The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) emphasised the main differences relating to language between African nationalism and Afrikaner nationalism during the parliamentary debate on International Mother Language Day.
African nationalism is an attempt, spanning more than a century, to establish a common identity for black South Africans. It puts indigenous African languages on the back burner in favour of a colonial language everyone has to learn.
Consequently, only those who have sufficiently mastered English are empowered by Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) – whether as true entrepreneurs or as co-called tenderpreneurs.
On the other hand, Afrikaner nationalism was a deliberate decision, made roughly around the same time, to empower its own people in their own language. As a result, many large institutions, such as universities and banks, as well as smaller institutions conduct their affairs in Afrikaans.
Ironically, members of the ANC, MK and the EFF used their mother languages during the debate. Some speakers might be offended by the Freedom Front Plus’s suggestion that they themselves are to blame for their respective mother languages’ decline.
But in the preceding and following debates, they spoke English exclusively.
The Freedom Front Plus maintains its stance and lives by it too: Speakers of all languages should promote their mother languages by using it in all spheres.
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