“Building Inclusive Communities for All” is the hope of deaf South African this Global Deaf Awareness month.
In support of this year’s theme DEAFinition, a non-profit company that provides a range of services for the deaf community, encourages all to look at making sure they communicate in a way that includes everyone, including the deaf community.
“The next time you walk into a bank, police station or hospital,” says Thembeka Gumede, DEAFinition Director, “imagine what it might be like to be deaf and imagine constantly being misunderstood or having to explain yourself over and over simply because the other person does not communicate in your language.”
Over 4 million South Africans have varying levels of hearing loss, and it is believed that close to 1.5 million persons communicate in South African Sign Language (SASL).
“Being deaf transcends gender, race and status,” Gumede said. “The deaf people of South Africa have an incredibly rich culture that have the ability to bring together all cultures through a common signed language.”
This year President Ramaphosa’s cabinet approved the Constitutional Eighteenth Amendment Bill to provide for the recognition of South African Sign Language as the 12th official language.
Said Gumede: “The amendment is a positive step towards realising the rights of persons with hearing loss to equal enjoyment of rights and human dignity.
“The deaf community will finally have a voice and become an integral part of their own country and communities. It will promote inclusion, substantive equality and prevent unfair discrimination.
“As our society evolves and with SASL soon to be recognised as the twelfth official language, we encourage people to learn South African Sign Language.
“Deaf people cannot learn to hear, but hearing people can learn to sign.”
To register for the South African Sign Language online training, email info@deafinition.co.za, and/or for more information on this additional language visit www.deafinition.co.za
