‘When I hear Afrikaans in the classroom and never my language, I get rebellious’: linguistic apartheid in South African higher education

Abstract

Language policies in South African education have historically been inextricably woven within the fabric of larger sociopolitical realities and have supported the interests of those in power. With the dismantling of the apartheid regime and subsequent Constitutional statements addressing the importance of promoting the status and use of indigenous languages, progressive linguists and educators envisioned the possibilities of ushering in a new era of linguistic equality. However, especially at the tertiary level, educational practice continues to privilege the colonial languages, at the particular expense of Black South African students. In contrast with previous research that highlights more supportive sentiments among Black students regarding this hegemonic condition, this study incorporates ‘deep interviewing’ to identify the presence of more covert negative attitudes that have profound implications for educational performance. Implications for further scholarly work as well as plausible strategies for reform are considered.