Dailies: RSG 75 years

Yesterday, RSG (Radio Sonder Grense) the official Afrikaans radio service of the SABC celebrated its 75^th birthday.

Afrikaans is one of the 11 official languages of South Africa (I might be mistaken, but I think that makes us one of the countries with the most official languages on the planet). It is no longer in the powerful, privileged position that it had during the years of National Party rule. Fortunately there have been a number of corrections for the good in that regard. Today there is a deeper appreciation for the contributions of other population groups, besides the whites, in the development and growth of this fairly young language at the southern tip of Africa.

RSG as radio station reflects the variety of the people who speak Afrikaans, whether it be their different music styles, matters of interest or viewpoints. In a balanced responsible way it acts as a window of what is current and happening in our country on a daily basis and in a style that is very appealing to me. I regard RSG as one of my close friends and companions.

That said, I must confess that I find current Afrikaans popular music in general very disappointing. It lacks depth and creativity. Words like baby, sokkie and Bokkie abound. Fortunately all is not lost. Originality is not totally dead. Poet-song writer Stef Bos can take that very same Bokkie and sing:

Bokkie, Bokkie

Ons mors ons tyd

Only in Afrikaans you can say that with its delicate meaning and nuances.

Despite the stages and hiccups of our language, RSG is vibrant. Everything indicates that my friend will be around for a number of years to come. Happy birthday!

George

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