The 4th Indigenous Languages and the Media Seminar concluded at the University of Fort Hare’s East London Campus, KuGompo, with a clarion call for South Africans to embrace and promote their home languages across all communication and media platforms, particularly on social media.
The seminar, held under the theme “Rooted in Language: Indigenous Media as a Platform for Belonging and Cultural Continuity,” brought together approximately 150 delegates, including journalists, editors, language practitioners, traditional leaders, academics, journalism students, community media publishers and civil society language activists from across South Africa.
Hosted by the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF), in partnership with the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), the University of Fort Hare, and the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA), the seminar explored the future of indigenous languages in the media, the challenges posed by the digital age and artificial intelligence, and strategies to strengthen indigenous-language journalism and content creation.
Delivering a keynote address, University of Fort Hare’s , Professor Nozuko Gxekwa highlighted the historic role of indigenous-language media in shaping identity, belonging and democratic participation.
“Indigenous language media has come to occupy an important position in the South African media landscape, facilitating education and information sharing, which is critical in influencing and galvanising community participation in economic, social and political development,” said Professor Gxekwa.
Slindile Khanyile, SANEF Deputy Chairperson, reminded delegates that the struggle for indigenous languages must move beyond preservation and become an economic project.
“As the media industry, we are faced with a sustainability challenge, and I believe that part of the solution lies in genuinely supporting indigenous-language publishers. That means seeing the value in what they do, not offering them crumbs for their intellectual property and recognising that preserving indigenous languages is as much a social as it is an economic imperative,” she said.
PanSALB Chief Executive Officer Dr Keaobaka Seshoka challenged South Africa’s media sector to move beyond symbolic recognition of indigenous languages and invest in their growth as languages of knowledge, innovation and democratic participation.
“Do not merely give indigenous languages airtime. Give them authority. Let them interrogate power. Let them explain budgets. Let them analyse elections. Let them investigate corruption. Let them communicate science. Let them debate policy and explain artificial intelligence,” said Dr Seshoka. She stressed that indigenous languages must become active participants in the digital future and not “digital refugees.”
MDDA Executive Manager for Projects Mzuvukile Kashe emphasised the need for continued support for community and indigenous-language media enterprises, saying that they are the main pillar upon which the survival of local languages is grounded.
“Our community media must be empowered to access the diverse media platforms in order to deliver the nation’s debates and engagements in the languages they speak and understand. The State, through institutions such as the MDDA, must continue supporting community media with the technologies, innovation and training needed to reach audiences wherever they are,” he said.
SANEF also used the occasion to honour veteran journalist Mamnkeli Ngam with an custodian of language, memory, and journalistic excellence. certificate of recognition. In collaboration with the University of the Western Cape, Mr Ngam was recognised for his outstanding contribution to indigenous language journalism and his service to the historic Izimvo zabantsundu newspaper.
Addressing the seminar, media strategist and Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry (MDPMI) Co-Convenor Paula Fray outlined opportunities emerging from the Competition Commission’s landmark agreements with major technology companies. She encouraged community and indigenous-language media organisations to actively access training, digital literacy programmes, monetisation tools and innovation funding opportunities that have been secured through the inquiry process. She stressed that the success of these interventions would ultimately be measured by whether people can find quality journalism in their own languages and whether publishers producing that journalism can earn revenue, innovate and survive.
Key Resolutions
Following robust discussions, delegates adopted several resolutions aimed at advancing indigenous languages and strengthening indigenous-language media across South Africa.
Delegates resolved to:
- Encourage all South Africans, particularly journalists, students, language practitioners and civic activists, to use their home languages proudly, unapologetically and consistently across all social media and digital platforms.
- Encourage community media organisations to work closely with the MDDA and other partners to access training and development opportunities emerging from the Competition Commission agreements with technology companies.
- Promote the strategic use of available resources to strengthen the sustainability and commercial viability of community and indigenous-language media.
- Encourage journalism and media studies institutions to include African languages as part of journalism training programmes to reinforce multilingual reporting and content production.
- Call on municipalities, provincial governments and other state institutions to translate policies, public information and service-delivery messages into local languages to improve public participation and access to information.
- Encourage communities to engage openly and confidently with indigenous-language terminology, while recognising the cultural context and sensitivities attached to certain words and expressions.
- Support the continuation of the Indigenous Languages and the Media Seminar in other provinces to raise awareness about the dangers of marginalising indigenous languages and to mobilise broader support for their preservation, development and use.
A Call to Action
The seminar concluded with a collective declaration that indigenous languages must not merely survive but thrive in newsrooms, classrooms, government institutions, digital platforms and emerging technologies.
Delegates agreed that South Africa’s linguistic diversity remains one of the country’s greatest assets and that indigenous languages must occupy their rightful place in the economy, education system, media landscape and digital future.
The seminar’s final message was clear: South Africans should use their home languages with pride, confidence and without apology, in conversation, in journalism, in government communication and across every social media platform.
About the Partners
The Indigenous Languages and the Media Seminar is jointly organised by the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF), the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), the University of Fort Hare and the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA). Together, the partners are committed to advancing media diversity, linguistic inclusion, academic excellence, and the promotion of South Africa’s indigenous languages within the media and broader society.
