The list includes isiZulu, isiXhosa, Afrikaans, English, Sepedi, Setswana, Sesotho, Xitsonga, siSwati, Tshivenda and isiNdebele. This reflects the country's deliberate post-apartheid commitment to linguistic and cultural inclusion, rather than privileging a single national language.
Source: South African Government
Frequently Asked Questions
Which South African language has the most speakers?
isiZulu is the most widely spoken home language, followed by isiXhosa and Afrikaans, though English remains dominant in business, government and media.
Why did South Africa choose to recognise so many languages?
It was a deliberate post-apartheid commitment to correcting decades of policy that privileged only English and Afrikaans, giving official status to the languages spoken by the majority of the population.
Are sign language and other languages also recognised?
South African Sign Language was added as a 12th official language in 2023, extending the constitution's original 11-language recognition.