A new book co-edited by Prof. Gilbert Motsaathebe, deputy dean for teaching and learning in the Faculty of Humanities at the North-West University (NWU), explores how African indigenous languages are used and represented in political communication on digital platforms.

Titled Digital Political Communication and Indigenous Languages in Africa, the book was co-edited with Dr Limukani Mathe and published by Palgrave Macmillan. The publication examines how social media platforms such as X, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram shape political communication involving African indigenous languages.

The book argues that despite growing calls for the decolonisation of media and communication spaces, African indigenous languages continue to receive limited visibility across major digital platforms. It further investigates how these languages are used in participatory journalism and citizen-driven online discussions.

According to Prof. Motsaathebe, the publication seeks to contribute to broader debates on language inclusion, democracy and digital participation in Africa.

“Social media platforms continue to play a major role in shaping political communication on the African continent, yet indigenous languages remain underrepresented in many digital spaces,” he said.

He added that the book examines how local language discourses operate in online environments where citizens actively participate in political conversations and interpretation of events.

“These forms of expression are central to understanding political communication in Africa today because they reflect how communities engage with issues using their own languages and cultural contexts,” said Prof. Motsaathebe.

The publication also highlights the opportunities and challenges presented by digital platforms in promoting linguistic diversity and democratic engagement. Through contributions from different scholars, the book explores how online communication can both empower and marginalise indigenous language communities.

Prof. Motsaathebe thanked the contributing authors and the publisher for supporting the project.

“I extend my appreciation to all contributors and to Palgrave Macmillan for their support in bringing this publication to life,” he said.

The book forms part of ongoing scholarly conversations on digital media, political communication, decolonisation and African language visibility in contemporary media spaces.

Prof. Gilbert Motsaathebe has co-edited a new book examining the role of African indigenous languages in digital political communication.