University of Pretoria | Radio 94.7 FM

Finance minister Tito Mboweni ruffled feathers after tweeting that he disagrees with the removal of Afrikaans as a medium language of instruction at the University of Pretoria.

As of 2019, English is the medium language of teaching for all first-year classes at the university after AfriForum Youth and Solidarity lost a high court battle in 2016 to challenge the language policy.

Former University of the Witwatersrand vice-principal Tawana Kupe took up his position as the first black vice-chancellor at the University of Pretoria, placing racial transformation of academic staff at the centre of his agenda.

Mboweni’s tweet triggered much debate and responses, as the minister firmly stood by his opinion.

This report does not necessarily reflect the opinion of SA news

The University of Pretoria is to phase out Afrikaans as the official medium of instruction at all its campuses and residences.

The university will from now only use English as the primary language of communication and administration.

University spokesperson Rikus Delport said the policy was adopted in 2016 by the university’s council and Senate after “extensive consultation process and recommendations from all interested parties”.

“The change in policy is aimed at facilitating social cohesion, and the university will continue to embrace and encourage multilingualism to foster unity and provide equal opportunities to speakers of all South African languages,” he said.

The consultation process included a language work stream that was formed as part of the transformation lekgotla and the independent transformation panel that focused on submissions from external stakeholders.

Delport said the decision from the various interest
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