A contentious directive from the University of the Free State (UFS) to immediately cease teaching and assessing modules in Afrikaans, barring the Afrikaans language for all courses except the Afrikaans module, has ignited a firestorm of criticism and fears of cultural genocide.

In a communication issued by Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof. Anthea Rhoda, the email instructs lecturers to halt Afrikaans-medium instruction and switch to English-only assessments, effective immediately.

The abrupt policy shift has sparked accusations that UFS is deliberately undermining a language spoken by 17.5 million South Africans (13.5% of the population, per 2021 Stats SA data) and erasing a cornerstone of the nation’s cultural heritage.

Civil rights group AfriForum, led by Alana Bailey, has condemned the decision as evidence of an anti-Afrikaans agenda, arguing it sacrifices academic excellence and community service for ideological goals.

Bailey emphasized that Afrikaans, the second most spoken language in the Free State after Sesotho, deserves protection under South Africa’s Constitution, which recognizes 12 official languages and mandates multilingual education.

She noted that the university, funded partly by taxpayer money, should serve the linguistic needs of its diverse student body rather than impose a monolingual policy.

The Afrikaanse Taalraad (ATR) echoed these sentiments, labeling the “English-only” rule a direct contradiction to UFS’s own language policy, which pledges commitment to multilingualism, social justice, and equitable access to knowledge.

The council warned that the decision aligns with a colonial approach, doomed to fail in an era of advancing language technology that favors multilingual education.

They urged UFS to reconsider its stance to benefit students and indigenous languages, including Afrikaans and Sesotho.

This move revives long-standing language disputes in South African higher education, reminiscent of the 2015 #AfrikaansMustFall protests at Stellenbosch University, where Afrikaans policies were challenged as exclusionary.

However, UFS’s decision contrasts with a 2019 South African Journal of Higher Education study, which found that parallel-medium instruction (Afrikaans and English) enhanced academic outcomes for multilingual students.

Critics argue the policy lacks academic justification and ignores the benefits of mother-tongue education, potentially violating constitutional rights to linguistic diversity.

The 2017 Constitutional Court ruling, which upheld UFS’s shift to an English-dominant policy but allowed faculties flexibility, adds legal complexity.

AfriForum’s prior legal battle against the university ended with this compromise, yet Rhoda’s directive is seen as a step backward.

The opening of a language center in 2021 to promote multiple languages further underscores the perceived inconsistency.

As private institutions like Akademia gain support for preserving Afrikaans-medium education, the UFS decision risks alienating a significant cultural community.

Students and faculty have expressed dismay, with some calling for a boycott or transfer to Afrikaans-friendly alternatives.

Maroela Media has sought comment from UFS, but no response has been received.

The controversy highlights a broader struggle over language rights, identity, and the future of education in a multicultural South Africa, with many fearing the gradual erasure of Afrikaans.

The Concerning Email

Subject: Modules taught and assessed in Afrikaans

Good Morning Colleagues

I trust you are all well.

Aa part of our exploration on this matter with the exams offices. It was brought to light that there are lecturers who are teaching modules in Afrikaans other than the subject Afrikaans, in Afrikaans.

Lecturers then also go futher and set exam papers in Afrikaans and English.

Teachning modules in Afrikaans other that the module Afrikaans NEEDS TO STOP TODAY!

Please urgently communicate this to all staff in your facilities via your communication channels.

Thanks

Regards

Prof Anthea Rhoda, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic Management. University of the Free State”

Source: Maroela Media.

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