Welcome – or, as we would say in Xhosa and Sotho, Wamkelekile, Re a o amohela – to this section of the School of Languages & Literatures.

The main languages taught in the African Languages Section are Xhosa and Southern Sotho. Both belong to the Nguni and Sotho language groups respectively. Over 70% of South Africa’s population speak either a Nguni or a Sotho language as a first language, while only 9% have English as a mother-tongue. We believe that the study of African languages is critical to a proper understanding of South Africa’s dynamic and diverse population and we are committed to on-going and rigorous research into all forms of discourse in the field of African languages.