Johannesburg: 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.

According to South African Government News Agency, Seshoka was speaking at the virtual launch of Deaf Awareness Month, observed in September under the theme: 'Declaring Deaf People's Human Rights.' She emphasized that deaf individuals must be included in decision-making processes about language accessibility and services.

"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 stated.

In July 2023, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law the addition of South African Sign Language as one of the country's official languages. Seshoka highlighted that a deaf person's constitutional rights should be realized in all aspects of life, such as in hospitals, police stations, courts, and universities.

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 urged.

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. Seshoka also mentioned collaborative efforts with other departments to implement workshops for parents and families of deaf children, recognizing the importance of early language acquisition and family support.

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.

"It also highlights the role of South African Sign Language in advancing human rights and fostering social inclusion for deaf communities," Seshoka concluded. "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."