An associate professor of Language Practice at the North-West University (NWU) has been appointed by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture of South Africa, Gayton McKenzie, to serve on a national task team charged with advancing multilingualism and improving language implementation across the country.
Prof. Herculene Kotzé, from the Faculty of Humanities, is among a group of experts from the government, academia and civil society selected to serve on the Task Team Towards a Unified National Language Action Plan. The appointment follows the recent National Language Summit and forms part of efforts to strengthen the practical implementation of language policies in South Africa.
For Prof. Kotzé, the appointment represents both recognition and responsibility.
“This appointment is an honour, and I believe it is a great responsibility,” she said. “Personally, it represents an opportunity to contribute to a cause that is closely linked to human dignity, inclusion and social justice. Professionally, it aligns strongly with my work in higher education and my interest in community engagement, societal justice and impact.”
The task team will focus on developing strategies to improve the implementation of multilingualism and ensure that citizens can access information, services and opportunities in languages they understand.
According to Prof. Kotzé, one of the biggest challenges facing South Africa is the gap between progressive language policies and their implementation.
“South Africa has progressive language policies, yet many citizens still encounter barriers when accessing information, services and opportunities in languages they understand best,” she said.
She added that advances in language digitisation, translation technologies and artificial intelligence present significant opportunities for expanding the use of indigenous languages in education, government communication and public services.
“The challenge is to translate our policy aspirations into experiences of inclusion,” she said.
Prof. Kotzé believes the work of the task team will help create a practical and coordinated framework that translates language policy into action.
“The inclusion of indigenous languages should not be viewed only as a cultural imperative but also as a developmental one,” she said. “Citizens are better able to access services, exercise their rights, participate in democratic processes and engage with educational opportunities when communication occurs in languages they understand.”
She said her work at the NWU has prepared her well for the national role through engagement with diverse communities and stakeholders across different linguistic and social contexts. She also highlighted the long-standing collaboration of the university with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture through a language bursary scheme that has benefited students over several years.
Encouraging students, researchers and language practitioners to remain committed to multilingualism, Prof. Kotzé said language diversity should be viewed as a driver of inclusion and social development.
“The linguistic diversity of South Africa is one of its greatest strengths, and each of us has a role to play in ensuring that it remains a source of opportunity, understanding and social cohesion,” she said.
Prof. Herculene Kotzé has been appointed to the National Task Team Towards a Unified National Language Action Plan established by the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture.
