MLUNGISI GUMEDE
U NOBHALA-jikelele wenyunyana yothisha i-South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) uMnuz Mugwena Maluleke ushaya phansi ngonyawo uthi lingawa licoshwe zinkukhu uma bengavuma ukuthi amalungu abo afundise ulimi lwaseChina isiMandarin ezikoleni zakuleli.
Engxoxweni ne Solezwe izolo, uMaluleke uthe bazimisele ngokulwa kuze kube sekugcineni ukwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi lolu hlelo aluqali ngonyaka ozayo njengoba kuhleliwe.
“Ngeke size sivume ukuthi kufundwe ulimi lwaseChina ezikoleni zethu kodwa izilimi zomdaba zibe zingaqhakanjiswa,” kusho uMaluleke.
Uthe kumanje izingane zifundiswa isiNgisi nesiBhunu, izilimi zesintu ziza ngemuva.
“Akukwazi ukuthi uMnyango wezeMfundo usahluleke ukuqhakambisa izilimi zesiNguni bese uzokwengeza olunye ulimi lwakwelinye izwe,” usho kanje.
UMaluleke uthe abanankinga neChina kodwa abahambisani nokuthi kufundiswe ulimi lwakhona ezikoleni zakuleli.
“Ngo-Agasti 26 no 27, ubuholi beSadtu buzobe buhlangene eThekwini buzobhunga ngezinkinga ezikhona kubalwa nodaba lwesiMandarin,” usho kanje.
Uthe ukuvumelwa ukuthi kufundiswe lolu limi kuzosho ukuthi bavumela ukuthi iqale phansi ingcindezelo eyayikhona phambilini.
UMaluleke uthe amalungu abo sebewanike umyalelo wokuba angalinge avume ukuthi afundise lesi sifundo, wengeza ngokuthi bakulungele ukubhekana nomphumela wokushaya indiva umyalelo womnyango.
Uqhube wathi bazimisele ngisho ukuyisa umnyango enkantolo ukwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi aluqali uhlelo.
Imizamo yokuthola ukuphawula kwenye inyunyana yothisha iNational Teachers Union of South Africa ayizange iphumelele izolo njengoba iPhini likaMengameli wayo uMnuz Allen Thompson engazange atholakale ucingo lwakhe belukhala lungabanjwa.
IsiMandarin kulindeleke ukuthi siqale ukufundwa ngonyaka ozayo ngemuva kokuthi uMnyango wezeMfundo emazingeni aphansi ngenyanga edlule umemezele ukuthi usuthathe isinqumo sokuba siqale ukufundwa.
Lesi sifundo sizoqala ngonyaka ozayo sifundiswe u-Grade 4 kuthi ngo-2018, sifakwe naku Grade 11.
Okhulumela uMnyango wezeMfundo emazingeni aphansi kuleli uMnuz Elijah Mhlanga, uthe asikho isidingo sokuthi kube khona abadinwayo nokuthi kusetshenziswe ulimi oluqosheme ngoba labo abafuna ukufunda isiMandarin bazobe bezikhethele.
UMhlanga uthe ngeke baze baphoqe muntu ukuthi afunde lolu limi, umfundi uzolufunda ngoba ethanda.
“IsiMandarin akusiyo into entsha ezikoleni zakuleli, zikhona ezivele ezisenzayo. EThekwini sikhona engisaziyo eWestville, eGoli ziningi kakhulu,” usho kanje.
Uthe iChina ezoziqeqeshela othisha abathandayo ukufundisa lolu limi ezikoleni zakuleli.
“Thina okwethu njengohulumeni ukuhambisa umbiko eChina sisho ukuthi zingaka izikole ezifuna ukulwenza ulimi bese beyaziqeqeshela, thina asikhiphi mali,” usho kanje.
Uthe umuntu uma engafuni ukuya olwandle uzihlalela ekhaya kuye abathandayo, wengeza ngokuthi nabo abaphoqi muntu.
Ihhovisi likaNgqongqoshe walo mnyango uNkk Angie Motshekga esitatimendeni elisikhiphe ngenyanga edlule sithi inhloso yokufaka isiMandarin ezikoleni zakuleli ukuqinisa amaxhama okuxhumana phakathi kweNingizimu Afrika neChina.
UMnyango uthi abafundi bangazikhethela futhi ukufunda nezinye izilimi ezibandakanya isiGerman, Serbian, Italian, Latin, Portuguese, Spanish, Tamil, Telegu nesi-Urdu.