How was language oppressed in SA before 1994?

Answer 1

Before 1994, South Africa's apartheid regime enforced a policy of linguistic oppression, privileging Afrikaans and English while marginalizing indigenous languages. This policy was part of a broader system of racial discrimination, where official education, government, and media were predominantly conducted in these two languages. As a result, speakers of indigenous languages faced barriers to access education and employment, contributing to social and economic inequalities. The suppression of linguistic diversity was a means to reinforce the dominance of the ruling white minority over the majority black population.