Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) CEO, Dr Keaobaka Seshoka, has called on all sectors of society to work together to address the communication barriers experienced by the deaf community.
“We must, as a society, come together and ensure that access to quality information becomes a lived reality for the deaf community. We must also make sure that providing South African Sign Language interpretation is not treated as charity; it is a right,” Seshoka said on Tuesday.
She was addressing the virtual launch of Deaf Awareness Month, which is observed in September under the theme: “Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights.”
Seshoka said deaf people must be included when decisions about language accessibility and services are made.
“We cannot continue designing solutions for deaf people without working with deaf people. We need to work alongside the deaf community. We must support the development and increased use of South African Sign Language and create conditions in which it can flourish,” the CEO said.
In July 2023, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law the addition of South African Sign Language as one of the country’s official languages.
“A deaf person should not have constitutional rights in theory only; these rights should be realised in all the spaces in which they live. This means that when deaf people enter hospitals, they should be served.
“It means that when they enter police stations, they should be served. When they go to court, they should be served in a language they can understand. It must also mean that when they go to universities, they are served,” the CEO said.
She stressed that legislative recognition of the rights of the deaf community must translate into meaningful change.
“We urge all sectors of society to adopt the South African Sign Language Charter, which sets out key pledges that take into consideration the interconnected challenges faced by the deaf community,” Seshoka said.
The SASL Charter creates obligations to improve deaf communities’ access to quality information and to ensure effective and equitable protection of their linguistic human rights.
“Equally important, we are working with other departments to implement workshops for parents and families of deaf children, recognising that early language acquisition, family support and inclusive communication are fundamental to the education, social and emotional development of deaf children.
“These initiatives form part of PanSALB’s broader commitment to promoting linguistic human rights, advancing the use of South African Sign Language and fostering a more inclusive society in which deaf persons can participate fully and equally in all spheres of life,” she said.
It also highlights the role of South African Sign Language in advancing human rights and fostering social inclusion for deaf communities.
“We call on all sectors of society to work with us to address the communication barriers experienced by the deaf community, promote inclusion and encourage meaningful participation in our democracy,” Seshoka said. -SAnews.gov.za
