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Essex Barrett, a former Sotho teacher, warns that the Sesotho language could face extinction within 50 years.
FORMER Ficksburg Hoerskool Sotho teacher, Essex Barrett, affectionately known as “Sekonyela” in the Free State, has urged Sotho people in Mzansi to prioritise speaking their language properly before it fades.
Barrett highlighted that many Sotho tribes are no longer interested in nurturing their language.
Instead, their children attend former model C schools where English has become the medium of instruction.
“I have conducted my own research and discovered that the majority of the Basotho nation in South Africa has no love for their language, culture, and tradition. They are comfortable speaking English and other languages, which subsequently leads to the decline of their home language,” he said.
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Barrett, who has been a Sesotho teacher for 20 years, warned that Sotho could join extinct languages in 50 years if its speakers continue to neglect it.
“We don’t see much of Sesotho content on the public platforms. The highly Educated Sotho writers like Thomas Mofolo, Dr KPD Maphalla, Thabonyane Mafata who wrote scores of books are no more. This is a serious threat. The Basotho Royal families, cultures, activists should stand Up and protect the language of their ancestors,” he said.
He advocates for intergenerational transmission and encourages language to be passed down from older to younger generations within families and communities.
He supports language education programmes, the establishment of language classes, immersion schools, and other educational initiatives to teach the language, especially to youth.
Barrett is a fluent Sotho speaker, born and bred on a farm in Ficksburg in the eastern Free State.
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