Jeugdag word vandag gevier om die Soweto Uprising op 16 Junie 1976 te gedenk. Ek wil nie by politiekery betrokke raak nie, maar dit is interessant om te let op die rol van Afrikaans wat aanleiding tot die hele opstand gegee is, waar, soos julle weet, honderde skoliere en studente deur die polisie doodgeskiet is. In my 52 ste jaar het ek die eerste keer verskeie bronne nageslaan om te kyk wat Afrikaans met alles te doen gehad het. Gebeure het soos volg verloop: Ek gaan dit net so in die oorspronklike Engels plaas, dit is onsinnig om alles te vertaal: The South African Minister of Bantu Education and Development, MC Botha, issued a decree in 1974 that made the use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in black schools compulsory from Standard 5 onwards [from the last year of primary school to the last year of high school]. The African Teachers Association (ATASA) launched a campaign against the policy, but the authorities implemented it anyway. Northern Transvaal Region “Regional Circular Bantu Education” Northern Transvaal (No. 4) File 6.8.3. of 17.10.1974 To: Circuit Inspectors Principals of Schools: With Std V classes and Secondary Schools Medium of Instruction Std V – Form V 1. It has been decided that for the sake of uniformity English and Afrikaans will be used as media of instruction in our schools on a 50-50 basis as follows: 2. Std V, Form I and II 2.1. English medium: General Science, Practical Subjects (Homecraft-Needlework-Wood- and Metalwork-Art-Agricultural Science) 2.2 Afrikaans medium: Mathematics, Arithmatic, Social Studies 2.3 Mother Tongue: Religion Instruction, Music, Physical Culture The prescribed medium for these subject must be used as from January 1975. In 1976 the secondary schools will continue using the same medium for these subjects. 3. Forms III, IV and V All schools which have not as yet done so should introduce the 50-50 basis as from the beginning of 1975. The same medium must be used for the subjects related to those mentioned in paragraph 2 and for their alternatives. … Your co-operation in this matter will be appreciated. (Sgd.) J.G. Erasmus Regional Director of Bantu Education N. Transvaal Region … The Deputy Minister of Bantu Education, Punt Janson, said: “No, I have not consulted the African people on the language issue and I’m not going to. An African might find that ‘the big boss’ only spoke Afrikaans or only spoke English. It would be to his advantage to know both languages.” Another official was quoted as saying: “If students are not happy, they should stay away from school since attendance is not compulsory for Africans.” The Department of Bantu Education said that because the government paid for black education, it had the right to decide on the language of instruction. In fact, only white education was totally subsidised by the government. Black parents in Soweto paid R102 (an average month’s wages) a year to send two children to school, had to buy textbooks (which were issued free in white schools), and had to contribute towards the cost of building schools. Dus is dit te wyte aan ons moedertaal, ons geliefde volkstaal, Afrikaans, en meer akkuraat die instelling daarvan as onderrigtaal in swart skole wat die hele bal aan die rol gesit het wat uiteindelik tot die val van die Nasionale partyregering en gevolglike demokratiese verkiesing in 1994 teweeggebring het. Ek is bitter spyt dat ons taal direk of indirek verantwoordelik was vir die dood van tot 700 jeugdiges. KAN EK BEKLEMTOON, DIT IS NIE ‘N POLITIEKE UITSPRAAK OF DIE SKULD TE PAK OP DIE BETOGERS OF POLISIE NIE, MAAR EK WIL DIE ROL VAN AFRIKAANS IN DIE HELE AFFERE BETREUR. Vir Hector Jy was ‘n opgewekte 13-jarige jou ma gegroet met ‘n kus op soek na pret min wetende dat sy jou nooit weer sou sien nie Verswelg deur die massas verblind deur traanrook saam met maatjies in alle rigtings uiteen gespat In die harwar deur ‘n polisiekoeël getref instinktief opgepik deur ‘n maat met jou suster aan sy sy In die joernalis se kar na die kliniek gejaag die hartverskeurende nuus alles was verby vir Hector Hector Pieterson Net soos duisende onskuldige kinders onnodig hul lewe verloor hoekom is die lewe so wreed elke ma wat al deur dieselfde pyn was sal verstaan die lewe is nooit weer dieselfde nie… TDP 16/06/2014
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 10:53:54 +0000
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