The Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), as part of its ongoing commitment to promoting the use of mother tongue languages, will roll out the Language Activism Campaign from 01 February 2026. The campaign will be conducted through a series of coordinated activities and build-up programmes implemented across all provinces throughout the month of February. The Language Activism Campaign marks a significant step forward in raising awareness about the vital role of mother tongue languages, cultural diversity, and multilingualism. Through this campaign, PanSALB aims to inspire nationwide engagement and support the goals of the 2022–2032 International Decade of Indigenous Languages, fostering greater understanding and unity across communities.
These activities will culminate in the observance of African Languages Week (21–28 February 2026) and the national commemoration of International Mother Language Day, marked on 21 February annually. PanSALB will host the national commemoration event on 24 February 2026 in Pietermaritzburg in collaboration with Msunduzi Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal.
The focus will be on monitoring the status of the Mother Tongue-Based Bilingual Education (MTbBE) roll-out in KwaZulu-Natal, following the successful implementation of the pilot programme in the Eastern Cape in 2012. The national event will further address challenges identified within the mathematics and science curriculum at primary school level in KwaZulu-Natal, through interactive workshops and presentations involving subject advisors and education unions.
“Through this critical campaign, we aim to advance multilingualism in the country by ensuring that the promotion, preservation and protection of languages are realised in practice. We have a significant role to play in ensuring the equitable use of our official languages, which in turn contributes meaningfully to the development and growth of the economy, politics, education, health and other key sectors,” said Acting Chief Executive Officer, Mr Julius Dantile.
