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