23 July 2007
The North West Department of Transport, Roads and Community Safety has
expressed its satisfaction with the Mmabatho High Court's decision to dismiss a
case lodged by the Pan South African Language Board (Pansalb) against the
provincial government. The Board, which is responsible for developing the
previously marginalised languages and encouraging multi-lingualism in the
country, lodged a legal battle against the transport MEC in 1999 for giving the
English language a sole edge above other languages on the vehicles number
plates. Central to the dispute was the engraving of the words 'the platinum
province' on the number plates. The Pansalb argued that these words should also
be written in Afrikaans and seTswana as the official languages in the
province.
After dragging on for seven years, final arguments were called in from both
parties on 28 June 2007. The department was represented by Adv H Hige while the
Pansalb's legal team was led by Adv Hlahla Mohlamme. On Thursday, 19 July 2007,
the court dismissed the case on the ground that the Pansalb could not use legal
means to challenge government organs but should have advised the provincial
government on language use as part of its mandate. The court also ruled that
the Pansalb could not act on behalf of individual complainants to sue a state
department.
Speaking after the judgement, MEC for Transport, Roads and Community Safety,
Phenye Vilakazi, said his department would continue to work with the Pansalb
and support its language development programmes. "This court victory must not
be misconstrued to imply that the language board is our enemy. We fully support
its programmes and we will work with the board in the future," said Vilakazi,
adding that the department would engage the Pansalb to find common
understanding despite having won the legal battle against the board.
Vilakazi however dismissed Pansalb's statement that the court dismissed the
case because the department told the judge that it wanted to change the number
plates. "It is not true that we said we will change the number plates. The
Pansalb lost the case on the basis that it was not supposed to have lodged it
in the first place," said Vilakazi, adding that he was not necessarily ruling
out the changes on the province's number plates if the provincial government
deems it necessary to do so.
Contact Person:
Mandla Mathebula
Tel: 018 387 4810
Cell: 083 282 6133
E-mail: mmathebula@nwpg.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Transport, Roads and Community Safety, North West
Provincial Government
23 July 2007
Source: North West Provincial Government (http://www.nwpg.gov.za)
