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.]