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Die gebruik van Afrikaans vir die notulering van hofverrigtinge gemeet aan demokratiese standaarde
Abstract
Daar word tans nog van beide Afrikaans en Engels vir die notulering van verrigtinge in Suid-Afrikaanse howe gebruik gemaak. Sowel regeringswoordvoerders as die Minister van Justisie het egter te kenne gegee dat 'n eentalige Engelse bedeling ingevoer mag word. Hierdie artikel ontleed die saak vir en teen so 'n eentalige beding. Dit word egter nie gedoen aan die hand van individuele grondwetlike bepalings nie. Die feit dat die Grondwet voorgee om op demokratiese waardes geskoei te wees, beklemtoon die besondere tersaaklikheid van hierdie waardes, ook as maatstaf vir beleid met betrekking tot die taal/tale van notulering in Suid-Afrikaanse howe. Die inhoud van demokratiese waardes word ondersoek en die argumente rakende die amptelike taalgebruik in die howe word dan aan hierdie waardes gemeet. Die slotsom waartoe gekom word is dat 'n eentalige Engelse stelsel vir die notulering van hofverrigtinge indruis teen hierdie demokratiese waardes.
The use of Afrikaans for the recording of court proceedings measured against democratic standards
Hitherto both Afrikaans and English have been serving as languages for the recording of court proceedings in South African courts. Governmental spokespersons as well as the Minister of Justice, however, hinted at the possibility of opting for a monolingual English dispensation. This article analyses the cases for and against a monolingual system. Instead of judging these arguments in terms of individual sections of the Constitution, a different course is followed. Since the Constitution itself purports to be imbedded in democratic values, such values are exceptionally relevant as a yardstick also for policy regarding language(s) of record in South African courts. The content of democratic values is examined and the arguments pertaining to the matter in question are measured against these values. It is concluded that a monolingual English system for the recording of court proceedings would be incongruent with these democratic values.
(Journal for Juridical Science: 2003 28(1): 36-58)
The use of Afrikaans for the recording of court proceedings measured against democratic standards
Hitherto both Afrikaans and English have been serving as languages for the recording of court proceedings in South African courts. Governmental spokespersons as well as the Minister of Justice, however, hinted at the possibility of opting for a monolingual English dispensation. This article analyses the cases for and against a monolingual system. Instead of judging these arguments in terms of individual sections of the Constitution, a different course is followed. Since the Constitution itself purports to be imbedded in democratic values, such values are exceptionally relevant as a yardstick also for policy regarding language(s) of record in South African courts. The content of democratic values is examined and the arguments pertaining to the matter in question are measured against these values. It is concluded that a monolingual English system for the recording of court proceedings would be incongruent with these democratic values.
(Journal for Juridical Science: 2003 28(1): 36-58)
