Solidarity: private Afrikaans-medium college will be based on language, not race

Solidarity's Connie Mulder clarifies the intent behind their Afrikaans-medium college and says it's time for SA to get over race.

Trade union Solidarity says it's flabbergasted by the "attacks" on the Afrikaans community and the construction of its Afrikaans-medium college.

Solidarity has broken ground on the construction of its new R300 million Sol-Tech college campus in Centurion.

The private vocational training college is expanding its premises and was originally founded by Solidarity 12 years ago.

We're flabbergasted by the attacks on a linguistic community that's literally spending its own money to facilitate education for its children in its own language.

Connie Mulder, Head of Research at Solidarity

Connie Mulder, head of the Solidarity's research institute, has rubbished claims that the institution would be racially exclusive.

This after Gauteng MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi raised questions about the motive behind the college.

Read: Panyaza Lesufi takes a swipe at private Afrikaans university under construction

We don't define Afrikaaner as a race. It's a cultural community with self-definition.

Connie Mulder, Head of Research at Solidarity

As a linguistic community, we feel strongly about having Afrikaans as an educational language.

Connie Mulder, Head of Research at Solidarity

Mulder claims that anyone willing to receive technical training in Afrikaans is welcome to apply.

He bemoans what he calls an "obsession with race in South Africa" and says it's time to put it to an end.

I struggle to see the problem.

Connie Mulder, Head of Research at Solidarity

It's not an exclusionary or isolationist point of view.

Connie Mulder, Head of Research at Solidarity

Solidarity says the privately-owned Afrikaans medium institution will be funded through donations from its members.

Mulder could not provide detail on how diverse the racial makeup of Solidarity’s membership is.

Read: 'My daughter went to an Afrikaans school' - Panyaza Lesufi not 'anti-Afrikaans'

Meanwhile, MEC Lesufi has defended himself against those who have accused him of being anti-Afrikaans.

The new Sol-Tech college campus should be completed in 14 months and open its doors in January 2021.

Listen to the discussion on Today with Kieno Kammies:

Thumbnail image: @solidariteit on Twitter.

More from Local