NEW GROUP TO PROTECT AFRIKAANS INTERESTS

A NEW group designed to protect Afrikaans interests was established in Pretoria over the weekend. Group spokesman Johan Rossouw said opionmakers such as Van Zyl Slabbert and writer Breyten Breytenbach had been invited to meet over the weekend to discuss the establishment of the organisation. The 63 people attending the meeting on Sunday morning decided to form Group 63. Projects to be undertaken by the group includes the establishment of an Afrikaans magazine on the internet, informing its readers of language and minority issues. The body will aim at creating economic empowerment for the poor and unemployed Afrikaans-speaking person. It also wants to promote multilinguism and mother tongue education. Group 63 plans to establish an electronic data bank containing information on minority initiatives locally and internationally.