Uct Recognises Isixhosa As Official Language

The University of Cape Town UCT has made a significant stride towards inclusivity by adding isiXhosa to its official list of languages, Cape town Etc reports.

This development comes as part of a recently revised language policy, approved by the universitys Council in December 2024, which seeks to promote multilingualism on campus with English, isiXhosa, and Afrikaans as the cornerstones of university communications.

The official launch of this policy took place on Thursday, 27 February 2025, during UCTs observance of International Mother Language Day, highlighting the universitys recognition of the essential role languages play in education and communication.

According to Eyewitness News , UCT's director for the multilingual project, Professor Lolie Makhubu-Badenhors, stated that this initiative aims to uplift marginalised indigenous languages within South Africa.

Makhubu-Badenhors emphasised the need for a student-friendly learning environment, pointing to the limitations posed when only foreign languages are used for instruction.