ConCourt agrees to hear Stellenbosch language case
The Constitutional Court has agreed to hear oral arguments on 13 September in the case challenging the language policy of Stellenbosch University, Netwerk24 reports. Danie Rossouw, acting for lobby group Equal Opportunities, says the development is significant because the court previously rejected a challenge to the new English policy of the University of the Free State without hearing oral arguments.
The Western Cape High Court ruled in favour of Stellenbosch University in October last year. Equal Opportunities took the matter to the Constitutional Court and was directed in March to supplement its application with written representations. Rossouw says there are ‘huge differences in facts and legal arguments’ between the two cases.
Although the court set a precedent by finding that the Free State’s parallel Afrikaans-English-language policy was discriminatory, Equal Opportunities hoped to get a favourable judgment that Afrikaans, as an instruction medium, has an equal right in a dual medium language policy.
Article disclaimer: While we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this article, it is not intended to provide final legal advice as facts and situations will differ from case to case, and therefore specific legal advice should be sought with a lawyer.
