English
is the most language used by soccer commentators in the world of soccer
compared to the French and Portuguese. I am writing this under correction with
no statistics at hand, so don’t crucify me.
It
is a norm to expect English to be used in countries where English is a medium
of communication by broadcasters and journalist, thanks to British Colonization
Mzantsi is affected by this. But this doesn’t prevent journalist or
commentators from using other languages.
The
reason I am bringing this topic again, is because of the growing practice by
most journalists, especially SABC journalists, where the interview of a player
or supporter being conducted in English. I single out SABC because they are a
public broadcaster.
There
was a debate when Andile Jali was interviewed in English and he responded in
isiXhosa. There is again a debate, rather a joke, about an Orlando Pirates
supporter who was interviewed by SABC commentator. The supporter’s response was
a confusing one to an English speaker. It was clear to me, that the supporter
is illiterate so are 80% of soccer supporters in our country.
Nonetheless,
with all these entire incidences, black journalists continue to conduct
interviews with black players and supporters in English. I for one would expect
a black soccer journalist or commentator to be able to conduct an interview in
another South African language. If a player or a supporter when interviewed in
English responds in their language, why carry on the interview in English?
I
will request journalists to discuss this in the broadcasting industry and come
up with a solution where an African child is not publicly humiliated and become
soccer joke.
By Leko Hila
Siyabonga Sangweni Interview
Siyabonga Sangweni Interview
+ comments + 1 comments
Freaken too much educated. How much Anglo-Saxon have you aquired to stand up and say who is polished and who is not polished. These boys play soccer for a leaving and their proficiency in either language is not a job requirement. The hogwash you are talking about is legal to start with. Players are employees and thus EOP covers them too. It says nothing in the contract clauses about speaking in a polished nose. You a Dom lop must bring all your school report and background check. To start with you are a thug, you should have been game fully working but you are using your company time and resources talking down right watery poop. Some people are well read but public speaking freaks them out. Having five doctoral degrees does not mean you are a refined speaker. Before talking take care of your wedge and crack showing behind. We have all soccer coaches from all over and they are doing their very best to communicate and yet they are doing a wonderful job. Since you are a navy-black white man why are you in south Africa. You had the ugly truck nuts balls to pull sabc into this your shithole. It was sabc when we had nobody to show us anything on tv and so we love sabc to death do us apart. You need a good Skop donor and a good diagonal scratch on your face. You are not worth that machine that caught on your forehead. Stop smoking brown cardboard. UKB