Selfs al is die draaibeweging vinnig, is oogkontak belangrik.

Because the sentence has two clauses, and each clause needs its own finite verb.

• Selfs al is die draaibeweging vinnig = the concessive/subordinate clause
• is oogkontak belangrik = the main clause

So the first is belongs to the selfs al clause, and the second is belongs to the main statement.

This is a common Afrikaans concessive pattern: selfs al is ...

It works a bit like a fixed structure meaning even if / even though .... In this pattern, the verb is comes before the subject:

• Selfs al is die draaibeweging vinnig ...

So even though many Afrikaans subordinate clauses put the verb later, selfs al is is a very normal and idiomatic pattern.

Selfs al introduces a contrast or concession. It tells you that the second part is still true despite the first part.

So the idea is:

• the turning movement may be fast
• nevertheless, eye contact is important

A natural English equivalent is often even if or even though, depending on context.

Because the sentence begins with another clause: Selfs al is die draaibeweging vinnig. In Afrikaans main clauses, the finite verb normally comes in the second position.

Here, the whole first clause takes the first position, so the verb of the main clause must come next:

• Selfs al is die draaibeweging vinnig, is oogkontak belangrik.

If you started directly with the main clause, you would say:

• Oogkontak is belangrik.

So this is a standard Afrikaans word-order rule.

Draaibeweging is a compound noun:

• draai = turn / rotate
• beweging = movement

Together they form draaibeweging, meaning something like turning movement, rotational movement, or spinning motion, depending on context.

Afrikaans, like Dutch and German, often builds long nouns by joining smaller words together.

Because it is also a compound noun:

• oog = eye
• kontak = contact

So oogkontak = eye contact

In Afrikaans, compound nouns are very often written as one word, much more consistently than in English.

Die draaibeweging refers to a specific movement, so it has the definite article die.

But oogkontak is being used in a general, abstract sense here: eye contact as a concept. Afrikaans often leaves out the article in that kind of predicate sentence:

• Oogkontak is belangrik. = Eye contact is important.

So the difference is not really about grammar difficulty; it is about how specific or general the noun is.

Here vinnig is best understood as a predicate adjective, because it follows is and describes die draaibeweging:

• die draaibeweging is vinnig = the turning movement is fast

In Afrikaans, the same form vinnig can also be used adverbially:

• Hy hardloop vinnig. = He runs quickly.

So the form stays the same, and the function depends on the sentence.

Because it comes after is, where Afrikaans adjectives usually stay in their basic form:

• oogkontak is belangrik

This is called predicative use.

Compare that with an adjective before a noun, where Afrikaans often adds -e:

• belangrike oogkontak
• ’n vinnige beweging

So in this sentence, belangrik does not change because it is not directly in front of a noun.

Yes. That would also be correct.

Both versions are natural:

• Selfs al is die draaibeweging vinnig, is oogkontak belangrik.
• Oogkontak is belangrik, selfs al is die draaibeweging vinnig.

The difference is mainly emphasis:

• starting with Selfs al... emphasizes the contrast first
• starting with Oogkontak... states the main point first

The comma separates the opening concessive clause from the main clause:

• Selfs al is die draaibeweging vinnig, is oogkontak belangrik.

This makes the structure clearer and is standard punctuation in Afrikaans when a clause like this comes first.