COPE student movement dismayed by language plans for UKZN

Imogen Vollenhoven
21 May 2013

COPE student movement yesterday said that, as custodians of the Constitution and the betterment of student life they are dismayed by the announcement made by the UKZN Vice Chancellor, regarding the plans for isiZulu to be a compulsory language module for all undergraduate students as of 2014.

COPESM President Sthembiso Dlela said they have reviewed the preamble, read together with section 6 of the Constitution of South Africa and their view is that South Africa is a culturally diverse nation with 11 official languages.

Sthembiso Dlela explains that as COPESM they are against what the UKZN is proposing.

Dlela added that their concern is that in terms of the constitution of the country that it does not recognize only one language when there are eleven official languages.

“I think that of the eleven languages that there are they need to be recognized and treated equally and understanding that tertiary institutions are not just basic educational schools,” said Dlela.