D Peters: National launch of Telephone Interpreting Service for
SA

21 February 2006

It is indeed an esteemed honour and pleasure to deliver a keynote address at
this significant gathering.

Today marks the seventh year of observing and celebrating the International
Mother Language Day as proclaimed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organisation’s (Unesco) general conference in November 1999. The
day was celebrated for the first time on the 21st of February 2000.

In observing and celebrating this day, the national Department of Social
Development is launching the Telephone Interpreting Service for South Africa
(TISSA). This is done in close partnership with the Department of Arts and
Culture.

This event marks an important milestone in the history of our country and
particularly that of the Department of Social Development.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to focus on what our Constitution is
saying about language and culture. The Bill of Rights states that our people
may communicate in the language of their choice. It is from this premise
therefore that we are launching the TISSA service today to further articulate
what the Constitution of our country is saying about the issue of
languages.

In the past, language was used by the apartheid regime as an instrument of
political, social, economic and educational control. It was used as a means of
oppression and domination. Our people were made to believe that their languages
were inferior and less important.

Let us not forget that the 1976 Soweto uprisings were a direct response to
the manner in which the previous regime imposed policies on our people. People
stood up and said no to the non - progressive policies of government. South
Africa is a linguistically and culturally diverse nation and we as government
acknowledges and celebrates this diversity.

The TISSA service that we are launching today is an initiative of the
Department of Arts and Culture to promote the use of official indigenous
languages. TISSA renders a telephone interpreting service, which enables the
public to communicate with government in all official languages to access
services and/or information.

TISSA’s main objective is to give effect to the notion of functional
multilingualism by providing professional and efficient telephone interpreting
service to all those who are served by government.

It seeks to particularly enhance oral communication between the public and
government departments and its agencies, so that anyone could be given the
dignity of being served in the language of their choice provided the language
is one of the official languages of the country.

Through the provision of this service, it is envisaged that the previously
marginalised African languages would be enhanced and people will begin to
appreciate and value their languages.

TISSA is seen as a unique, cost – effective and innovative strategy of
entrenching democracy as it talks to the rights of the citizens to speak the
languages of their choice in accessing government services and information.

Ladies and Gentlemen, through TISSA, government will fulfil its
constitutional mandate by taking positive and practical steps to promote and
develop the official languages.

Currently, the Department of Social Development has installed the TISSA
system in seven of the nine provinces. The provinces are: Northern Cape,
Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West and the Western Cape.
Plans to have the system installed in the remaining two provinces are
underway.

The service is not installed in all the service offices of the Department
but only those identified by provinces as those in need of the service. A total
of 195 offices have the TISSA system in place and we hope to increase the
number.

In the Frances Baard region the service will be available at Social Services
Offices in NG Meyer, Tlhokomelo, Roodepan, Hartswater, Jan Kempsdorp and
Warrenton. Our people can also access this service in the Namakwa, Siyanda and
Pixley Ka Seme regions.

With the TISSA service in place, the national Department of Social
Development would be able to meet the challenge of ensuring that its target
audience receives services in their preferred languages and therefore enhance
service delivery and customer satisfaction.

Government is saying to our people today that the service has been created
and installed for you to use, go out there, demand to be served in the language
of your choice provided it is an official language in this country.

Speak your language, it’s your right and be proud of your language.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the launch of TISSA today depicts our relentless
efforts as a Department to improve service delivery to the poorest of the poor
and all the other vulnerable groups in our society.

In conclusion, Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to take this opportunity
to thank all the stakeholders involved in this project. We highly value your
partnership.

Speak your language, it’s your right and be proud of your language.

I thank you.
Ke a leboga.
Baie dankie.
Ndiyabulela.

Issued by: Office of the Premier, Northern Cape Provincial Government
21 February 2006