Charlize Theron has been slammed by fans in her native South Africa for branding  Afrikaans a ‘dying language’ and claiming only ’44 people still speak it.’

The Oscar-winning actress, 47, who was born in Benoni, Gauteng Province, sparked a social media backlash when she said on US podcast Smartless on Monday: ‘There’s about 44 people still speaking it [Afrikaans] – it’s definitely a dying language, it’s not a very helpful language.

The Monster star’s comments quickly invoked ire from South Africans on social media, who branded her ‘disrespectful’ and accused her of making the comments to ‘appease Hollywood.’

Backlash: Charlize Theron has been slammed by fans in her native South Africa for branding Afrikaans a ‘dying language’ and claiming only ’44 people still speak it’ (pictured last month)

One Twitter user wrote: ‘Wow what a disrespectful comment to the millions of South Africans of all ages, races & stations in life that speak Afrikaans as their first language.

‘Maybe she needs to spend “real” time in all regions of SA not just glitz street.’

Another wrote:  ‘Afrikaans has a strong association with apartheid. This statement was made by Charlize Theron to appease Hollywood. I do not concur with her. As with all other languages, the Afrikaans language must be preserved.’

A third typed: ‘My dad fought way too hard to recognise Afrikaans and he challenged Blade Nzimande.

Family: The Oscar-winning actress, 47, who was born in Benoni, Gauteng Province, sparked a wave of social media when she said : ‘There’s about 44 people still speaking it [Afrikaans] – it’s definitely a dying language, it’s not a very helpful language (pictured with mother Gerda)

Fury: The Monster star’s comments quickly invoked ire from South Africans on social media, who branded her ‘disrespectful’ and accused her of making the comments to ‘appease Hollywood’

‘My dad passed away last month before he actually saw the fruits of his fight. No Charlize, you need to rectify this @CharlizeAfrica. Don’t let Hollywood allow you to disrespect us in South Africa.

One user wrote: ‘Charlize Theron had a interview with Tom heard. She stated that her mother tongue ” AFRIKAANS ” is a unfriendly language.

‘Clearly she is embarrassed being born in south Africa. To make a statement like that. You have lost a admired fan and a lot more.

Another penned: ‘Hollywood actress Charlize Theron is wrong to suggest Afrikaans is a dying language and is only spoken by 44 people.

‘We in South Africa co-exist with the speakers of the language and we enhance conditions for them to speak it with pride. We cannot annihilate the language.’

One fan wrote: ‘Someone should inform Charlize Theron that her opinion about Afrikaans is important and that it is the home language of about 7 million SAns of which be far the majority is black.

‘Also tell her that it is the majority language in the Western Cape and Northern Cape Provinces.

Another wrote: ‘Afrikaans is the fastest growing language in SA. It is dynamic and changing. The growth is largely in the Coloured community, a mixed group of indigenous Khoisan, Malay, Dutch and black peoples. @CharlizeAfrica has gravely insulted millions of South Africans. Poephul.

Some fans came out in support of Theron’s comments, with one typing:  ‘Thank you Charlize Theron – that…racist language is dying and shouldn’t even be recognized,

Comments: Some fans came out in support of Theron’s comments, with one typing: ‘Thank you Charlize Theron – that…racist language is dying and shouldn’t even be recognized’

Another typed: ‘Nah she’s not embarrassed about being born in SA she has embraced it since she moved to America the issue here is Afrikaans that is known for being a language used to oppress black people in their own country. She has every right to hate it! Embarrassing.’

A third typed: ‘Charlize Theron is a legend! Indeed Afrikaans is a dead language. It belongs in the past. It’s a tool once used to oppress Africans.

‘Afrikaans is a symbol of oppression.’

Afrikaans is a language descended from Dutch settlers.  One of 11 official languages in South Africa, Afrikaans is commonly used by around 12 percent of the population of nearly 60 million.

A lawmaker from the opposition radical leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party tweeted in support of Theron’s remarks, but the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), a small rightwing and predominantly white Afrikaner party, said she was misguided.

‘She is not up to date with what is going on in her country of birth’ it said in a statement.

The Hollywood star was born in Benoni, a suburb 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of Johannesburg, and moved to the United States almost 30 years ago.

She said she didn’t speak English until she was 19 because ‘nobody’ in her predominantly Afrikaans neighbourhood spoke it.

Afrikaans is descended from Dutch spoken by settlers who began to arrive in South Africa in the mid-17th century.

Its centuries-long history in South Africa has sparked debate as to whether it should be considered an indigenous or imported language.

It is the country’s the third most spoken language after Zulu, which is used by around 25 percent of the population, and Xhosa, spoken by nearly 15 percent, according to official statistics.

In 2020, a court overturned a decision by one of South Africa’s largest universities, the University of South Africa (UNISA), to abolish classes taught in Afrikaans.

Star: The Hollywood star was born in Benoni, a suburb 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of Johannesburg, and moved to the United States almost 30 years ago (pictured 2021)