The year 2023, marks 24 years since International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1999, and declared a day to officially recognize the importance of mother tongues, throughout the world. 21 February 2000, was the first official International Mother Language Day. The theme for this year’s International Mother Language Day is “Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education”.
According to the United Nations website, “Today there is growing awareness that languages play a vital role in development, in ensuring cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, but also in strengthening co-operation and attaining quality education for all, in building inclusive knowledge societies and preserving cultural heritage, and in mobilizing political will for applying the benefits of science and technology to sustainable development” https://www.un.org/en/observances/mother-language-day.
The celebration and promotion of the mother language, has always been central to the mandate and role that the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) plays in our society.
With 11 official languages, the SABC has continuously worked towards ensuring that these languages are represented in its various radio and television programming.
With a radio portfolio of 19 radio stations, every official language has a dedicated radio service. These services are instrumental in delivering news and information, whether educative or entertainment driven, in the language of choice for our audiences.
The recent announcement by the public service broadcaster to extend its news and current affairs in African languages in April 2023, with the launch of its first ever 24-hour news channel in African languages, that will also offer an extensive coverage of parliamentary proceedings, is a testament of the commitment by the SABC, to further advance and promote mother tongue languages.
This public news service will be an added platform, to serve mainly communities that are not necessarily reached by mainstream commercial South African media. These are millions of viewers who wait until evening, to watch less than half an hour bulletins in their own languages. With SABC News having decades of experience in public broadcasting in indigenous languages, the public broadcaster is up to the task of further fulfilling its constitutional mandate of delivering news and current affairs content that reflects the diverse South African society. The imminent launch of this channel reinforces the SABC’s pivotal role in facilitating social cohesion, by providing a wide range of programming that caters for the needs of the entire society, in this instance, language being a driving force.
According to section 8 (c) of the SABC Charter, “The Corporation must develop a Code of Practice that ensures that the services and the personnel comply with the constitutional requirement of equitable treatment of all official languages.” This means the public broadcaster has a responsibility to ensure that all South African languages are treated equitably, in its radio and television programming/content.
Furthermore, the SABC’s language policy on content, as contained in its Editorial Policy, is explicit by stating, “As South Africa’s public service media, the SABC embraces its constitutional duty to treat all official languages equitably, and with equal respect. The Constitution also recognizes the need to promote South African Sign Language and the Khoi, Nama and San languages. The SABC is conscious of its role in facilitating the fulfilment of language rights of individuals and communities.
The introduction of the Language Policy on Content further states that “The SABC recognises that:
6.1.1 freedom of expression can be realised fully only when every South African can inform and be informed in their language of choice. Access to meaningful information also empowers South Africans to participate effectively in every facet of society.
6.1.2 language plays a crucial role in promoting and attaining the goals of strengthening democracy, and protecting and developing the country’s uniquely diverse cultures.
6.1.3 development and usage of languages is closely linked to the development of culture and identity.
6.1.4 owing to its virtual universal accessibility and use, the SABC has a unique responsibility to provide content offerings that promote the development of a national identity while supporting the advancement of languages and cultures.
The SABC reiterates its commitment to fulfil its constitutional mandate of delivering content that reflects the diverse South African society it serves, and will continue to utilize language as a key tool in delivering to the millions of South Africans who rely on SABC radio and television services for news and information.
Ms Vuyo Mthembu is the SABC’s Manager for Media Relations
