Message from the Head of Department

Lo amogetswe, Le amogetšwe, Siyanamukela in the Department of African Languages where anyone who hungers for knowledge of what it means to be an African will find a home. The department is truly an African languages department and boasts four languages which cater for both mother tongue and non-mother tongue streams. These languages are Sepedi, Setswana, isiNdebele and isiZulu. Built on values and beliefs of Africanism with Ubuntu as the epitome we view our department as not only a politically correct or additive but rather as an important cultural asset we all have a stake in. In this sense multilingualism; a point of great departure in our transforming country is being promoted. As a Department of African Languages we promote and advocate African languages as an asset in the broader context of multilingualism and in the context of UP as an institution reflecting diversity through its Rainbow nation. We believe in the intersection between theory, practice and learning which result in collaborative initiatives where research, teaching and community engagement with Afrocentric touch become a collective effort. In this sense the department highlights an inter and trans disciplinary nature of the humanities of which we are part. We thus envisage co-publication, co-teaching and co-supervision as something that would bring vibrancy within our faculty as well as nationally, continentally and internationally.

 

As the Department of African languages we embrace UP’s 2025 vision and believe the time is now. Thus we endeavour to think innovatively about our new generation of scholars. To this end we contribute in the training and development of a new cohort of young scholars as a way of ensuring a lifelong survival of the African languages department in the institution -which should be seen to grow from strength to strength. We are committed to supporting our students in their studies and to ensuring that their degrees (both under graduate and postgraduate) are completed within the minimum record time expected. The staff pledges to continually give of our best to all associated with the department-in whatever way. In the African Languages you are at home. Zizwe usekhaya!

    

Prof Nompumelelo Zondi 
Head of Department

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