4
second language has some significant degree of
constraint especially when competing with first
language speakers. It is also evident that access to
enablers such as recording avenues and promotion
on media, are not available for minority peoples
performing in their languages as much as it is for
the Tswana and those who sing in Tswana. The
education of minority children in a second or third
language continues to contribute to high failure
rates in minority dominated areas. Relocation of
citizens from their ancestral land and destruction of
their property by Land Boards is a common act for
many years. These acts aggravate the poverty
situation, which is more severe among minority
communities. Equality before the law continues to
be a concern. Sections 77-79 of the Constitutions
were revised to protect the discrimination of the
non-Tswana tribes, and continues to exclude their
designated chiefs from participating in the House
of Chiefs. Access to information in the language of
their competence is yet another serious challenge
facing rural minority people. In this regard, I note
that while the spirit of the Declaration has been
implemented to extent, knowledge about the
Declaration at the national level remains low.
Hence there is limited compliance with articles:
1.1, 2.3,3.4, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4 and 8 of the Declaration.