Agb Adjunkspeaker, veeltaligheid is die norm in die wreld, aangesien 95% van alle lande in die wreld veeltalige bevolkings het. In hierdie opsig is Suid-Afrika dus nie uniek nie. Taal is, en bly, in enige samelewing 'n hoogs sensitiewe saak en die politiek in die algemeen kan hom nie van die taalproblematiek onttrek nie. Die 11 amptelike landstale geniet verskansing in die Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet, en die wet op die gebruik van amptelike tale van 2012 vereis dat inheemse tale, waarvan Afrikaans ook deel vorm, in staatsdepartemente en entiteite bevorder moet word.
Die wetsontwerp op die raad vir Suid-Afrikaanse taalpraktisyns, wat vandag hier onder bespreking is, gaan 'n deurslaggewende rol speel in die implementering van die wet op die gebruik van amptelike tale. Hierdie wetsontwerp bied 'n unieke geleentheid aan die taalsektor in Suid-Afrika om te professionaliseer. Professionalisme is 'n noodsaaklike stap in die bevordering van inheemse tale. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Dr H C VAN SCHALKWYK: Hon Deputy Speaker, multilingualism is the norm globally, as 95% of all countries in the world have multilingual populations. South Africa is thus not unique in this sense. In any society language is, and will remain, a highly sensitive issue, and generally politics cannot be separated from the challenges associated with the language issue. The 11 official languages are entrenched in the South African Constitution, and the Use of Official Languages Act, Act 12 of 2012, provides for the promotion of indigenous languages, which include Afrikaans, in government departments and entities.
The South African Language Practitioners' Council Bill under discussion here today, will play a crucial role in the implementation of the Use of Official Languages Act. This Bill offers a unique opportunity to professionalise the language sector in South Africa. Professionalism is a necessary step in the promotion of indigenous languages.]
The Bill proposes that the SA Language Practitioners' Council, SALPC, be established as a juristic person and that its core functions are the following: to regulate the training of language practitioners; to provide for control of the accreditation and registration of language practitioners; and to provide for matters incidental thereto, like advising the Minister on matters affecting the language profession.
Die doelwitte van die raad, soos uiteengesit in die wetsontwerp, is kortliks die volgende: om die taalpraktyk in Suid-Afrika te beskerm en te bevorder; om geskikte mense as taalpraktisyns te registreer; om geskikte mense te akkrediteer; om besonderhede van voornemende taalpraktisyns na te gaan voor registrasie; om 'n gedragskode vir geregistreerde taalpraktisyns te ontwikkel, te implementeer en te hersien, indien nodig; om taalpraktisyns se professionele belange te beskerm; om voldoende en effektiewe taaldienste aan lede van die publiek te voorsien en sodoende die taalpraktisyns en die klinte, die publiek, te beskerm; en om geleenthede aan mense, veral uit benadeelde gemeenskappe, te bied en om hulle aan te moedig om deel te word van die taalsektor in die land.
Die implementering van hierdie wetsontwerp kan tot grootskaalse werkskepping lei in 'n sektor wat voorheen aan die agterspeen gesuig het. Met die gebruik van al die landstale sal daar 'n groot behoefte aan genoeg leksikograwe, vertalers, tolke, ens, ontstaan. Die wetsontwerp kan tot 'n wen-wen situasie lei: die grondwetlike vereiste van veeltaligheid word aangespreek n werkskepping in 'n voorheen verwaarloosde sektor kan nou uiteindelik tot sy reg kom.
Die groot voorwaarde, en ek sluit daarmee af, bly egter die politieke wil van die regering om die wet op die gebruik van amptelike tale en die wetsontwerp op die raad vir Suid-Afrikaanse taalpraktisyns op die grondvlak te implementeer. Ongelukkig is dit nie iets waaraan die huidige regering hom elke dag toewy nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[In summary, the objectives of this council, as provided for in the Bill, are as follows: to protect and promote language practice in South Africa; to register appropriate people as language practitioners; to accredit appropriate people; to verify the details of prospective language practitioners before registration; to develop and implement a code of ethics for registered language practitioners and to review it when necessary; to protect the professional interests of language practitioners; to provide efficient and effective language services to members of the public, and, consequently, to protect the language practitioners and the clients, the public; and to offer opportunities to people, especially those from disadvantaged communities, and to encourage them to become part of the language sector in this country.
The implementation of this Bill could lead to large-scale job creation in a sector that previously lagged behind. The use of all the official languages would result in a great demand for enough lexicographers, translators, interpreters, etc. The Bill could lead to a win-win situation: the issue of multilingualism as a constitutional imperative would be addressed, and job creation in a sector that was previously neglected would finally be realised.
In conclusion, the key prerequisite remains, which is government's political will to implement the Use of Official Languages Act and the South African Language Practitioners' Council Bill on grass-roots level. Unfortunately, this is not something that the current government commits to on a daily basis.]
The DA supports this Bill. [Time expired.]