THE Pretoria high court yesterday reserved judgment on an application by a Brits attorney who wants to force the government to treat all local languages equally.

THE Pretoria high court yesterday reserved judgment on an application by a Brits attorney who wants to force the government to treat all local languages equally.

During legal argument, Judge Ben du Plessis remarked that the government ought to have been able to promulgate language policy legislation in the past 14 years, but failed to do so.

He said the Pan South African Language Board had been tasked to monitor what the government did, but that was "putting the board before the horse".

Du Plessis said the Constitution required a coordinated plan regulating the use of all 11 official languages.

Afrikaans-speaking attorney Cornelius Lourens, supported by trade union Solidarity, brought the application.

They seek an order compelling the government to finalise and promulgate national legislation to regulate and monitor the use of all 11 official languages. Judgment was reserved for next week. - Sapa