh
78. Dr Margaret Blackie
79. Prof Christa van der Walt
80. Dr Elmarie Constandius
81. Prof Doria Daniels
82. Dr Bradley Slade
83. Martie van der Linde
84. Prof Billy Boshoff
85. Mariechen Perold
86. Lize Mills
87. Monika Basson
88. Karlien Conradie
89. Wilda Fourie-Basson
90. Comari Schoeman
91. Prof Sadulla Karjiker
92. Prof. Kees van der Waal
93. Grace A. Musila
94. Prof. A.H. (Annie) Gagiano
95. Prof PJ Sutherland
96. Dr Megan Jones
97. Jennifer Feldman
98. John Cockcroft
99. Susan van Schalkwyk
100. Arrie Hanekom
101. Dr Theo Nell
102. Dieter Von Fintel
103. Anneke Muller
104. Prof Annika Rudman
105. Dr Sylvia Cross
106. Crystal Hendrickse
107. Dr Thomas Cousins
108. Sasha –Leigh Williams
109. Balindiwe Sishi
110. Debra Shepherd
111. Dr Taryn Bernard
112. Prof Johan Fourie
113. Dr Natasja Brown
114. Arrie Arends
115. Kholekile Malindi
116. Dr Khayaat Fakier
117. Prof E. Gunter
118. Folkers Williams
119. Mark Fowler
120. Prof Grace Musila
121. Prof Steven Robins
122. Prof MS Tshehla
123. Prof Liz Bressan
124. Prof Anita Van der Merwe
125. Adnil Titus
126. Dr Linzette Morris
127. Mr Kurt Daniels
128. Prof Quinette Louw
129. John Cockcroft
130. Dr Wamuwi Mbao
131. Debbie Marais
132. Gouwa Dawood
133. Corlia Richardson
134. Prof Razeen Davids
135. Dr Ronel Retief
136. Prof Keymanthrie Moodley
137. Prof Pieter Fourie
138. Dr D Skinner
139. Dr Therese Fish
140. Prof Jean Nachega
141. Prof E Stellenberg
142. Prof. Soraya Seedat
143. Mji Gubela
144. Martha Geiger
145. Dr. Sjan-Mari van Niekerk
146. Dr Marcia Lyner-Cleophas
147. Gavin van Niekerk
148. Prof Mohammad Karaan
149. Dr Doreen KM M’Rithaa
150. Dr Berna Gerber
151. Christelle Feyt
152. Ned Lieketseng
153. Dr LG Cloete
154. Hassan Essop
155. Dr Hassan Mahomed
156. Yeki Mosomothane
157. Lindsay-Michelle Meyer
158. Anneleen Damons
159. Dr Tania Brodovcky
160. Melt van Schoor
161. Prof Ronelle Burger
162. Prof Nico C Gey van Pittius
163. Debra Shepherd
164. Gideon du Rand
165. Dr Vincent J Smith
166. Dr. Guin Lourens
167. Ms Nafiisah Chotun
168. Carmien Snyman
169. Jethro Georgiades
170. Dr. Michelle Sikes
171. Rozelle Petersen
172. Ledelle Moe
173. Jethro Fraser
174. Dr Nicola de Jaeger
175. Bianca Joseph
176. Prof W. J. Perold
177. Dr. Dawid De Villiers
178. Prof Ronelle Burger
179. Sindiswa Bangani
180. Thinus Booysen
181. Jonno Blanckenberg
182. Jan Vorster
183. Dr Celeste Nel
184. Prof Lindy Heinecken
185. Dr Lloyd Hill
186. Prof Ger-Jan van Rooyen
187. Prof Gideon van Zijl
188. Jantjie Xaba
189. Chantal Swartz
190. Eldridge Moses
191. Dawne Johnson
192. Dr Nicola Barsdorf
193. Prof Taryn Young
194. Mr Michael McCaul
195. Dr Mouroed Manie
196. Prof Samantha L Sampson
197. Dr Nicola Barsdorf
198. Ashleen Fortuin
199. Elvira Rohland
200. Farah Fredericks
201. Dr Katharina Ronacher
202. Franklin Weber
203. Dr Novel N Chegou
204. Prof Paul van Helden
205. Dr Glynis Johnson
206. Simthembile Xeketwana
207. Mr GH Demas
208. Dr Caroline Beltran
209. Khethelo Xulu
210. Dr Monique Williams
211. Sherrill February
212. Susanne Tonsing
213. Marilyn de Vries
214. Dr Krige Siebrits
215. Vulindlela P. E. Nyoni
216. Dr Carine Sao Emani
217. Grant Demas
218. Mumtaj Parker
219. Dr Ntozakhe Cezula
220. Bronwyn Coombs
221. Dr Jill Fortuin
222. Dr Henry Fillies
223. Dr Evodia Setati
224. Dr Anusha Lachman
225. Nastassja Steyn
226. Dr Heidi Prozesky