Chapter 10 - Econo-Language Planning and Transformation in South Africa: From Localisation to Globalisation

Summary

This chapter analyses developmental policies in southern Africa against the backdrop of language policy and planning. The chapter argues for a context-driven language policy and planning approach which takes into account the importance of African languages in the workplace. A quadruple bottom line should be added to economic debates whereby language and culture are included in the triple bottom line metric. Policies or documents such as the National Development Plan in South Africa are analysed in relation to economic and societal development and found largely to contain no mention of language, even though they speak to development in areas (such as agriculture) which concern the masses where many people will not be proficient in English. This makes such developmental policies redundant for the majority of people who cannot access documents and developmental plans in their mother tongues. The chapter also suggests that a consolidated continental developmental plan should be put in place based on the use of African languages in the market place alongside excoglossic languages such as English, French and Portuguese. The use of language in the workplace should be seen as a vital developmental tool on the African continent.