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Why is Afrikaans such a controversial language in South Africa?

Ryanair used the Afrikaans language to test the nationality of South African travellers. But it abandoned the policy, amid public anger
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Budget airline Ryanair recently introduced a policy that forced South African travellers to the UK to do a test in the Afrikaans language.

This, it said, was aimed at proving the passengers’ nationality, in an effort to weed out those using counterfeit passports.

The quiz contained questions such as ‘what is South Africa's international dialling code?’, ‘what is its capital city?’ and ‘who is the current president?’.

Anyone who failed this test was refused travel and refunded the cost of their ticket.

This policy caused a furore, with many non-Afrikaans speaking South Africans saying they were being discriminated against.

The low-cost airline has now abandoned the policy.

Afrikaans is a language associated with a long and painful history of racial segregation in South Africa.

As South Africa marks Youth Day on June 16 and remembers the 1976 Soweto Uprising that many say changed the socio-political landscape in the country and paved the way that led to the end of the white minority rule, Africa Daily is looking into why Afrikaans, as a language, can be seen as divisive to some.

Host: Alan Kasujja
Guest: Oupa Ngwenya, senior South African journalist and former student activist
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BBC World Service Audio - Africa Daily, Why is Afrikaans such a controversial language in South Africa?

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Ryanair has come under fire for using Afrikaans as a test. What was behind this move?

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https://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions/south-africa-saf.htm

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https://www.si.com/soccer/2020/05/04/2010-world-cup-south-africa-legacy-fifa

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As you might have guessed, South Africa is in the southern tip of the African continent. It is one of the largest countries in the world as well as one of the most populous. And all these people, from various cultural backgrounds, often only come together for one reason, their love of sports.

Where it gets tricky is what sport they love. Statistically, the most popular sports in South Africa are cricket, rugby and soccer. Other sports which enjoy a particularly good amount of following includes athletics, basketball, boxing, golf, netball, swimming, and tennis.

For the black portion of the South African population, soccer has emerged as the number one sport. With their love of the sport, it is not hard to imagine why some of their stars have goner on to play for international clubs like Aaron Mokoena, Delron Buckley, Benni McCarthy, Lucas Radebe, Philemon Masinga, and Steven Pienaar. South Africa has also hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Rugby is also a very popular sport in South Africa and their national team, the Springboks, has performed particularly well in the international stage taking the 1995, 2007 and 2019 Rugby World Cups. There is also a fair amount of world-class Rugby players from South Africa that includes Bryan Habana, Danie Craven, Francois Pienaar, Frik du Preez, Joost van der Westhuizen, and Naas Botha. South Africa has also hosted quite a few international sports meetings like the 1996 African Cup of Nations, 2003 Cricket World Cup, as well as the 2007 World Twenty20 Championship.

Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to South Africa.

Popular sports of South Africa

Regional or Traditional Sports of South Africa

Ringball - a low key South African version of netball .

Jukskei - a folk sport from South Africa where competitors throw wooden pins to try and knock down a target wooden peg.

South African Sporting Success

Rugby World Cup winners 1995, 2007, 2019

Athletes from South Africa

Zola Budd (athletics)

Gary Player (golf)

Kepler Wessels (cricket)

Ernie Els (golf)

South Africa Sports trivia

Jukskei is a 200 year old folk sport that was developed and is played in South Africa.

South Africa was absent from international sport for most of the apartheid era due to sanctions.

South Africa at major events

Past sporting events hosted in South Africa

Upcoming sporting events in South Africa

Annual sporting events held in South Africa

Comrades Marathon - an ultramarathon of about 89 km (56 miles) which is run annually between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

Sporting Facilities in South Africa

Other

Is there something missing? If you know of something that should be listed here, please let me know.

Related Pages

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As you might have guessed, South Africa is in the southern tip of the African continent. It is one of the largest countries in the world as well as one of the most populous. And all these people, from various cultural backgrounds, often only come together for one reason, their love of sports.

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https://www.sanparks.org/

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https://www.southafrica.net/et/en/travel/article/traditional-african-food-in-south-africa

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Dry curing was a method used to preserve meat by the indigenous tribes of South Africa before fridges were invented. Usually made from beef or game, such as springbok, biltong (a thinly sliced, air-dried meat) and droewors (an air-dried sausage) are traditionally eaten as snacks. The meat is cured in a mixture of vinegar, salt, sugar and spices such as coriander and pepper, then hung to dry. The finished product is prized by health enthusiasts for its high protein and low fat content. Nowadays, biltong and droewors producers often add flavourings such as chilli or garlic to the meat and use a variety of meats, such as ostrich and wild boar.

Try our incredible twist on chilli con carne with our beef biltong chilli & smoked cheddar recipe.

2. Boerewors

This is a traditional South African sausage made from beef, mixed with either pork or lamb and a mixture of spices. Boerewors are traditionally served in a coiled shape, similar to the Cumberland sausage and cooked on a braai (barbecue). The word boerewors comes from the Afrikaans and Dutch words boer (farmer) and wors (sausage).

3. Cape Malay curry

In the 17th century, the Dutch and French landed and settled in Cape Town, bringing slaves from Indonesia, India and Malaysia, along with their spices and traditional cooking methods. When combined with local produce, the aromatic spices such as cinnamon, saffron, turmeric and chilli created fragrant curries and stews, which are still popular in the area today.

Try making your own... Cape Malay chicken curry.

4. Malva pudding

A Dutch import, malva pudding is a sweet and sticky baked sponge pudding made with apricot jam and served smothered in a hot cream sauce. This is South Africa's answer to the British sticky toffee pudding, served in many restaurants but mainly baked at home for Sunday lunch.

5. Chakalaka & pap

Chakalaka and pap are mainstays on every South African dinner table. Chakalaka is a vegetable dish made of onions, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, beans and spices, and is often served cold. Pap, meaning 'porridge', is similar to American grits and is a starchy dish made from white corn maize. Chakalaka and pap are often served together, along with braaied (barbecued) meat, breads, salad and stews.

Try our low-fat chakalaka.

6. Braai/Shisa nyama

For a real taste of South Africa an authentic braai or shisa nyama ('burn the meat' in Zulu) is an eating experience not to be missed. Braais originated in the townships of Johannesburg, with butchers who set up barbecues in front of their shops at weekends to grill their meat and sell it on the street. Nowadays, local communities gather at braais at the weekends to share food. Pop along to soak up the vibrant atmosphere, listen to music and take your pick from the meat on offer, usually comprising of beef, chicken, pork, lamb and vors (sausages) - this is not an outing for vegetarians!

Get your meet on the barbecue and try our next level BBQ chicken or pull apart piri-piri pork ribs.

7. Bunny chow

This street food of Durban has become popular across South Africa and is now starting to hit our food markets back in London. Hollowed out loaves of bread, stuffed with spicy curry were originally created by the immigrant Indian community in the Natal area of Durban and served to workers for lunch. Try chicken, pork or vegetarian varieties containing lentils and beans.

8. Amarula Don Pedro

This cocktail-come-dessert uses South African Amarula, a cream liqueur made from the indigenous marula fruit, blended with ice cream. Find it in every bar or take a bottle of Amarula home from duty-free to make your own!

If you've got a sweet tooth, check out our sweet cocktail recipes.

9. Bobotie

Another dish thought to have been brought to South Africa by Asian settlers, bobotie is now the national dish of the country and cooked in many homes and restaurants. Minced meat is simmered with spices, usually curry powder, herbs and dried fruit, then topped with a mixture of egg and milk and baked until set.

Try making your own... bobotie.

10. Melktert

Similar to the British custard tart or Portuguese pasteis de nata, melktert consists of a pastry case filled with milk, eggs and sugar, which is usually thickened with flour. The finished tart is traditionally dusted with cinnamon. A real South African comfort food, it is served as a dessert, and also available in many bakeries.

Want more delicious travel suggestions?
Top 10 foods to try in Morocco Have you visited the South Africa? Feel we've missed a dish out? We'd love to hear your favourites. For more global cuisine and authentic local dishes, visit our Travel section. Travellers are advised to read the FCO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice for the country they are travelling to.
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In South Africa, you'll find dishes influenced by the indigenous population, along with the Dutch, French, Indians and Malaysians and as such it offers a vibrant cuisine that's sure to excite the palate.

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https://www.britannica.com/place/South-Africa/Cultural-life