By Wanique Block
South Africa has one of the world’s most diverse and socially inclusive Constitutions, however, for decades the deaf community has been overlooked and marginalized by the hearing community.
Previously South Africa had 11 Official Languages that consisted of Sepedi (also known as Sesotho sa Leboa), Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa and isiZulu. All of which are supported by Section 6 of the Constitution, which states everyone has the right to use the language and participate in the cultural life of their choice.
After many years of debate and recommendations, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Cabinet has finally approved the Constitutional Eighteenth Amendment Bill for public comment, which now recognises South African Sign Language as the country’s 12th Official Language.
The Department of Basic Education has also announced that they will be incorporating sign language as an option in the school curriculum during its annual budget speech.
Although South African Sign Language (SASL) has been recommended as an Official Language, the Parliamentary Committee has only suggested its adoption in 2020.
That said, not only does this approval tackle the alienation of the deaf community but it also adds a layer of accessibility to the general public at large.
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