Language, identity and ethnicity in post-apartheid South Africa : the Umlazi township community.

Abstract

This thesis would have not been possible without the participants and informants of this study.After three years of on-and-off ethnography, I have learnt an incredible amount of South African reality that remains invisible to many other abelungu [white people].I am indebted to many individuals in the Umlazi township community for their remarkable kindness and support, particularly staff members of Mziwamandla High school in M section, whose names, unfortunately I cannot all mention here.I can only express my sincere gratitude to all the people who have shared their ideas and thoughts with me and patiently tolerated my persistence.Special thanks go to Nosipho Zama, Vusi Hadebe, Nkululeko, Ntokozana Gumede, Peaceful Khuzwayo, Magcino Shange, Khathala Nkomo, and Vusi Buthelezi for providing me with valuable research data, for accommodating me, for providing networks and for patient isiZulu lessons.Finally, I would like to also thank Clark Rudwick for his staunch belief in me and the emotional support he provided during the different stages of this research. Besonderer personlicher Dank geht an meine Eltern, Ursula und Manfred Keller und meinen Bruder Sascha, fur ihren unermudlichen Glauben an mich und diese Arbeit. Ihre emotionale Unterstutzung und ihre grosse Nachsicht im Hinblick unzahlbarer Familien-Angelegenheiten haben unermesslich zur Vollendung dieser Arbeit beigetragen.Further thanks go to my family and friends in Germany who have emotionally and psychologically supported my studies and most of all to Pavel Vesely who played a much more significant role in the completion of this research than he may realise.Vital to the completion of this study was also my firm belief and faith in postapartheid South Africa.The ethnographic research of this thesis made me understand that there are many different sociolinguistic realities within the postapartheid state and crossing from one to the other can make a difference in some peoples' lives. ABSTRACT (ISIZULU)Lolucwaningo olusekelwe ngezizathu ezitholakele ngendlela enzulu lubhekene nokuthola ukuthi ulwimu, ubunjalo bomuntu, kanye nobuzwe bakhe, kuvela kanjani njengengxenye yezinto eziwumphumela wobunjalo bezwe lase Mzansi Afrika emva kobandlululo.Lukwenza lokhu ngokuthi lugxile ohlobeni oluthile Iwabantu emphakathini okhuluma isiZulu wase Lokishini laseMlazi.Ngokucaphuna ezisekelweni zezinzululwazi ezithile emkhakheni wezifundo zocwaningo ngemphakathi nemilando yazo, lolucwaningo luhlola indlela oluballuleke ngayo ulwimi IwesiZulu ezimpilweni zabantu baseLokishini laseMlazi, nasezehlakalweni ezimpilweni zabo emizameni yokwakheka kobunjalo babo.Uma sibheka indawo nemisebenzi edlalwa ulimi IwesiZulu kolunye uhlangothi, kanye namandla olwimi IweSingisi kwezomnotho ngakolunye uhlangothi, kuyabonakala ukuthi amandla nokubaluleka kolwimi IwesiZulu emasikweni emiPhakathini alusebenzisayo kubekeka esimweni esingagwinyisi mathe impela.Ngokusebenzisa uhlobo locwaningo olubheka elukucwaningayo ngezingxenyeni ezintathu, bese luxuba nendlela yokucwaninga esebenzisa amanani abantu nezimpendulo eziphuma kubo qobo, lolucwaningo luhlaziya izindlela abantu abasebenzisa imibono yabo ekwakhekeni kobunjalo babo obuxubene nezinga lomnotho abakulo ngalesosikhathi, konke okugcina sekuholele abantu abayingxenye y a lolucwaningo bazibone ngendlela ethile engumphumela wokuthi baphuma ezweni ekade linobandluluo iminyaka eminingi.Lolucwaningo luhlola ukuthi ukungqubuzana phakathi kolwimi losiko olwakha ubunjalo babantu olukhulunywa emphakathi, kolunye uhlangothi, nezinto eziphathekayo ezihlangene nezomnotho, ngakolunye uhlangothi, kuziveza kanjani.Lolucwaningo luyaveza, phakathi kwezinye izinto, ukuthi ulwimi, lapha sikhuluma ngesiZulu, alubhekwa kuphela njengento esebenzela isiko, kodwa njengethuluzi elisebenza ekwakhekeni kobunjalo bomuntu okudlulela ngale kwemingcele yobuhlanga, yezinga lomnotho umuntu nomuntu akulo, inkolo umuntu akuyo, kanye nezepolitiki emphakathini wasemalokishini wanamuhla.Okudlulele, ubunjalo balabo abakhuluma ulwimi IwesiZulu nobuzwe babo ahlukene nakancane nolwimi Iwabo.Indlela ulwimi Iwabo olusebenza ngayo ichaza bona ukuthi bangobani.Lolucwaningo luthola nokuthi kukhona abagcizelelayo ukuthi izilimi isiZulu neSingisi ayizindlela ezinamandla ezakha imingcele egcina isihlukanise umphakathi waselokishini laseMlazi.Okokugcina, umcwaningi kulolucwaningo uhlola imiphumela yalokhu emiphakathini

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