English remains the premium language in SA with some sectors of society using it as a yardstick to measure people’s intellectual capabilities.
One’s social standing in various forums typically hinges on the ability to proficiently express oneself in English.
In addition, the extent to which you express yourself in English is inadvertently a determinant of your success in society.
Furthermore, the English language is modelled as a gateway to better career and business opportunities, because it is only when one can effortlessly speak and write English that people can recognise and appreciate your intellectual virtues.
The incipient prioritisation of English as a premium language puts some members of society, particularly parents, under extreme pressure.
There is an exodus of pupils from townships and rural areas to former model C schools in the quest for good English skills.
This is predicated on the perception that the best education is exclusive to white schools, and township and rural schools are unable to provide this.
It is often alleged that teachers in township and rural schools are products of the “Bantu Education” or so-called “inferior education” and have not acquired sufficient competencies of the English language, hence many parents choose to send their children to former model C schools whose teachers are predominantly white or English speaking.
It is mind-boggling that teachers from township and rural schools overlook schools they teach at and send their children to former model C schools.
This may send a signal that they do not trust their own ability to deliver quality education thus validating the superiority of former model C schools and perceptions regarding English.
Many parents want their children to study in English because of the perceived benefits of being proficient in English.
The notion is simply that with the ability to fluently speak and write in English one is destined for a more successful career.
However, many parents can’t afford to send their children to former model C schools.
One would argue that in this scenario, English becomes an expensive commodity that polarises society by exposing the gap between the rich and the poor.
Parents who cannot afford the affluent, expensive schools will send their children to no-fee government schools, some of which are severely under-resourced, with poor infrastructure.
The question may well be: Is there anything untoward for black parents to send their children to former model C schools?
The answer is a resounding, no.
All South Africans have a constitutional right to choose where to educate their children, however, these schools must not be seen as perpetrators of English hegemony, creating a social divide between black people who speak good English and those who cannot, but more as institutions that potentially provide quality education.
The use of English is also a common within many government and business institutions.
Employees who have a poor command of English will often find it difficult to communicate because English is the main medium for all business interactions.
Even at the recruitment stage, during interviews, candidates who speak in well-polished English can mesmerise the panel to even, wittingly or unwittingly, disregard substance of the presentation.
Furthermore, most meetings are conducted in English, even in instances where all the participants can speak the indigenous language, and only those who are proficient in English will spontaneously contribute during these engagements.
If one speaks in broken English, one is inherently inhibited from participating and likely to be classified as less intelligent.
As a result, many people will often choose not to contribute, lest they are embarrassed and judged.
There is, however, growing condemnation of English hegemony by politicians and community leaders and there is a clarion call for the recognition and use of African indigenous languages.
However, the reality is that English continues to dominate the public discourse and education system in SA.
In many instances, English is seen as the language of empowerment by black South Africans, yet they are generally disempowered by its dominance.
There is no doubt the hegemony of English in SA represents a new form of oppression that has not received sufficient attention.
The ubiquity of the English language invariably induces a sense of disempowerment and exclusion.
While SA’s constitution has in theory elevated indigenous languages, which are being recognised as official languages, English remains the premium language in various sectors of society.
Government’s attempts to promote the use of African languages have not yielded positive results.
Society needs to work together to overcome common misconceptions about the apparent inferiority of African languages.
It is important to note further that most South Africans speak indigenous languages as their home language, with few speaking English at home.
However, as long as world politics is centred on superpower politics, and as long as the superpowers are English speaking, the hegemony of English will remain strong in SA.
This notion regrettably militates against and mystifies the nation’s project of ‘decolonisation’ of various sectors of society, including education.
There is a need for robust debate on the continued recognition of English as the main language in SA at the expense of indigenous languages and over the misconception that a poor command of English is associated with poor intellectual capacity.
SA must create a space for its people to freely express and engage in their language of choice to alleviate the polarisation of society.
Mgwebi Msiya, spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Liquor Board, writing in his personal capacity
