The Deaf community in Limpopo has called on the government to make sign language compulsory in all public and private learning institutions.
DEAFSA Spokesperson Patricia Kgamane from the Deaf Federation of South Africa was reacting to the newly-signed bill by President Cyril Ramaphosa that recognises the Sign language as the 12th official language.
Speaking through a sign language interpreter, Kgamane says they want to have sign language interpreters in public institutions, including the health and justice sectors, among others.
[WATCH]: President @CyrilRamaphosa signs the Sign Language Bill into law at the Union Buildings in Tshwane. South Africa becomes the 4th country on the African continent to recognise sign language as an official language.#SouthAfricanSignLanguage pic.twitter.com/AGlj939bqR
— Presidency | South Africa (@PresidencyZA) July 20, 2023
“I think all the departments and municipalities have to make sure that they employ South African sign language so that deaf people can have access and also for the deaf community to have equal opportunities. For example, the Department of Education should employ South African sign language so that they can be able to teach our deaf children.”
Meanwhile, the Chief Director for Transformation Services in the Office of the Premier in Limpopo, Ike Thema, says they have started making provisions to accommodate sign language in the province.
Signing ceremony of the South African Sign Language Bill
“The Office of the Premier today, as we speak, has got an accredited sign language interpreter. This person’s responsibility will be to make sure that we are developing sign language programmes for deaf communities in the province, and secondly, that all the departments and municipalities need to be capacitated so that services to the deaf communities can be accessible.”
