Loews New Orleans Hotel, Hoteles en Nueva Orleans a partir de S/ 532 - KAYAK
Ventajas: Nice river bridge view in smart room
Desventajas: Parking cost expensive but not unlike other hotel parking. We used pan American View Section: NA. :: People's Assembly
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY (Thursday, 24 October 2013)
← SOUTH AFRICAN LANGUAGE PRACTITIONERS' COUNCIL BILL (Second Reading debate)
SOUTH AFRICAN POSTBANK LIMITED AMENDMENT BILL (Second Reading debate) →
(narrative) 24 Oct 2013 hansard
Nothing hurts me more than knowing that I cannot address this House in my own language simply because it is not one of the official languages.
Banthu base Moletlane, bakaMokopane nabakaMashashane batibutisa ku ri ba fanele kuri bayeteni, kuri batwana babo bafudwe ngemaleme abo. Batwana bethu basibusitisa khona nje, kuri kuta jani kuri bona maleme abo agaberegisiwa etikolweni tabo. (Translation of isiNdebele paragraph follows.)
[The people of Moletlane, Makopane and Mashashane are asking us what they should do, to ensure that their children can be given lessons in their mother tongue. Our children are asking us why their home languages are not being used in their schools.]
Hon Minister, the quotation you read was profound - and you were quoting the former President. What you said applies equally to my language. For the record, my language is not a dialect of any other spoken language and this fact is supported by science and research. Linguists have confirmed that it is a language of its own. I guess that people who speak other languages that are also not one of the 11 official languages will say the same. Having said that, Azapo supports the Language Practitioners' Council Bill. I thank you. [Applause.]
Dr H C Van Schalkwyk hansard
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.]
Mev L N Moss hansard
Agb Adjunkspeaker, agb lede van die Parlement, agb Adjunkpresident, die gaste in die gallery, in Nama en Khoi groet jy soos volg:
!gi ts?s, m re.
Dit beteken, ek groet nou almal hier in die Parlement. Soos u gehoor het en soos die Minister en ander aangevoer het, is die erkenning van tale in Suid- Afrika nie 'n maklike taak nie, omdat dit so 'n sensitiewe kwessie is. Dit is nie net 'n kwessie van mense of lede van die Kabinet wat hier kom praat nie, maar sommige van hulle woon nie eens die vergaderings by nie. Daardie lede weet wie hulle is. Ek gaan nie name noem nie.
Die Afrika-tale is histories nie eens goed genoeg geag vir onderrig of leer nie. Studente is nie net gedwing om subklas-opvoeding te verduur nie, maar ook om in tale te leer wat nie hulle eie was nie. Ek praat van die verlede. Gevolglik is daar afbreek gedoen aan die Afrika-tale, wat deel was van 'n agenda om swartmense te onderdruk.
Die ANC-beleide het die ontwikkeling van tale, kulture en erfenis op die sakelys geplaas om taaldienslewering te vermaklik. Wanneer mense inligting in hulle eie taal ontvang by plekke soos die howe, banke, hospitale en skole, bou ons ook 'n maatskaplike samehorigheid. So, ek wil vir die agb lid van die VF Plus s dat die ANC omgee vir die mense van hierdie land. Die ANC doen iets aan die ongelykheid van tale. Eindelik moet die Vryheidsmanifes en Grondwet sevier, want hierdie twee dokumente beskerm die universele regte van mense, ongeag hul ras, kleur, geslag en klas. So, dit is deel van nasiebou.
Soos u gehoor het, wil die wetsontwerp op die Suid-Afrikaanse taalpraktisynsraad verseker dat ons 'n kombinasie van beroepsmense het wat die inheemse tale vir amptelike beleidsdoeleindes vlot praat. Soos agb Mavunda ges het, as 'n mens vandag na ons samelewing kyk, blyk dit dat die mense wat as vertalers en tolke geld maak, diegene is wat Engels en Afrikaans doen. 'n Verandering is nou nodig. Tale wat onder apartheid verswak het, word elke dag deur ons mense gebruik, byvoorbeeld Nama, Setswana, Tshivenda en ander tale wat nie neergeskryf word nie en ook nie vir amptelike doeleindes in ons regering gebruik word nie. Dit lei daartoe dat opgeleide beroepsmense wat in hierdie tale 'n goeie diens kan lewer, nie in die land as professionele taalpraktisyns erken word nie.
'n Liggaam soos di raad is nodig om die taalsektor te reguleer en om te verseker dat mense wat tolke, taalversorgers en vertalers wil wees, behoorlik opgelei word en dat die publiek beskerm word teen kansvatters wat voorgee dat hulle 'n taal praat, maar dit in werklikheid nie praat nie.
Reeds met die opstel van die Grondwet is ges dat die regering die status van die amptelike tale in Suid-Afrika moet verhoog en die gebruik daarvan moet bevorder. Negentien jaar later is dit die ANC-regering wat veg dat ons tale gelyk behandel en teen diskriminasie beskerm word. Ons moet dus daardie staatsdepartemente, entiteite en besighede prys wat materiaal in twee of meer amptelike tale aanbied. Dit is egter nie genoeg nie. Meer moet gedoen word om te verseker dat ons die Vryheidsmanifes en die Grondwet uitvoer.
Die ANC s, as ons saamwerk kan ons meer doen! Die hele wetsontwerp op die raad vir Suid-Afrikaanse taalpraktisyns is in lyn met die Grondwet. Toe die openbare verhoor plaasgevind het, is die spertyd verleng om te verseker dat belanghebbbendes en mense wat geraak word insette oor die wetsontwerp kon lewer. Die grootste gedeelte van die kommentaar en voorleggings wat ons van die publiek ontvang het, het hoofsaaklik bestaan uit minder belangrike besonderhede oor die samestelling van die raad en die regulering van 'n grootliks ongereguleerde sektor.
Regulering is 'n goeie ding vir daardie kulture en tale wat histories benadeel is. Sonder die ANC-regering sou die tale van die nageslag van die eerste mense, die Khoi-Khoi en die San, byvoorbeeld, verdwyn het. U sal daarop let dat daar nou meer as ooit te vore ook publikasies in ander inheemse tale gedruk word en dat die land se mense aangemoedig word om ander mense se tale te leer. Dit is President Jacob Zuma se missie om te verseker dat die bydrae van die Khoi-Khoi- en San-gemeenskappe tot die stryd teen kolonialisme in Suid-Afrika erken word.
Die ANC ondersteun die wetsontwerp en versoek die burgers om trots op hul erfenis te wees en ook die wetsontwerp te ondersteun. Verder wil ek s, soos ek reeds genoem het, dit sal baie goed wees as lede van die Parlement seker kan maak dat wanneer 'n item op die agenda van die Parlement is, hulle hul belangstelling sal toon indien hulle vir hul kiesafdeling omgee. Moenie hierdie platform kom gebruik en dan oor ander goed praat nie, maar jy het nog nooit die komitee bygewoon nie.
Ek wil ook noem dat dieselfde lede het in Julie verlede jaar die spitsberaad oor nasiebou en kohesie in Soweto bygewoon. By daardie spitsberaad kon elke burger van Suid-Afrika sy misnoe uitspreek, selfs oor die kwessie van die tale. Nou kom gebruik u hierdie platform om u misnoe uit te spreek. Ek dink dis opportunisties. Baie dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mrs L N MOSS: Hon Deputy Speaker, hon members of Parliament, guests in the gallery, in the Nama and Khoi language one greets as follows:
!gi ts?s, m re [good day, how are you?].
This means that I am greeting everyone here in Parliament. As you have heard, and as the Minister and others have said, the recognition of languages in South Africa is not an easy task, because it is such a sensitive issue. It is not only a matter of people or members of Cabinet coming here to deliver speeches, but some of them even fail to attend meetings. Those members know who they are. I will not mention names.
Historically, African languages were not even regarded as good enough for education and learning. Students were not only forced to endure substandard education, but also to study in languages that were not their own. I am referring to the past. As a result African languages were denigrated, which was part of an agenda to oppress black people.
The ANC's policies put the development of languages, culture, and heritage on the agenda in order to facilitate language service delivery. When people receive information in their own languages at places like courts, banks, hospitals, and schools, we are building social cohesion at the same time. So, I would like to say to the hon member of the VF Plus that the ANC cares about the people of this country. The ANC is doing something about the inequality of languages. Eventually, the Freedom Charter and the Constitution will have to prevail, because these two documents are protecting the universal rights of people, irrespective of their race, colour, gender, and class. And that is part of building a nation.
As you have heard, the South African Language Practitioners' Council Bill wants to ensure that we have various professionals who speak the indigenous languages fluently for official policy purposes. As hon Mavunda said, if one considers the current situation in our society, it seems as if the people who earn money as translators and interpreters are those who work in English and Afrikaans. Change is needed right now. Languages that have been weakened under apartheid have been used by our people on a daily basis, for example, Nama, Setswana, Tshivenda and other languages that have not been recorded and used for official purposes in our government. As a result of this, trained professionals who are able to deliver good services in these languages are not recognised as professional language practitioners in this country.
A body like this council is necessary to regulate the language sector and ensure that people who want to be interpreters, editors, and translators are adequately trained, protecting the public against opportunists who pretend to be able to speak a language but are in reality not competent in that language.
During the drafting of the Constitution it had already been said that the government should elevate the status of the official languages in South Africa as well as promote the use thereof. Nineteen years later, it is the ANC-led government that is fighting for our languages to be treated equally and to be protected against discrimination. We should therefore commend those government departments, entities, and businesses that are offering material in two or more official languages. However, that is not enough. More should be done in order to ensure that we implement the Freedom Charter and Constitution. The ANC is saying, together we can do more! The entire South African Language Practitioners' Council Bill is in line with the Constitution. When the public hearings took place, the due date was extended in order to allow stakeholders and affected parties to provide input with regard to the Bill. Most of the comments and submissions that we received from the public to a large extent consisted of less important details about the composition of the council and regulating a largely unregulated sector.
Regulating this sector would be to the advantage of those cultures and languages that have been historically disadvantaged. Without the ANC-led government, the languages of the descendants of the first people, the Khoi- Khoi and the San, for instance, would have disappeared. You will notice that publications are now printed in other indigenous languages more than ever before, and that the people of our country are encouraged to learn one another's languages. It is President Jacob Zuma's mission to ensure the acknowledgment of the contribution made by the Khoi-Khoi and San communities in the struggle against colonialism in South Africa.
The ANC supports this Bill and requests citizens to be proud of their heritage and also to support the Bill. Furthermore, I would like to say, as I mentioned earlier, that it would be very good if Members of Parliament could ensure that, when an item is put on the agenda of Parliament, they actually show their interest if they care about their constituencies. Don't use this platform to come and talk about other issues, while you have never even attended a committee meeting.
I would also like to mention that the same members attended the social cohesion and nation-building summit in Soweto in July last year. At that summit South African citizens could express their dissatisfaction, even with regard to the language issue. Now you want to use this platform to show your dissatisfaction. I think that is opportunistic. Thank you very much.]
Adjunkspeaker, ek wil al die lede van die komitee bedank vir die werk wat hulle gedoen het. [Deputy Speaker, I would like to thank all the members of the committee for the work they have done.]
Let me take this opportunity to thank the hon Sunduza, all the members of the committee and all the parties for supporting the Bill. I think our message is loud and clear this afternoon: Let us take pride in our languages. Let us develop and promote them and make sure that we teach them to younger generations as well. I want to say to hon Dikobo that the Constitution does provide for the development of languages other than the official ones. To those who feel that we should be looking at their languages and developing them, it is important that we say we are more than prepared to look into that. But the important thing is that languages that are not spoken and written will disappear. A language must be spoken. To develop these other languages, it is important that we should speak and write them, making sure that they are also preserved and developed.
I want to conclude once more by thanking all hon members. I assure you that we will work with everybody and with all South Africans to ensure that we develop all our languages.
Inkomu, ha khensa. [Thank you.]