South Africa Celebrates Inclusivity with South African Sign Language as the 12th Official Language

In a momentous step towards inclusivity, South Africa has officially recognised South African Sign Language (SASL) as the country's twelfth official language, marked by a historic ceremony at the Union Buildings in July 2023, under the auspices of President Cyril Ramaphosa. As the nation moves towards greater inclusivity for the deaf community, this legislation is saluted as a fundamental advance towards the affirmation of the rights of the deaf and hard of hearing individuals. The move followed parliamentary approval earlier in May 2023 to amend the Constitution to include SASL, reflecting a growing and positive trend within the government's approach to language and accessibility.

By August 2024, the impact of this change was palpable, as Mia le Roux, a deaf model, clinched the title of Miss South Africa, making her the first-ever winner with a hearing impairment in the pageant's history. This milestone came along with the inclusion of a sign language interpreter in the competition, a debut that resonated with the deaf community by broadening access to such landmark national events.

Nhlanhla Simelane, reinforcing the import of this progress, observes an upsurge in SASL learning across the country. As many organisations begin to value basic sign language proficiency, the nation has started to witness a shift towards a more engaging and considerate society.

However, the road to comprehensive accessibility remains challenging. Despite the symbolic victories and growing visibility, structural issues persist in providing full access to services for deaf individuals. The requirement for service providers to know sign language or the availability of interpreters is still far from universal reality.

Simelane's critique and advocacy are backed by the statistics provided by PanSALB, which reflects that although approximately 600,000 people are deaf in South Africa, only a fraction use SASL, and the number of SASL interpreters is woefully inadequate.

The country's education system also poses significant barriers for deaf students, with only 44 specialised schools and a glaring gap in teachers proficient in SASL. This has a profound impact on the quality of education and overall comprehension levels of deaf learners.

On the brighter side, South Africa joined global efforts in commemorating International Month of Deaf People. Through Deaf Awareness Month initiatives, the country emphasised the importance of understanding and engaging with deaf culture, calling on citizens to learn Sign Language to foster better communication and inclusion.

While governmental encouragement is crucial, enforcement and implementation of service provisions in state departments remain critical for genuine inclusion. This gap in action, as Simelane notes, necessitates a concerted, cross-sectoral approach to policy formation and execution, ensuring that the deaf community's rights to information and services are unimpeded.

The officialisation of SASL undeniably plays a crucial role in endorsing the language's legitimacy and ensuring cultural recognition. In lauding the inclusivity of Mia Le Roux's Miss South Africa win, it’s clear that representation bears significance not only for the country but on international stages as well.

As the South African community celebrates three decades of freedom and democracy, the journey towards optimizing language rights for the deaf continues. With collaborative efforts to advance SASL awareness and accessibility, the hope is to weave SASL into the country's shared societal fabric, providing an environment where deaf individuals can thrive unreservedly.