# Chief Justice Mandisa Maya has called for an end to English being the sole language of record in South African courts. She made the remarks during a forensic linguistics and legal conference hosted at the University of the Western Cape. Academics and experts at the conference echoed her concerns, highlighting how language barriers impact fair trials and access to justice for ordinary citizens. Maya said language is critical for access to justice, calling for a review of the 2017 directive that made English mandatory in court proceedings.
Chief Justice calls for end to English-only court records