Review of language policy of the Blouberg Municipality : a summative evaluation

Abstract

The present study reviews the Blouberg Municipality‟s Language Policy and its implementation plan. It investigates if there is equal parity shared by all the official languages of the municipality and evaluates whether the Language Policy of the Blouberg Municipality has provision for the establishment of a language unit, and monitoring and assessment structures. The study also evaluates the implementation progress of the Language Policy of the Blouberg Municipality.

The study evaluates the language policy against South Africa‟s legislative and policy frameworks and theories of language policies. Qualitative research method was used to collect data. Open-ended and close-ended questions, tape recorders and notes-taking systems were used in the process of data collection. The study found out that the content of the policy was incomplete because proper legislative frameworks and guidelines of policy formulation were not followed when the policy was designed. The residents of the municipal area were not consulted when decisions about the language policy were made.

It was also found that the policy had a one page incomplete implementation plan because people who formulated the Language Policy had no intension of implementing it. As a result, it did not specify the roles and responsibility, evaluation and monitory periods and budgetary information. Thus, it was declared without implementation.

It was further noted that, even though the municipality recognises five languages (Sepedi, Xitsonga, Tshivenda, English and Afrikaans) as the official languages of the municipality, these languages are not used equitably. English dominated the other four languages in written and spoken communications. The dominance of English was encouraged by some sections in the Language Policy of the Blouberg Municipality.