An analysis of a language policy with special reference to the Mopani District of the Limpopo Province

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyse the language policy adopted by Mopani District. The study has discovered that although the Constitution of South Africa (1996) grants official recognition to all eleven languages, the Mopani District uses largely English and Afrikaans in its official communication. The study further reveals that although the majority of the residents of the district are Sepedi and Xitsonga speakers, they still prefer English to their own languages. In other words, most people in the district still harbour negative attitudes towards African languages. Lastly, the study recommends that Sepedi and Xitsonga should also be accorded the respect that they deser ve, if the district is to achieve its full potential in terms of social, economic and educational development.