Hon Deputy Speaker, Ministers and Deputy Ministers, hon members, manene nani manenekazi [ladies and gentlemen], it is my honour to present for consideration before this House the Use of Official Languages Bill. The Bill we are tabling today is a product of popular participation and countrywide consultation with all stakeholders.
Hon members, the Freedom Charter, which is the basis of our democratic Constitution and is a document that carries the aspirations of the majority of South Africans, states that "all people shall have an equal right to use their own languages and to develop their own folk culture and customs."
Today, as we table this Bill, we are taking another giant leap forwards in realising the vision of those pioneers who adopted the Freedom Charter in 1955 and declared boldly that South Africa belonged to all who lived in it - black and white. Indeed, today we are taking a major step towards building a society based on unity, equality, democracy and dignity for all.
Hon members, the Constitution of our country urges us to heal the divisions of the past and to establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights.
Vanuit ons oogpunt is deel van die genesingsproses die behoefte om te verseker dat daardie tale wat in die verlede doelbewus in die samelewing gemarginaliseer is - veral die inheemse Afrikatale - gelyke status ontvang en ontwikkel word tot op die vlak van daardie tale wat dominant is. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[From our point of view it is part of the healing process to ensure that those languages that were intentionally marginalised in society in the past - especially the indigenous African languages - achieve equal status and are developed to the level of those languages that are dominant. [Applause.]]
The Bill we are tabling in this House is therefore aimed at ensuring that government elevates the status of indigenous languages especially and promotes their widespread use. This Bill will also make a massive contribution to the national effort to promote multilingualism. We wish to reiterate that this Bill is not aimed at diminishing the significance and use of any of the South African official languages. Through this Bill, we will promote the equitable use of all official languages.
In the long run, we will endeavour to promote equally the use of sign language as well. As a result of this Bill, South Africans will now have the opportunity to use the official languages of their choice in interacting with government. This, we believe, will strengthen efforts to ensure equal access to government services and programmes and thus contribute to the goal of building an empowered citizenry. Specifically, this Bill seeks to provide for the regulation and monitoring of the use of official languages by national government and public entities for their official purposes.
The Bill also provides for the establishment and functions of a national language unit and departmental language units. Through this Bill, we are giving effect to the provisions of section 6 of the Constitution. Section 6 of the Constitution not only identifies 11 official languages but also obliges the state to take practical and positive measures to elevate the status and advance the use of indigenous languages.
Vumbiwa byi hi byela na ku hi lerisa leswaku tindzimi ta ximfumo hinkwato ti fanele ti xiximiwa ku ringana naswona ti fanele ti khomiwa hi ndlela yo ringana. Ku xixima ku ringana swi vula leswaku tindzimi hinkwato ta ximfumo ti fanele ti xiximiwa no hlayisiwa hi ndlela yo fana. (Translation of Xitsonga paragraph follows.)
[The Constitution tells us and stipulates that all official languages must enjoy parity of esteem and must be treated equitably. Equitable treatment means that all official languages must be respected and preserved in the same manner.]
Hon members, this Bill applies to all national departments, national public entities and national public enterprises. It obliges every national department to adopt a language policy on the use of official languages for official purposes. In terms of the Bill, language policy by national departments should, among others, identify at least three official languages to be used for official purposes. The Bill requires that when identifying these three official languages, national departments must take into account their constitutional obligation to take steps to elevate the status and advance the use of indigenous languages whose historic use and status was previously diminished.
The Bill provides for the establishment of a national language unit that will, among others, advise the Minister of Arts and Culture on the policy and strategy to regulate and monitor the use of all official languages. It also provides for the establishment of language units in every national department, public entity and national public enterprise to advise on the development, adoption, implementation and monitoring of its language policy.
The Bill also gives powers to the Minister of Arts and Culture to monitor the use of official languages by getting reports from departments on the activities of their language units. The Minister is required, on an annual basis, to table a report to Parliament on the use of official languages for the provision of government services.
In conclusion ... Somlomo, sinethemba elikhulu ukuthi lo Mthethosivivinywa esiwubeka phambi kwale Ndlu ehloniphekile uzokwemukeleka. [... Speaker, we are very hopeful that the Bill we are tabling before this august House will be adopted.]
Adopting this Bill will ensure that we make new, decisive advances towards the kind of society envisaged by the Freedom Charter. This is a society that is a collective expression of our desire for a better, caring, humane and shared destiny for all South Africans.
As I end my speech, let me also take this opportunity to congratulate Team South Africa in London. May we have more medals as we go forward. Let me take the opportunity to thank all the members of the committee who assisted in ensuring that this Bill reached the House today. Ke a leboga, Ndi khou livhuwa, siyathokoza, inkomu. [Thank you.] [Applause.]
Agb Adjunkspeaker, agb Ministers, agb Adjunkministers, agb parlementslede, maar mees belangrik, die inwoners van Suid-Afrika, ons stel hierdie wetgewing bekend in 'n belangrike maand waarin 'n historiese gebeurtenis plaasgevind het: Vrouedag, 9 Augustus 1956. Vrouedag het plaasgevind as gevolg van vroue wat onderdruk was, wat nie vry kon rondbeweeg nie en wat ook nie hul taal kon gebruik nie. Ek wil aanhaal: "Weg met diskriminasie, weg!"
Deur sy trotse geskiedenis het die ANC die regering gelei om toegewyd te wees tot die bou van nasionale eenheid, teen alle vorme van stamstelsels, rassisme en seksisme. Aanvanklik het ons die eenheid van alle Afrikaners gebou in hul stryd om vryheid en waarheid. Ons het verder gegaan om die eenheid van alle Suid-Afrikaners, ongeag ras, kultuur of godsdiens, te bevorder. In 1955 het die Vryheidshandves verklaar dat Suid-Afrika aan almal behoort wat daarin woon, wit en swart. Deur die Vryheidshandves het ons 'n ander visie voorgehou as di van die apartheidverlede. Dit was 'n verlede wat mense volgens ras, taal en geslag verdeel het en die oorgrote meerderheid mense in omstandighede van armoede en maatskaplike, ekonomiese en politieke uitsluiting gelaat het. Die einde van die heerskappy van die wit minderheid op 24 April 1994 was 'n nasionale, historiese deurbraak in ons stryd om 'n nuwe demokratiese grondwet te ontwikkel en daar te stel; die Grondwet wat ons sou lei om eenheid en kohesie te bou.
Die Departement van Kuns en Kultuur het 'n mandaat van die ANC-regering ontvang om die leiding te neem op die gebied van maatskaplike kohesie, insluitend die bevordering van 'n nasionale, kulturele identiteit. 'n Belangrike voorbeeld is die sukses wat behaal is met die gewildmaak van die volkslied. Die departement het dit goed geag om 'n belangrike voorbeeld te stel met die sukses van die gewildmaak van die volkslied, die landsvlag en die nasionale identiteit wat in die Grondwet van Suid-Afrika vervat is. Dit, tesame met maatskaplike dialoog, help om maatskaplike kohesie te bou en 'n meer verenigde nasie te skep. Mnr Mulder, ek hoop u luister. Die departement ondersteun ook nasionale gebeure wat mense bymekaar bring om die kulturele rykdom en identiteit van Suid-Afrika te eer.
Hierdie wetgewing het tot hewige debat in die media, veral die Afrikaanse media, gelei. Agb Thandi Sunduza het verwys na die groeiende persepsie dat die wetgewing die Afrikaanse taal sal vernietig. Dit is 'n verkeerde persepsie. Afrikaans gaan geensins deur die ANC of die regering tot niet gemaak word nie. Ek wil ook byvoeg dat die Portefeuljekomitee oor Kuns en Kultuur, die ANC-komponent daarvan, Afrikaans geensins die deur wil wys nie. Dit stuur die verkeerde boodskap aan die publiek. Dis geensins toepaslik en steun geensins nasiebou nie.
Die ANC is tevrede dat, gegewe die wysigings wat aangebring is, die wetsontwerp sal bydra tot die bevordering van ons land se tale. Die gebruik van amptelike tale deur nasionale departemente en openbare ondernemings moet taalbeleid word. Amptelike tale moet gebruik word vir regering en dienslewering. Dit sal produktiewe dienslewering tot gevolg h. Lede van die publiek ontvang dienslewering in hul eie taal, byvoorbeeld dokumente, aansoekvorms vir dokumente, die Grondwet en beleidsrigtings. Ek moet ook s dat di instelling, die Parlement, 'n voorbeeld moet stel deur ook dokumente in al die tale te vertaal.
Vir ontwikkeling en nasiebou, kom ons vat hande, sit koppe bymekaar en bou die land op na 'n hor vlak vir ons nageslag - wit, bruin en swart. Hierdie uitdaging sluit almal in, jonk en oud, wit en swart. Die President het ons voorheen uitgenooi na die nasiebou- en kohesieberaad wat plaasgevind het in Kliptown. Daar het ons 'n baie belangrike en historiese debat gehad oor hoe om die maatskaplike waardes en standaarde van demokrasie in Suid-Afrika te bevorder. Voorsitter, ek wil afsluit met di slagspreuk: "Weg met diskriminasie, weg". Skep eenheid, ja, skep eenheid. Elke inwoner van Suid-Afrika moet die taal en kultuur van ander respekteer. Ek hoop di kant van die Huis het dit gehoor. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Ms L N MOSS: Hon Deputy Speaker, hon Ministers, hon Deputy Ministers, hon Members of Parliament and, most importantly, inhabitants of South Africa, we are introducing this legislation in an important month in which a historical event took place: Women's Day, 9 August 1956. Women's Day took place because of women who were being oppressed, who were unable to move about freely and who also could not use their own language. I want to quote: "Away with discrimination, away!"
Through its proud history the ANC has led the government in being committed to the establishment of national unity, against all forms of tribal systems, racism and sexism. Initially we established the unity of all Afrikaners in their struggle for freedom and truth. We continued by promoting the unity of all South Africans, regardless of race, culture or religion.
In 1955 the Freedom Charter declared that South Africa belongs to all who live there, white and black. With the Freedom Charter we held up a vision different from that of the apartheid past. That is a past which segregated people according to race, language and gender, leaving the vast majority of people in circumstances of poverty and social, economic and political exclusion. The end of domination by the white minority on 24 April 1994 was a national, historical breakthrough in our struggle to draft and establish a new democratic constitution; the Constitution that would lead us in the creation of unity and cohesion.
The Department of Arts and Culture has received a mandate from the ANC government to take the lead in the field of social cohesion, including the promotion of a national cultural identity. A significant example is the success that has been achieved with the popularisation of the national anthem. The department has deemed it right to set an important example with the success of popularising the national anthem, the national flag and the national identity as contained in the Constitution of South Africa. This, together with social dialogue, will assist in building social cohesion and creating a more unified nation. Mr Mulder, I hope you are listening. The department also supports national events that bring people together to honour South Africa's cultural abundance and identity.
This legislation has led to intense debate in the media; notably the Afrikaans media. Hon Thandi Sunduza has referred to the growing perception that this legislation will destroy the Afrikaans language. This is an incorrect perception. Afrikaans is by no means going to be destroyed by the ANC or the government. I also want to add that the Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture, its ANC component, in no way wishes to show Afrikaans the door. This sends the wrong message to the public. It is by no means applicable and not at all supportive of nation-building.
The ANC is satisfied that, given the effected amendments, this Bill will contribute to the promotion of our country's languages. The use of official languages by national departments and public enterprises must become language policy. Official languages must be used for governance and service delivery. This will lead to productive service delivery. Members of the public receive service delivery in their own language, for instance documents, application forms for documents, the Constitution and policy trends. I must also state that this institution, Parliament, should also set an example by translating documents in all the languages.
As regards development and nation-building, let us join hands, put our heads together and lift this country to a higher level for our descendants - white, brown and black. This challenge includes everyone, young and old, white and black. The President previously invited us to the nation-building and cohesion summit that took place at Kliptown. There we had a very important and historical debate on how to promote the social values and standards of democracy in South Africa.
Chairperson, I want to conclude with this slogan: "Away with discrimination, away." Create unity, yes, create unity. Every inhabitant of South Africa must respect the language and culture of others. I hope that that side of the House was listening. [Applause.]]
Agb Adjunkspeaker, Minister, dankie vir die uiteensetting wat u gegee het. U het vir die Huis 'n baie netjiese uiteensetting gegee van wat die wet beoog. Dit was baie goed. Dankie ook aan agb Moss vir haar bydrae. Dit het maar partykeer knyp-knyp gegaan. Die onderhandelingsproses se verloop was nie altyd so maklik soos wat agb Moss nou ges het nie. Hier en daar was 'n paar dinge wat ons moedeloos gemaak het, maar op die ou einde het die saak reg verloop vir almal in Suid- Afrika.
Ek het as radio-omroeper die totale demokratiseringsproses van A tot Z meegemaak. Die vraag wat elke dag in die proses opgeduik het, was: hoe gaan ons, te midde van die wonderlike demokrasie wat ons verkry het, die mense van Suid-Afrika bymekaar hou? Die politieke ontleders het gepraat van die middelpuntvliedende kragte en die middelpuntsoekende kragte. Daar is gepraat van ``the high road and the low road [die regloop en die skeefloop.] scenarios''. As ons kyk na die afgelope tyd se politiek, oor die jare vanaf 1994 heen, was daar oomblikke toe ons gedink het dinge gaan verkeerdloop. Gelukkig het Suid-Afrika 'n wonderlike leier gehad: Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. Madiba het Suid-Afrika se mense bymekaar gehou en toe dit soms gelyk het asof sake kan skeefloop, was Madiba daar om ons deur die driwwe te dra. Hy het ons elke keer moed gegee wat die toekoms betref.
Ons was en is almal bang vir die middelpuntvliedende kragte wat ons hele samelewing uitmekaar kan skeur. Ons is bang vir die kragte wat mense uitmekaar dryf - soos die rasgedrewe politiek wat die ANC vandag handhaaf, geskep deur mnr Thabo Mbeki.
Die DA-beleid is eenvoudig. Ons is middelpuntsoekend. Ons bring mense bymekaar te midde van diversiteit; oor taalgrense heen. Dit is waar mense welkom voel. Hulle voel veilig by die DA.
Ons het nou die dag 'n beraad gehou om versoening te bereik. Daar is gepraat van nasionale kohesie. Dit was wonderlik om te luister na wat al die mense daar ges het. Daar is nog baie woede en haat in mense se harte, maar dit was goed om hulle te hoor. Nasionale kohesie is 'n proses. Dikwels wil ons hier in Suid-Afrika van hierdie nasionale versoening en kohesie sommer net 'n dag-uitstappie maak. Dit is nie 'n dag-uitstappie nie. Dit is a permanente proses waaraan jy elke dag moet werk.
Ek is baie dankbaar vir die konsensus wat ons bereik het in die debat oor die wetgewing oor tale. Wat die toekoms betref, is dit maar net 'n enkele bousteen in die geskiedenis van Suid-Afrika wat ons nou in hierdie muur van Suid-Afrika vasgemessel het en waaroor almal saamstem. Ons moet elke dag in ons lewe meer aktief soek na wat ons bymekaar hou, wat ons bymekaar trek en waaroor ons konsensus het. Dan gaan ons die toekoms met groot vertroue instap.
Versoening hou nooit op nie, net soos 'n mens elke dag aan liefde moet werk. Madiba het ons bymekaar gehou. Hy was regtig ons rots van Gibraltar. Hy het ons geleer om te vergewe, mekaar lief te h en te respekteer en om trots Suid-Afrikaans te wees.
Die vraag is nou: (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Mr N J VAN DEN BERG: Hon Deputy Speaker, Minister, I thank you for the explanation given. You gave the House a very precise explanation of what the Act intends to achieve. It was done extremely well. Thanks also to hon Moss for her contribution. At times things did not go that smoothly. The course that the process of negotiation took was not always that easy, as hon Moss just mentioned. At times a few things made us despondent, but in the end the matter turned out well for all of us in South Africa.
As a radio announcer, I experienced the entire process of democratisation from start to finish. The question which surfaced every day during the process was: How are we, in the midst of the wonderful democracy we inherited, going to keep the people of South Africa together? The political analysts referred to centrifugal and centripetal forces. High road and low road scenarios were mentioned. If we look at the politics of recent times, the years 1994 and hence, there were moments that we thought things would go wrong. Fortunately, South Africa had a wonderful leader: Nelson Rolihlala Mandela. Madiba kept South Africa's people together and at times when it appeared matters would go wrong, Madiba was there to pull us through. Every time he gave us courage with regard to the future.
All of us were and are fearful of the centrifugal forces which can tear our whole society apart. We fear the forces that tear people apart - as is the case with the racially inspired politics which the ANC upholds today, initiated by Mr Thabo Mbeki.
The policy of the DA is simple. We are centripetal. We bring people together amidst our diversity; beyond language barriers. This is where people feel welcome. They feel safe within the DA.
The other day we held a conference aimed at conciliation. National cohesion was mentioned. It was wonderful to listen to everything all the people there had to say. There is still much anger and hate in people's hearts, but it was good to listen to them. National cohesion is a process. Often we in South Africa simply want to deal with the issue as if this national conciliation and cohesion are similar to a day excursion. This is not a day excursion. It is a permanent process which you ought to work at every day.
I am very grateful for the consensus we achieved in the debate about the legislation regarding languages. With regard to the future this is but one building block in the history of South Africa which we have laid in this wall of South Africa and on which we all agree. Every day we should look more actively in our lives at that which holds us together, which pulls us together and about which we have consensus. Then we will approach the future with great confidence.
Conciliation never stops, just as one should work at love every day. Madiba kept us together. He really was our rock of Gibraltar. He taught us to forgive, to love and to respect each other and to be proudly South African.
The question is now:
Ke mang ya tla emang ka sebete ho kopanya le ho bopa setjhaba, hobane poelano ke seo re se hlokang? Empa ke DA e ka etsang sena! [Who will boldly stand up to unite and build the nation, because reconciliation is what we need? Yet it is only the DA that can achieve this!]
In die geskiedenis na 1994 sal di talewet nog gesien word as 'n triomf vir nasiebou en 'n saluut vir ons Grondwet. Afdeling 6 van die Grondwet het hierdie wetgewing deurgetrek en die Grondwet was baie duidelik oor wat ons komitee moes doen.
Die DA se wekroep in di onderhandelingsproses was eenvoudig: Ons het geveg vir die gelykberegtiging van alle tale. Die DA het vir alle tale in Suid- Afrika geveg, ook vir die minderheidstale in Limpopo. Ek het nie in die komitee net vir Afrikaans geveg nie. Vir my is Afrikaans belangrik, maar net so is die minderheidstale in Limpopo. Vir die mense wat dit praat, is dit hartsgoed. Ek het vir hulle ook baklei. Ek het baklei dat hierdie wet nie in so 'n ding moet ontwikkel wat ook daardie mense se tale kan skaad nie.
Die wet is dus 'n triomf vir tale. Die ANC bedryf sy politiek volgens ras- en taalgrense. Die DA is versoenend en kyk by taal- en kultuurgrense verby. Die DA soek na faktore wat ons bymekaar hou en in die toekoms bymekaar sal hou. Die DA het die leiers wat dit kan doen.
Dit gaan oor die toepassing van die wet. Ons almal weet die Pan-Suid- Afrikaanse Taalraad is 'n totale fiasko. Die Minister het die raad van die Pan-Suid-Afrikaanse Taalraad ontbind en nou l die toekoms voor. Al wat ek hoop, is dat daar nie 'n klomp burokratiese amptenare iewers in 'n kantoor gaan sit en dan sommer tale kies, sonder om die demografie in elke provinsie in ag te neem nie. Ons moet versigtig wees om nie t populisties te wees nie.
Verlede week in Groutville, die hartplek van Hoofman Albert Luthuli, het ek ouma Faith Nwango ontmoet. Dit was by die Congregational Kerk, net langs Luthuli se graf. Sy het vir ons gebid. Sy het saam met Albert Luthuli aanbid. Ek vertrou dat di gogo se demokratiese ideale lewendig gehou sal word, soos ons almal se demokratiese ideale. Dit is die taak wat hierdie Huis elke dag moet doen. Ons moet hand uitsteek na mekaar en mekaar se geskiedenis leer ken. Ek was dankbaar om by die graf van Hoofman Albert Luthuli te wees en te leer watter wonderlike dinge hierdie man gedoen het in die bereiking van vryheid in Suid-Afrika, soos ander leiers - mense soos Josiah Gumede en dr John Dube. Hulle was wonderlike mense met pragtige gedagtes wat stukrag gegee het aan die demokratiseringsproses. Laat ons lief wees vir mekaar. Praat jou taal, want elkeen se taal is die mooiste in die wreld. Alles wat ons aan moedersknie geleer het, moet ons bewaar, want dit gee vir elkeen van ons 'n identiteit. Ons moet mekaar se tale waardeer en vir mekaar lief wees. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[In the era after 1994 this law regarding languages will be seen as a triumph for nation-building and a salute to our Constitution. Section 6 of the Constitution facilitated this legislation and the Constitution was very clear about what was expected of us as a committee.
The DA's call to the nation during this process of negotiation was simple: We fought for the equality of all languages. The DA fought for all languages in South Africa, including the minority languages in Limpopo. I did not only fight for Afrikaans in the committee. Afrikaans is important to me, but so is the case with the minority languages in Limpopo. For the speakers who use them they are dear to their hearts. I also fought for them. I fought in order that this Act should not degenerate into something which could harm those peoples' languages.
This Act is therefore a triumph for languages. The ANC practises its policy along the lines of racial and language barriers. The DA is conciliatory and look beyond language and cultural barriers. The DA seeks factors which bind us together and will keep us together in the future. The DA has the leaders capable of doing so.
It is about the application of the law. We all know that the Pan South African Language Board is a total disaster. The Minister dissolved the board of the Pan-South African Language Board and now the future lies ahead. All that I can hope for is that a group of bureaucrats won't get together somewhere in an office and then just choose languages without taking into consideration the demographics of each province. We should take caution not to be too populist.
Last week in Groutville, the very seat of Chief Albert Luthuli's soul, I met grandma Faith Nwango. It was at the Congregational Church, just next to the grave of Luthuli. She prayed for us. She worshipped with Albert Luthuli. I trust that this grandmother's democratic ideals will be kept alive like the democratic ideals of all of us. This is the task each day of this House. We need to reach out to each other and learn each other's history. I was thankful to be at the graveside of Chief Albert Luthuli and to learn which wonderful things this man did in the achievement of freedom in South Africa, like other leaders - people like Josiah Gumede and Dr John Dube. They were wonderful people with exquisite ideas that gave momentum to the process of democratisation.
Let us love one another. Speak your language, because everyone's language is the most wonderful in the world. Everything we learned from our mother should be protected because it gives each one of us an identity. We should respect each other's language and love one another.]
NdinguDlangamandla, Deputy Speaker namalungu onke ahloniphekileyo. Nokuba ngubani, nokuba uphi, ukuba umntu ufuna ukuphelisa isizwe uya kusengela phantsi ulwimi lweso sizwe. Iyinyaniso into yokuba isidima soninzi lwabantu bakowethu sagruzulwa ngolunya ngaphandle kwembeko ngurhulumente wengcinezelo, ngokwala ukuba abantu babenako ukusebenzisa iilwimi zabo zemveli. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[Mr P NTSHIQELA:, Deputy Speaker and all honourable members, I am from the Dlangamandla clan. Whoever you are, and wherever you are, if you want to destroy the nation you would disregard the language of that nation. It is true that the dignity of the majority of our people was torn down without any respect by the apartheid government, by not giving the people the right to use their indigenous languages.]
In 1994, for the first time in history ... abantu baseMzantsi Afrika bathabatha isigqibo sokugudlula nokuncothula neengcambu ubuqhophololo nobuqhinga benkohlakalo yorhulumente wengcinezelo. Oko bakwenza ngokuqinisekisa ukuba ukunyashwa kwamalungelo abantu abasisininzi ngokuthi bathintelwe ukuba bangabinako ukusebenzisa iilwimi zabo zemveli, kupheliswe nyaa elizweni lethu. Kwanyanzeleka ukuba olu ninzi sithetha ngalo luvote. Lwavumelana ke ngoko ngamxhelo-mnye ukuba, amongst other things ukunyashwa kwamalungelo okusetyenziswa kweelwimi zabo zemveli kugudlulwe kwimithetho yamandulo. Kuye kwanyanzeleka ukuba lo rhulumente neSebe lezoBugcisa neNkcubeko enze ngohlobo abantu baseMzantsi Afrika abavumelene ngalo kuMgaqo-siseko weli lizwe ngeelwimi ezilishumi nanye. Okungekuko oko kuchasene nomthetho. Ndiyiqhwabela izandla iSABC ngokuphala phambili ekusebenziseni iilwimi phantse zonke zoMzantsi Afrika.
Makuqinisekiswe ngulo rhulumente neSebe lezoBugcisa neNkcubeko oku kulandelayo: (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[... the people of South Africa decided to do away with and uproot the corruption and cunning vindictiveness of the apartheid government. They did that by making sure that they redressed the violation of the majority's right to use their indigenous languages.
The majority that we are talking about was forced to vote. They agreed in one voice that, amongst other things, the violation of the right to use their indigenous languages be removed from the laws of the previous government. Government and the Department of Arts and Culture were forced to do as the people of South Africa agreed on in the Constitution regarding the use of the 11 official languages of the country. Failure to do so is against the law. I applaud the SABC for effecting the use of almost all the official languages of South Africa.
This government and the Department of Arts and Culture must make sure of the following:]
The practicality and effectiveness of language use in the Department of Arts and Culture, three languages of choice by each province, use of sign language in full swing, the visibility, functionality and effectiveness of PanSALB ... [Laughter.]
Kaloku mna zange ndiye esikolweni sasebusuku. [I never went to Abet school.] ... and championing a convincing programme designed for the use of all languages, as stipulated in the country's Constitution.
Mandinixelele kakuhle kule Palamente okokuba kumelwe iilwimi zesiNtu nabo balahlekelwa balahlekelwa ngamalungelo abo, babekwe phambili. Kodwa ke ngenxa yoko konke oku sithi siyiCongress of the People siyawuxhasa lo Mthetho osaYilwayo. Enkosi. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[Let me be straightforward with you and say that in this Parliament we support the use of indigenous languages and that those who do not know their rights are being prioritised. And because of that, the Congress of the People supports this Bill. Thank you.]
Deputy Speaker, this Bill has created controversy and stirred up emotions, and this was to be expected. Language has the power to unite or divide, and we cannot hope to achieve equality among our people if the language that people wish to express themselves in does not enjoy equal status in the eyes of our government.
Section 6(4) of the Constitution states explicitly: "All official languages must enjoy parity of esteem and must be treated equitably." The Bill must adhere to this constitutional requirement and not end up discriminating against minority languages, relegating them to disuse. For instance, if a Siswati-speaking or Xitsonga-speaking person living in the Western Cape was to walk into any government department, they should not be forced to speak a language they do not fully understand. In fact, they should be free to speak any of the 11 official languages in any government structure, because not being able to do so would be stripping away not only the right to use their language, but also part of their identity.
The Minister has stated that his department wants to promote multiculturalism and this Bill presents a great opportunity for the department to show that government can cater for all 11 languages used in our country and not create the perception that other languages are more valuable than others.
Asiziqhenye ngezilimi zethu. [Let us be proud of our languages.] The IFP supports this Bill. Thank you. [Applause.]
Deputy Speaker, the Bill before us today seeks to consider the future survival of indigenous languages. Over the years, we have consistently called for steps to be taken to stem the looming extinction of indigenous languages.
Dealing with languages is a very sensitive issue because languages are not just means of communicating one's thoughts and ideas but are also tools for forging friendships, cultural ties and economic relationships. Languages are the fundamental expression of our distinctive identities, cultural values and knowledge systems.
It was therefore heartwarming to observe us, the committee, working together as a team to tackle the challenges plaguing our indigenous languages. As my colleague, the hon Van den Berg of the DA, correctly indicated here before me, this was not a walk in the park. There was a clause on which we, the Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture, did not see eye to eye during our deliberations. However, the committee chairperson, Ms Sunduza, worked very hard to ensure that we reached consensus. We commend you, madam, for your sterling leadership on this issue. [Applause.]
We would also like to take this opportunity to commend the Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture for its hard work, commitment and maturity in ensuring that this Bill came to fruition without unwarranted delays. The UDM supports the Bill.
Xipikara na Yindlu ya n'wina yo xiximeka, ndza mi losa enhlikanhini lowu. Nhlangano wa vanhu wu susumeta leswaku Nawumbisi lowu wa ku tirhisiwa ka tindzimi hinkwato ta ximfumo ta Afrika-Dzonga wu pasisiwa leswaku wu va Nawu lowu nga ta tirhisiwa hi tindzawulo hinkwato ta mfumo wa tiko ra hina.
Ku tiyisisa Nawumbisi lowu, ku tumbuluxiwile bodo ya swa tindzimi laha tikweni hi ku landza xiyengentsongo xa (2) xa Nawu wa 59 wa 1995. Bodo ya swa Tindzimi ta Ximfumo ta Afrika-Dzonga i bodo ya nkoka swinene hi ku landza matimu na matshamele ya tiko ra hina ra Afrika-Dzonga.
Swirho swa bodo swi hlawuriwa hi vaakatiko kutani swi thoriwa ximfumo hi Holobye wa Vutshila na Mfuwo ku ringana malembe ya mpimo wo karhi. (Translation of Xitsonga paragraphs follows.)
[Mr D W MAVUNDA: Speaker and the honourable House, I greet you this afternoon. The Congress of the People proposes that the Bill on the use of all South African official languages be passed into an Act that will be used by all national government departments of our country.
In support of this Bill, a language board has been established in terms of subsection (2) of Act 59 of 1995. The Pan-South African Language Board, PanSALB, is a critical board according to the history and the context of our country, South Africa.
Members of the board are elected by the public and then officially appointed by the Minister of Arts and Culture for a certain number of years.]
This Bill, which we anticipate will be adopted by this House, seeks, among other things, to regulate and monitor the use of official languages by national departments for government purposes. Section 6(4) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996 persuades the national and provincial government by legislative and other measures to regulate and monitor the use of official languages. Section 6(2) of the same Constitution recognises the historically diminished use and status of the indigenous languages of our people. The state must therefore take practical and positive measures to elevate the status and advance the use of these languages, as the hon Minister has already mentioned.
Section 4(1) of the Use of Official Languages Bill says that every national department, national public entity and national public enterprise must adopt a language policy regarding its use of official languages for government purposes. Subsection 2 states that language policies adopted in terms of subsection 1 must comply with the provisions of section 6(3)(a) of the Constitution, which also states:
The national government and provincial governments may use any particular official languages for the purposes of government, taking into account usage, practicality, expense, regional circumstances and the balance of the needs and preferences of the population as a whole or in the province concerned.
Therefore, the language policy adopted must identify at least three official languages that the national department, national public entity or national public enterprise will use for government purposes. More than that: It must stipulate how official languages will be used, among other things, to effectively communicate with the public, in official notices and government publications, and describe how they will effectively communicate with members of the public whose language of choice is not an official language, as contemplated in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, or South African sign language.
I don't want to dwell on what other members and the hon Minister of Arts and Culture have said. However, let me say that during our debate we reached consensus on PanSALB, as I indicated at the beginning of my speech. There was a concern. Section 3(a) of the Pan South African Language Board Amendment Act of 1999 states that the board shall create conditions for the development and for the promotion of the equal use and enjoyment of all the official languages - hence the prescribed powers and functions of the board in terms of section 8 of the very same Act. However, the Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture learnt with dismay that the board was highly engaged in a legal battle among themselves instead of discharging the constitutional functions they were appointed for.
What we anticipate here and what we want to see is PanSALB concentrating mainly on its constitutional mandate. Members should be aware that they have a constitutional mandate, which they have to discharge.
This raises a red flag regarding PanSALB's solvency, liquidity and sustainability. More than that - it was disgraceful for the portfolio committee to learn from PanSALB that a lack of sufficient funds to perform their core business function was "their core obstacle" to achieve their constitutional mandate. However, the main obstacle was that the biggest chunk of their budget was directed to court cases and the legal battle among themselves, which I have already alluded to.
As the Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture, after consideration of so many of the problems with PanSALB, we therefore reached unanimous consensus to persuade and support the hon Minister of Arts and Culture to exercise his powers in terms of section 5(a) of the Pan South African Language Board Act of 1995, which provided that the Minister concerned may dissolve the board on any reasonable grounds, relying on the findings of a report by the dissolved group as the basis for the possible decision to dissolve it.
Nkulukumba Xipikara na Yindlu ya n'wina leyo xiximeka, xiyengentsongo xa swa tindzimi xa ndzawulo ya le xikarhi xi kumile nkavelo wa R16 wa timiliyoni eka lembeximali ra 2012-2013. Ku na nkayivelo eka nkavelo lowu. Nkavelo wu tsandzekisa bodo ku fikelela swilaveko na migingiriko ya xiyengentsongo lexi. Hikokwalaho hi kombela leswaku ndzawulo yi tekela mhaka leyi enhlokweni.
Hikwalaho ka nkayivelo lowu va tsandzeka ku khoma nhlengeletano hambi yi ri yin'we elembeni. A va fanele ku hlangana ka mune eka lembeximali rin'we ku fikelela na ku humelerisa migingiriko ya vona. Leswi swa va tsandza hikokwalaho ka nkayivelo wa mali.
Ta namuntlha ndzi ti heta kwala. Inkomu. (Translation of Xitsonga paragraphs follows.)
[Hon Speaker and the honourable House, the language unit of the national government got an allocation of R16 million in the 2012-13 financial year. There is a shortage in this allocation. The allocation fails the board in the achievement of the objectives and activities of this unit. For this reason, we request that the Ministry takes cognisance of this.
Because of the shortage, they are unable to convene even a single meeting in a year. They were supposed to meet four times in one financial year in order to achieve and actualise their activities. They are unable to do this due to a shortage of funds.
I end here for today. I thank you.]
Hon Deputy Speaker, there is a famous saying that says, "Failure is an orphan, but success has many fathers." This afternoon we have many parents claiming this Bill to be their product, if I could put it that way.
Taal is 'n baie emosionele saak wat geweldige konflik, spanning en probleme kan veroorsaak. Ek het vanmiddag na die agb Moss geluister, wat vertel het van die wet; dat daar geen probleem met die wet was nie en hoe dit basies gehanteer is. Dit is nie korrek nie. Die wet soos aanvanklik ingedien in die Parlement was 'n bron van groot konflik en diegene wat die situasie dopgehou het, het geweet dit sou onafwendbaar in die Konstitusionele Hof eindig. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Language is a very emotional issue that can create a lot of conflict, stress and problems. This afternoon I listened to the hon Moss, who spoke about the Act; that there were no problems concerning the Act and how the Act basically was dealt with. That is not correct. The Act as initially introduced in Parliament was a source of enormous conflict and those who observed the situation knew it would inevitably end up in the Constitutional Court.]
We made it very clear that we would not accept the original Bill as introduced in Parliament and that the matter would end up in the Constitutional Court because we strongly believed that it was unconstitutional. We felt very strongly about that.
Van die VF Plus se eerste dag af in hierdie raad in 1994 het ons nie net vir Afrikaans nie, maar vir multilingualism [veeltaligheid] geveg - vir verskillende tale, vir al die tale van Suid-Afrika. Dit was deurlopend ons standpunt en ek is baie dankbaar dat ons vandag 'n situasie het waar ons al die tale van Suid-Afrika in hierdie raad kan praat en waar dit vertaal word. Daarom is ons dankbaar vir die wysigings aan hierdie wet. Dit het gemaak dat die wetgewing 'n sukses is, in di opsig dat alle partye dit nou eendragtig ondersteun en entoesiasties daaroor is. Maar .... (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Since the FF Plus's first day in this House in 1994 we have not only fought for Afrikaans, but also for multilingualism - for different languages, for all the languages of South Africa. This has continuously been our opinion and I am very grateful that today we have a situation in which we can speak all the South African languages in this House and in which they are being translated. That is why we are grateful for the amendments to this Act. They have contributed to the success of this legislation, in the sense that all parties now unanimously support it and are enthusiastic about it. But ...]
... the proof will be at the end, during implementation. There are wonderful provisions in the Bill at this stage. When it becomes a law of Parliament, it will be a good thing and we support that. However, we will have to see how it is implemented in the different state departments and provinces; whether this really gives expression to what is needed.
If we were serious about unity in our diversity, we would respect the languages of all our citizens. We should accommodate all our citizens in that respect.
Ons steun dit. In 'n laaste woord voor my tyd verby is, wil ek dankie s aan die voorsitter van die portefeuljekomitee, die agb Sunduza. Sy is 'n interessante Parlementslid ... (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[We support it. Lastly, before my time expires, I want to thank the chairperson of the portfolio committee, the hon Sunduza. She is an interesting Member of Parliament ...]
... if I may put it that way. She is very strong in what she does.
Ek wil vir haar dankie s vir die wyse waarop sy die leiding in die portefeuljekomitee geneem het en haar standpunt daar gestel het. Ek ondersteun dit. Ons steun die wet. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[I want to thank her for the way in which she took leadership in the portfolio committee and for her standpoint, which she started there. I support it. We support the Act.]
Deputy Speaker, the ACDP supports this Bill, which recognises the diminished use and status of indigenous languages and requires the state to take practical and positive measures to elevate that status and advance the use of indigenous languages. However, language experts are still very troubled about the lack of acknowledgement of the form our languages are taking. Dr Dowling of UCT points out that African languages change and adapt just as robustly as English and Afrikaans, and that saying "official" often just means "not understandable".
Scholars of African languages embrace contemporary developments. They must have the funding to document them and then work to put their findings into schools. More needs to be done to ensure the training of language teachers, and language bursaries must be better marketed through schools and career counsellors. We must also not overlook researching the languages of millions of people who live in informal settlements and who grow up speaking a mixture of many languages. It is imperative that we find and fund researchers if we are serious about the speaking of our many languages. That about takes up my one minute. [Applause.]
Deputy Speaker, wathint' abafazi [you strike the women] - if you don't believe this, you could have asked former Prime Minister J G Strijdom, who would have told you what women do when they are pushed to the limit. Ndiyanikhahlela bafazi. [I honour the women.] I would like to salute the women who marched on 9 August 1956 and every woman who is in this House. You are heroines of this nation.
One may ask why we are all speaking English when we are talking about our languages. We must start in this Parliament; we have interpreting services available for Members of Parliament. When we wanted to speak our languages, we were told that that service was not available and that we had to ask somebody who spoke our language to interpret for us. That was very disappointing for us, who are legislators.
I did not realise that language issues were so sensitive until we did this Bill. I must thank God because, really, being a young person chairing people over the age of 50 was tough! There were times when it was very tough. [Laughter.] I wanted to call the police at one stage. However, in the end, thanks to members, we were able to reach a conclusion. I also think it is now time for members of this House whose languages were advantaged in the past to speak our languages as well. It is time for them to learn these languages if we are to speak of a united South Africa.
I want to allay the fears of the hon Mulder and, in the end, to thank him. In the beginning, when we started with this Bill, as we said, there were always problems when the hon Mulder came to the committee meetings. Later on, he became my favourite person.
One of the issues that the Minister will deal with in terms of the Bill is to table a report to the National Assembly on the status and use of languages for national government purposes. The other is to establish two intergovernmental forums, the roles of which would be, among others, to co- ordinate, align and monitor the implementation of language policies, and to perform any other function that the Minister may determine.
I want to also allay the fears of the hon Van den Berg and hon Mavunda about PanSALB. We have already taken a stand on PanSALB's issues. Measures have been put in place, so people must not fear. As much as there may be administration issues in PanSALB, they still have a constitutional mandate that they must fulfil.
One of the issues that I want to raise is that forms must be submitted every year, and there are timeframes within which to report on how far one has gone. It must also be remembered that the Bill provides for language units in the national departments.
I also want to clarify the issue of the establishment of an ombudsman, in terms of section 4 of the Bill. It is crucial to indicate that this will be the first ever language Act to be promulgated in the history of South Africa. It is, without doubt, a breakthrough for all official languages, in particular the indigenous languages of historically diminished use and status.
In the main, the Bill seeks to ensure that citizens of South Africa receive communication services in their first language - the language that they understand best. This is another way of improving service delivery for the people of South Africa, because one of the issues that hinders service delivery is language. If one cannot understand a language, then one will have a problem, especially when it comes to services of government and the filling in of forms in government services.
I would like to say that the ANC supports this Bill. In conclusion, I take this opportunity to request that provinces continue with their provincial Acts, and there must be no fear on the issue of monitoring.
To the hon Van den Berg, I would like to say that I think the DA learnt from the ANC how to reconcile. You must not take the credit. You learnt from the ANC, from legends like Madiba, what reconciliation is. Let us just correct that one.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following people for their support throughout the process of developing the Bill, which, without doubt, has been a very long road: The hon members of the Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture worked very hard. They sacrificed part of their festive-season holiday and arrived at Parliament earlier than anyone else in order to work on the Bill. Let me also thank the two DA members who have since been redeployed to other committees, Dr Annelie Lotriet and Ms Patty Duncan, for the work they did as former members of the committee.
Let me also thank the Department of Arts and Culture; the director-general, Sibusiso Xaba; the legal advisors; the media; members of PanSALB, who were consistent in coming to the meetings; the Language Services Section for the interpreting service; the Office of the Deputy Speaker, especially the Office on Institutions Supporting Democracy; the Parliamentary Monitoring Group; the committee secretary, Johnny van der Westhuizen; the committee researcher, Dr Hlengani Baloyi, my personal assistant, Vera Magadani; Adv Anthea Gordon; Dr Barbara Loots; Adv Zuraya Adhikarie; and the Language Services Unit. The ANC supports the Bill. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
Bill read a second time.