/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

AfriForum has sent an urgent request to SuperSport to make Afrikaans commentary available for all cricket matches. This follows after the civil rights organisation received numerous complaints from its members regarding the current absence of Afrikaans commentary, and correspondence between AfriForum and the Communications Manager of SuperSport, Clinton van der Berg.

According to Alana Bailey, Deputy CEO of AfriForum, focusing on language affairs, the organisation has been inundated with complaints the past week regarding the absence of Afrikaans commentary during the current cricket tour. In response to an enquiry by AfriForum, Mr Van der Berg stated that SuperSport traditionally does not offer Afrikaans on away tours. He emphasized that it’s not due to a deliberate intention to sideline Afrikaans, but a decision which was taken due to technical considerations. He also confirmed that Afrikaans will still be heard during local matches and test series.

This answer does not satisfy AfriForum’s members and the organisation therefore submitted an urgent request to SuperSport to reconsider the decision. Afrikaans commentary had indeed been offered in the past for matches abroad and viewers did not get any indication that it was an exception to the rule. They therefore understandably would like to know why efforts had not been made to find solutions to the technical challenges, or why alternative commentators had not been recruited or the existing commentators trained better to make up for deficiencies in the technical quality of the commentary.

“Even though the decision by SuperSport may not be a deliberate effort to sideline Afrikaans, it is to the disadvantage of the language and its speakers,” Bailey said. “SuperSport has a large percentage of Afrikaans-speaking viewers and it will be good business practice to take their needs into consideration. Complaints are not only streaming in about cricket commentary in Afrikaans, but rugby enthusiasts are equally unhappy. We hope that SuperSport will grab this opportunity to prove to Afrikaans subscribers and potential subscribers that their needs and language are respected, by providing more commentary in Afrikaans, rather than to demote it.”

Issued by AfriForum