This chapter serves as general introduction to clear the ground and explore the transformative nature of language in relation to knowledge creation and how it relates to current and burning issues of (mental) decolonisation in postcolonial Africa. It centres around language as a key factor, particularly in higher education at university level, with due recognition of strategies for the intellectualisation and re-empowerment of formerly dis-empowered languages under the colonial regime, encompassing digital literacy, translations from and into African languages and challenges for lexicography. It outlines the overall structure of the book and provides chapter summaries.

The chapter sets out to critique and contextualise the largely monolingual language policies of universities in South Africa against the backdrop of transformation. The language question at higher education institutions in South Africa is explored with reference to the constitutional and legislative frameworks. The chapter argues that the trend towards enacting monolingual language policies at universities is mimicking the 2017 monolingual language of record directive for courts in South Africa. The chapter advances recent judgements, which serve as evidence that the judiciary, by finding that monolingual language policies are both constitutionally sound and ironically foster transformation based on access for all, is in fact pursuing an agenda that marginalises many people who do not have a functional knowledge of English. The authors grapple with the legal, sociopolitical and sociolinguistic complexities facing universities and how English is being portrayed as a language for all, yet the majority of the people speak an African language as their mother tongue. In conclusion, the authors propose recommendations for both the higher education institutions and the judiciary in South Africa.

This chapter analyses developmental policies in southern Africa against the backdrop of language policy and planning. The chapter argues for a context-driven language policy and planning approach which takes into account the importance of African languages in the workplace. A quadruple bottom line should be added to economic debates whereby language and culture are included in the triple bottom line metric. Policies or documents such as the National Development Plan in South Africa are analysed in relation to economic and societal development and found largely to contain no mention of language, even though they speak to development in areas (such as agriculture) which concern the masses where many people will not be proficient in English. This makes such developmental policies redundant for the majority of people who cannot access documents and developmental plans in their mother tongues. The chapter also suggests that a consolidated continental developmental plan should be put in place based on the use of African languages in the market place alongside excoglossic languages such as English, French and Portuguese. The use of language in the workplace should be seen as a vital developmental tool on the African continent.