Routes of English: The Long Trek to Freedom (Series 4, Programme 5)

English becomes the language of liberation as Afrikaans takes on the label of oppression. In 1994 the first free democratic elections in South Africa were held, bringing Nelson Mandela to power as the country's first black president. One of the other consequences was the elevation of nine African languages to equal status with English and Afrikaans. Here, Melvyn Bragg examines the new-found strength and influence of the English language in the post-apartheid era. With Judge Albie Sachs and actor John Kani he assesses how the African languages will fare in the new South Africa against those two pillars of political and social advantage - Afrikaans and English.