08 October 2025
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Story Anthony Mthembu
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Photo Supplied
Dr Francois Smith, Head of the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French at the University of the Free State (UFS), addressing attendees at the 2025 Afrikaanse Letterkundevereniging (ALV) Kongres.
Held from 10 to 12 September 2025 under the theme ‘Canon and Margin’, the congress brought together literary scholars and linguists from Poland, Namibia, and universities across South Africa. According to Dr Francois Smith, Head of the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French, the event was remarkable for two reasons: it was the first time the congress combined the participation of both literary scholars and linguists, and it marked the first time in more than ten years that the UFS hosted this prestigious event.
In his opening address, Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation at the UFS, highlighted the historical and cultural significance of the gathering.
“This congress takes place in a landmark year as we celebrate 100 years of Afrikaans as an official language - a milestone reflecting its rich history and resilience. Afrikaans is a vibrant language - storyteller, bridge-builder, and bearer of culture and identity. It reflects our shared history and citizenship, with diversity and richness across its many forms,” he said.
Prof Reddy further noted that the congress theme was both timely and thought-provoking:
“These ideas reveal how language and identity are contested, reclaimed, and reimagined locally and globally. The centre-periphery tension in Afrikaans mirrors postcolonial and decolonial dynamics, offering fertile ground for global literary studies. Afrikaans authors are creating new literary centres, not just responding to existing ones.”
Exploring language, identity, and literary scholarship
Throughout the three-day congress, participants presented research papers on a range of topics. Each presenter had twenty minutes to deliver their paper, followed by audience engagement. With concurrent sessions running across two venues, attendees could choose presentations based on their interests. In total, fifty-two research papers were delivered.
‘’The idea is for these papers to be developed into full articles that can later be published in our scholarly journal,‘’ explained Dr Smith.
The programme also featured a keynote address and two commemorative lectures. Prof Louise Viljoen, Emeritus Professor at Stellenbosch University, delivered the annual Karel Schoeman Commemorative Lecture titled ‘Thoughts on the role of the body in Schoeman's novel art with reference to Another Country and Farewell and Departure’.
Prof Elvis Saal from the University of South Africa (UNISA) presented a lecture titled ‘430 years of Gariep Afrikaans – The story of a death-defying variety’, in honour of the late Prof Christo van Rensburg, a historical linguist renowned for his pioneering research on the origins of Afrikaans.
Additionally, Prof Henning Pieterse, retired professor from the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French at the UFS, delivered a keynote address reflecting on his four-decade-long academic and literary career.
Panel discussions, including those on the teaching of creative writing, further enriched the congress, fostering dialogue between established and emerging scholars.
Advancing collaboration and unity
According to Dr Smith, the congress concluded with a meeting of ALV members, during which a new scholarly association was proposed and formally established. The newly formed Afrikaanse Taal en Letterkundevereninging (ATLV) unites literary scholars and linguists under one umbrella. A new constitution for the ATLV was also adopted at this meeting - marking a significant step toward further collaboration within the field.