New Language Committee welcomed by Minister Anroux Marais

On Thursday, 24 January 2019, the new members of the Western Cape Language Committee (WCLC) officially took up their role of promoting and monitoring the use of the three official languages as well as previously marginalised languages in the province on Thursday, when they were welcomed to office by Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Anroux Marais.

 

These ten individuals have been tasked with the important role of monitoring the implementation of the Western Cape Government’s official Language Policy.

 

The new members of the WCLC range in age from 21 to 76 and each member represents at least one of the three official languages in the Western Cape. Some of the members also speak and promote sign language.

 

The Language Committee will assist the Department of Cultural Affairs to achieve the following goals that are listed in the language policy:

 

• promoting multilingualism

• promoting the use of the province’s three official languages (English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans)

• elevating the status and advancing the use of indigenous languages of historically diminished status, such as the Khoi and San tongues and

• creating awareness of the needs of the hearing impaired.

 

The new WCLC members were selected by the minister after being nominated by members of the public and then shortlisted by the Western Cape Parliament standing committee. 

 

The members of the Western Cape Language Committee are: DS Le Roux, JW Koopman, K Jonas, KR Mkhize, L Nokwaza, N Nyembezi, S Pienaar, SD Vermeulen, S Neethling and A Humphries-Heyns.