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23 March 2021 | Story Mbali Moiketsi
International Mother Language Day

The Office for International Affairs recently celebrated International Language Day.  This year, we invited all faculties to submit the names of people who would be willing to contribute video clips to educate us about their mother tongue.  The videos submitted were from diverse academic staff members and postdoctoral fellows currently based in different parts of the world.  Extensive research has created this edutainment video, featuring famous language quotes, indigenous languages across the African continent, and business languages used across the African continent. Some of the indigenous languages on the African continent are fading away, caused by colonial influence.

Fun facts:
From 1994 to 2013, South Africa was in the Guinness Book of World Records for most official languages.  These are Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Sepedi, Sesotho, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu.

Since the adoption of the 2013 Constitution, Zimbabwe now holds this title with 16 official languages, namely Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Ndebele, Shangani, Shona, Sign Language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda, and Xhosa. Zimbabwe therefore now holds the Guinness World Record for the country with the largest number of official languages.  

Albeit the main languages in Zimbabwe are English, Shona and Ndebele, the minor languages are Chewa, Chibarwe, Kalanga, Koisan, Kunda, Lozi, Manyika, Nambya, Ndau, Nsenga, Tsonga-Shangani, Sotho, Tjwao, Tonga, Tswa, Tswana, Venda, and Xhosa.

WATCH: International Mother Language video


News Archive

Go bold – and make both CANSA and Kovsies win!
2014-02-26

Kovsies is about to literally ‘come to a head’ with Tuks, UCT and Wits to see whose students can get the greatest number of heads shaved or sprayed. The residence and faculty with the most shaved and sprayed heads will be named SAMSA CANSA Champions in the fight against cancer.

The event is organised by CANSA (Cancer Association South Africa) in association with SAMSA (South African Medical Students Association)

When? Thursday 27 February 2014
Where? Francois Retief Building (Faculty of Health Sciences)
Cost? R25 (student price)

For more details, contact:

Eloise Jelliman (SAMSA UFS Outreach head): +27(0)72 271 9577
Michael van Niekerk (SAMSA UFS Chairperson and National Outreach head): +27(0)82 449 2233

Be brave, go bold or show your true colours in support of cancer survivors in SA.

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