FAQ
This page contains frequently asked questions about ALGraP. Do you have a question that is not answered below? Then contact our coordinator Professor Justus Roux.
What languages are spoken in South Africa?
South Africa has a rich and diverse multilingual culture with eleven official languages, namely two Germanic languages (English and Afrikaans), four Nguni languages Ndebele (isiNdebele), Swati (Siswati), Xhosa (isiXhosa), and Zulu (isiZulu), three Sotho languages Northern Sotho (Sesotho sa Leboa or Sepedi), Southern Sotho (Sesotho), and Tswana (Setswana), and two other Bantu languages Tsonga (Xitsonga) and Venda (Tshivenda). These languages are granted official status in chapter one of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (6 of 1996), stating that ‘…the state must take practical and positive measures to elevate the status and advance the use of these languages’.
Other languages used in South Africa, include, amongst others, Fanagalo, Lobedu (Khilobedu), Northern Ndebele (Sindebele), Phuthi (Siphuthi), Khoi, Nama and San languages, and South African Sign Language. Significant numbers of immigrants from Europe, elsewhere in Africa, and the Indian subcontinent means that a wide variety of other languages can also be found in parts of South Africa.
| Language | Population aged 1 year and older by language most often spoken in the household (Census 2022 in Brief, StatsSA) | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| isiZulu | 14 613 202 | 24,4% |
| isiXhosa | 9 786 928 | 16,3% |
| Afrikaans | 6 365 488 | 10,6% |
| English | 5 228 301 | 8,7% |
| Sepedi | 5 972 255 | 10,0% |
| Setswana | 4 972 787 | 8,3% |
| Sesotho | 4 678 964 | 7,8% |
| Xitsonga | 2 784 279 | 4,7% |
| Siswati | 1 692 719 | 2,8% |
| Tshivenda | 1 480 565 | 2,5% |
| isiNdebele | 1 044 377 | 1,7% |
| South African Sign Language | 9 308 | 0,02% |
| Other | 1 247 275 | 2,1% |
| TOTAL | 59 876 448 | 100% |
