Language matters for disaster warnings – this community didn’t get useful flood alerts

By Mosekama Osia Mokhele, Lecturer, Nelson Mandela University
Andiswa Mvanyashe, Senior lecturer in Languages and Literature, Nelson Mandela University

In an age of instant communication, it is easy to assume that everyone receives disaster warnings. Smartphones buzz, sirens sound, alerts flash across screens. But for millions of people who speak minority or Indigenous languages, the message often stops short.

South Africa has 12 official languages, but disaster warnings are still sent out almost entirely in English and Afrikaans. Emergency SMS alerts, radio broadcasts, and social media posts are issued regularly, but these are one…

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