There are growing calls to have South African Sign Language (SASL) recognized as the 12th official language in the country. The mounting calls from communities and organisations come after the Parliamentary Constitutional Review Committee announced last year that they are considering recognising South African Sign Language as the 12th official language.
In a statement, deputy minister in the Presidency Department of Women Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize, said Parliament was considering amending Section 30 of the Constitution and the National Official Languages. “I want to emphasise that South African Sign Language is a right and not a privilege, and is a language of the first-line of commutation for deaf people. The strengthening of inter-sectoral collaboration between the government and the deaf community will make South Africa one of the countries that provide for deaf people’s communication mode in their own local language,” said Mkhize.
Mkhize said that it is important to consider the legislating and regulating South African Sign Language by declaring it as the 12th official language for the country. This will be available on request or on demand to assist the deaf community to access services, information, public institutions and education with ease and in the language that they understand. Sydenham resident, Shaun Smale, said: “Sign Language should be a 12th official language in order to recognise the deaf community who use it as a means of communication. Deaf people are humans too and they need the recognition as sign language is their way of communication. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced last year that there are plans to make it an official language and we as the community who are in support of the deaf, urge government to speed up the process of implementing sign language as the 12th official language,” said Smale. Nevil Balakrishna, chairperson of the Rehabilitation and Development Committee at the KZN Blind and Deaf Society said, the KZN Blind and Deaf Society is fully behind the deaf community for South African Sign Language to be made the 12th official language in South Africa. “The Society has been promoting SASL through its Talk Sign Campaign. When Sign Language becomes the 12th official language, communication with the deaf community will increase which will lead to services being made accessible including participation in the economy as well as education and training,” he said.
