HUMA Doctoral Fellow Naledi Maponopono appointed to Pan African Language Board of South Africa

On February 7th, South Africa Minister Of Sport, Arts & Culture, Mr Gayton McKenzie appointed Naledi Maponopono as a board member of the Pan African Language Board of South Africa (PanSALB). 

The Pan South African Language Board, aligned with chapter 9 of the South African institution, was established in 1995 to protect, preserve, and promote indigenous African languages, including sign language. 

With an appointment for a period of five years, Naledi will contribute significantly to promoting and advancing multilingualism and developing previously marginalised official languages, sign language as well as the Khoi, Nama and San languages, as mandated by the Constitution. She will be required to provide oversight and strategic direction to PanSALB and ensure that the PanSALB complies with the Act. 

Naledi Maponopono is Mellon Turning the Tide Doctoral Fellow at HUMA, completing her PhD in African Languages at the University of Cape Town. Her research focuses on the implementation of language policies in higher education institutions in South Africa. Her work critically engages with Barkenbus’s policy development framework and Ruiz’s orientations to language planning, aiming to create a robust language policy framework that includes effective monitoring and evaluation systems.

Naledi is an experienced educator and curriculum specialist with a focus on African languages and educational technology. She has taught isiXhosa and academic literacy at the Universities of Cape Town and the Western Cape. 

Her contributions to the field include several academic publications, such as her recently published book chapter titled, “Too little time? Reflecting on the time afforded in teaching and learning of IsiXhosa at a particular school in the Western Cape."  

Naledi holds an MA in African Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, a BSc in Public Policy and Administration, Sociology, and isiXhosa Language and Literature Studies, and an Honours degree in African Languages from the University of Cape Town. 

This appointment further affirms Naledi’s commitment to advancing African languages in formal education. With a career dedicated to promoting multilingualism and addressing the challenges faced by African languages in education, she continues to advocate for policies that reflect South Africa's linguistic diversity. 

Congratulations Naledi!