AfriForum: TUT anti-Afrikaans

2010-01-20 21:08

Johannesburg - Civil rights group AfriForum on Wednesday accused the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) of having a "negative attitude" towards Afrikaans, a claim which the university dismissed.

The group said that further proof of this was that an official at the institution refused to accept and sign a notice of receipt of a lawyer's letter because it was written in Afrikaans.

"Ironically the letter specifically dealt with TUT's violation of the language rights of students and this institution's unwillingness to assist Afrikaans students," said Ernst Roets, national chairperson of AfriForum Youth.

He said the letter, addressed to the Ombudsman, was in response to the university's refusal to accept the student's Masters Dissertation because it was in Afrikaans.

English the language of use

However, the university's spokesperson Gilbert Mokwatedi highlighted that English was the primary language of teaching, instruction, communication and documentation.

He said the letter from AfriForum, delivered by a person claiming to be from a law firm, was addressed to an official in the Office of the Ombudsman of the University, which is responsible for independently investigating the academic complaints of registered TUT students.

"The Office of the Ombudsman does not deal with attorneys or legal representatives. Communication with the university on legal matters should be addressed to the university’s legal services," said Mokwatedi.

He said the official in the Office of the Ombudsman, to whom the letter was addressed, was within her linguistic rights to point out that she was not comfortable with signing for something written in a language that she could not articulate in.

"Hence she requested that it be translated into English to ensure that she understood the content of the letter before signing for it.

"Procedurally an initial complaint of this nature should have been addressed to the Chairperson of the Higher Degrees Committee to ensure a speedy resolution.

"Once it becomes a legal dispute, the university's legal service department is the first point of contact."

Legal matter

Mokwatedi said that as AfriForum, of which the student was a member, had referred the matter to their lawyers, it was now a legal matter and the university could not comment further on it.

"The university is not in a position to comment further on specifics of the case but we will respond directly to the attorneys," he said.

AfriForum said it had made a note of the university's refusal to accept the letter and on Wednesday would deliver a translated letter to the institution by hand.

"TUT's attitude amounts to a direct violation of Afrikaans students' language rights, as well as their rights to equality and human dignity. Afrikaans students pay the same tuition fees as students of other language groups, but TUT refuses to assist them in Afrikaans, even when it is reasonably possible," the organisation complained.
 

- SAPA