REALITY OF SECOND LANGUAGES

The Sunday Times
November 9 2008

The number of pupils writing matric exams in South Africa's official languages this year:

English - First language: 97579; second language: 495298

Afrikaans - First language: 57845; second language: 115489

Zulu - First language: 153635; second language: 10012

Xhosa - First language: Xhosa: 68529; second language: 1602

Sotho - First language: 34655; second language: 682

Tswana - First language: 45805; second language: 183

Sepedi - First language: 70792; second language: 460

Tsonga - First language: 25255; second language: 38

Swati - First language: 20731; second language: 162

Venda - First language: 17771; second language: 16

Ndebele - First language: 4409; second language: 42