SA public service department wants to use only 3 official languages
The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) wants to amend its official language policy to be able to conduct its business in three languages only – IsiZulu‚ English and Setswana.
Currently, there are eleven official languages for South Africa.
The DPSA has published its official language policy, which is still subject to public comment, in which is aims to identify at least three official languages that the national department, national public entity or national entity or national public enterprise will use for government purposes.
The following factors were taken into account in arriving at the choice of official
languages:
- Usage
- Practicality
- Expense
- Regional circumstances
- The balance of needs and preferences of the public it serves
According to census data from 2011, Zulu is the most widely spoken language in the country with 11.6 million speakers.
This is followed by Xhosa with 8.15 million speakers, and Afrikaans, with 6.85 million speakers.
English is some distance away with 4.9 million speakers, close to Sepedi (4.6 million speakers) and Setswana (4.07 million speakers).
DPSA spokesman Dumisani Nkwamba told TMG that members of the public have 30 days to make submissions on the new policy.
“We are going to study the submissions and the DG (director-general) will make a decision.”
Nkwamba said the department could add more languages to the policy‚ depending on public feedback.
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