KAZIMLA MFIKILI
Achieving a PhD is no small feat, and Buffalo City’s very own Dr Mteteleleli Mangcunyana has made history by becoming the first South African to earn a doctorate in African languages, with a focus on analysing parliamentary debates.
Mangcunyana, a resident of Vincent, is a trailblazer in his field and received this unique qualification from Stellenbosch University during its December graduation season.
Mangcunyana had been working towards this qualification for years, spurred on by his devotion towards protecting, developing and promoting African languages.
His family was in tears, watching him walk down the aisle to be capped — knowing how much he had sacrificed towards achieving his doctorate.
He has always loved learning and believes in the power of education, not only to change a person’s life but to advance society.
Mangcunyana also hopes that his doctorate reignites an interest in politics, governance and democracy among the youth.
He said: “I was so excited when it was confirmed that my thesis has been accepted. It reminded me that hard work does pay indeed.
“I sacrificed a lot, like missing family gatherings because of deadlines and meticulous editing with a view to produce such a volume. There was pressure also in that what I have written will be kept forever and read by future generations.
“I felt overwhelmed when I joined other PhD candidates ready to be awarded our degrees.
“I can say it was our Lord’s grace that kept me going.”
Humbled by his accomplishment, he expressed hope that his groundbreaking work would inspire greater interest in studying political platforms, particularly parliament.
“I noticed that in most universities, parliamentary debates haven’t received much academic attention.
“My goal was to raise awareness that scholars can engage with and research this important aspect of governance,” he said.
His thesis examines how language is used in parliamentary settings, including the state of the province address (Sopa), questions and answers, and reports from legislature outreach programmes.
His study delves into the linguistic strategies politicians use, such as metaphors, synonyms and quotations, to present arguments, defend government policies and challenge opponents.
“What fascinated me was how members of the legislature use language to address critical issues.
“For instance, Sopa speeches outline programmes, achievements and shortcomings, often using various languages to connect with diverse audiences,” he said.
In addition to analysing parliamentary discourse, his research explored how community members contribute to political discussions using languages such as isiXhosa and SA sign language.
With SA recently celebrating 30 years of democracy, Mangcunyana emphasised the importance of engaging the country’s youth in politics.
“There’s a noticeable gap between politicians and the youth. We need awareness programmes to make political studies relevant, showing the next generation how to understand and engage with parliamentary processes.”
