Implementing multilingualism in the Emfuleni Local Municipality for communication purposes with the residents of Bophelong Township

Abstract

This study is an investigation into the use of different languages between local government and the community. The purpose is to examine the implementation of multilingualism by Emfuleni Local Administration and the benefits that the community can derive if the municipality is communicating with them in the languages they understand the most. The researcher reflects on the studies undertaken in other municipalities and the outcomes thereof, particularly Metropolitans, to be able to enlighten policy makers about the importance of language planning, budgeting and implementation process. Language usage is a right of all the citizens of South Africa enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) which is the supreme law of the country. The study is further pursuing the questions: Why do we continue to allow African languages to be firmly placed at the bottom of the language hierarchy and receive auxiliary status all the time? The number of studies and literature consulted in this study indicates that this stops the opportunities for functional development of almost all the African languages. This also brings to a standstill linguistic competition between languages for access to new domains.