Attention: News Editors / Journalists / Press Members
Date: 03 September 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Eastern Cape Government in partnership with Pan South African Language Board will tomorrow, 04 September 2020, launch the Deaf Awareness Fridays in East London.
The purpose of the Deaf Awareness Friday’s campaign is to promote the development of the South African Sign Language (SASL) which is the first language of the Deaf people in the county and to raise awareness on the continuous abuse of the Deaf community. This campaign forms part of the Deaf Awareness Month, which is celebrated in September every year, where the focus is in promoting the different aspects of the deaf society.
The Constitution of South Africa, Act no.108 of 1996 advocates for equal treatment of all languages and this prescript recognises SASL. However, SASL is still underdeveloped and unrecorded for many years the language has been systematically excluded across all spheres of life, even in the Deaf schools.
This has been caused largely by misconceptions, stereotypes, negative attitudes and ignorance, fuelled by the societal disregard of Persons with Disabilities, in particular the Deaf persons.
The Month of September was declared by the World Federation of the Deaf as Deaf Awareness Month in Milan, 1951.
Members of the media are invited to attend, and they should bring their press cards and be compliant to level 2 lockdown regulations. The media briefing will take place as follows:
Date : Friday, 04 September 2020
Time : 10:00
Venue : Mandla Makuphula Institute, Stirling, East London
For RSVP, contact:
Mr Sivuyile Ngaba
Cell: 071 403 5294
Email: Sivuyile.Ngaba@ecsrac.gov.za
For media queries, contact:
Communications Manager
Mr Andile Nduna
Cell: 071 411 4820
Email: Andile.Nduna@ecsrac.gov.za
Issued by
DSRAC Communications
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