Die Afrikanerbond

Media verklaring - 10 Junie 2022

Ryan Air - Afrikaans is nie 'n politieke speelbal nie

Verklaring deur Jan Bosman

Hoofsekretaris van die Afrikanerbond

RYAN AIR KLOU HARDKOPPIG AAN AFRIKAANSE TOETS – Afrikaans mag nooit weer as politieke speelbal gebruik word nie.

Ons is werklik bekommerd dat Afrikaans nog steeds as ŉ politieke speelbal deur ŉ hardkoppige internasionale redery soos Ryan Air ingespan word om mense se Suid-Afrikaanse nasionaliteit te bevestig. Daar moet ander maniere wees om mense se nasionaliteit te bevestig.

Suid-Afrika het 11 amptelike landstale en dit val vreemd op dat die emosie en sensitiwiteit, rondom Afrikaans, soos aan Ryan Air uitgewys, nie begryp of gerespekteer word nie. Afrikaans met sy verlede is vir baie Suid-Afrikaners nog ŉ groot struikelblok en baie organisasies en instansies het hard gewerk om Afrikaans as taal en kulturele instrument te bevorder. Ryan Air se optrede help gevolglik nie die saak nie.

Daar is begrip vir die internasionale rederye se vrese rondom Suid-Afrikaanse paspoorte. Maar dit is ŉ saak waaroor die rederye met Binnelandse Sake en ander departemente moet skakel. Afrikaans kan nie en mag nooit weer sy swaarverworwe posisie as brugbouer taal in Suid-Afrika prysgee deur die onnadenkende misbruik en instrument van uitsluiting deur andere nie.

10 Junie 2022

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Media statement by Jan Bosman

Chief Secretary of the Afrikanerbond

RYAN AIR CLINGS STUBBORNLY TO AFRIKAANS TEST - Afrikaans must never be used as a political tool again.

We are deeply concerned about the fact that Afrikaans is still being used as a political tool by a stubborn international carrier such as Ryan Air to confirm people's South African nationality. There must be other ways to confirm their clients’ nationality.

South Africa has 11 official languages and it is strange, as pointed out to Ryan Air, that the emotions and sensitivity around Afrikaans are not understood and respected. Afrikaans with its past is still a major obstacle for many South Africans, and many organisations and institutions have worked hard to promote Afrikaans as a language and cultural instrument. Ryan Air's actions are not helping.

One understands international aircraft companies' fears regarding South African passports. But this is a matter regarding which the aircraft companies should liaise with Home Affairs and other departments. Afrikaans cannot and must never again relinquish its hard-earned position as a bridge-building language in South Africa by being thoughtlessly abused and used as an instrument of exclusion by others.

Date: 10 June 2022