'Afrikaans is here to stay'
2006-06-02 10:53
Cape Town - The government was actively promoting Afrikaans as one of the 11 official languages, and "hysteria" about its undermining was unfounded, Arts and Culture Minister Pallo Jordan said on Friday.
History has shown that the use of any language to suppress human beings could never again be allowed in South Africa, he told the National Assembly during debate on his department's budget vote.
Even though Afrikaans was used as a tool for oppression in the past, it remained one of the 11 official languages.
"Nothing and nobody will change that," Jordan said.
"The status of Afrikaans is not under threat."
- SAPA