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SASL Star: Lerato Sheila Thamahane

22 September 2021 | Story Michelle Nöthling | Photo Supplied

Lerato Thamahane may be able to speak and understand all nine of South Africa’s official African languages, but it is a tenth language she is devoting her life to: South African Sign Language (SASL).

With nearly ten years’ experience as a SASL interpreter in several settings – ranging from the medical and mental-health fields to that of conferences and Deafblind interpreting – Lerato is living her life’s purpose. “I regard myself as a member of the Deaf community and a servant at the same time.”

Lerato lives by the principle that the more perspectives she gains on the world, the better service as an interpreter she can provide. This is also part of the reason why Lerato decided to take on the role of student again to study BA Language Practice to provide her with an even broader perspective on the field.

But why does Lerato feel so strongly about SASL? It is only through Sign Language, Lerato explains, that one can bridge the divide between the world of the hearing and that of the Deaf. “SASL is the only way for the minority Deaf group to receive and transfer information,” Lerato emphasises. “Deaf people cannot communicate in any other way.” Now, consider for a moment the plight of a Deaf child in South Africa. To receive education in SASL, most Deaf children have to move far away from home at a very young age in order to attend a school for the Deaf. For many years, schools for the Deaf did not include other languages as subjects, which prevented Deaf school-leavers from entering higher education. Although this situation has largely changed, Deaf students are still fighting an uphill battle when entering higher education institutions where prejudice and ignorance still persist. This is where the work of the Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS) and the Department of South African Sign Language (SASL) and Deaf Studies makes such a crucial difference.

“I firmly believe,” Lerato says, “that only Sign Language can open opportunities for all groups of the Deaf community – from Deaf children to adults, and from the uneducated to the most educated Deaf people.” It is for this reason, Lerato argues, that our constitution needs to recognise SASL in order to give Deaf people full and equal access to information, to education, and ultimately, to all the opportunities South Africa has to offer.

News Archive

Graduation ceremony awaited with great excitement

2011-06-22

Everything is running according to plan on the Bloemfontein Campus of our university for the graduation ceremony of Ms Oprah Winfrey, which is taking place in the Callie Human Centre today, 24 June 2011.

The graduation ceremony, during which an Honorary Doctorate in Education will be conferred upon Ms Winfrey, promises to be something special. Measured against the smooth course of the preparations, the speed at which the tickets were obtained and the continuous interest amongst UFS staff and students, as well as members of the public, this promises to be a real 2011 highlight for all who are going to attend the event.

Strict safety and security measures shall be enforced and therefore, ticket holders are requested to make sure that they arrive early on the Bloemfontein Campus.

The UFS is aware of the fact that tickets are sold illegally at shopping centres in Bloemfontein. Computicket equipment shall be used on the premises tomorrow to ensure that only persons who have original tickets in their possession are admitted. People found to be in possession of forged tickets tomorrow shall be prosecuted.

The doors of the Callie Human Centre shall open at 13:00 on Friday for ticket holders and shall be closed strictly at 14:00. For safety and security reasons, nobody shall be allowed to enter or leave the building after the doors were closed.

Although the entrance gates to the Bloemfontein Campus shall not be closed, certain streets on the campus will be closed for some time today (23 June 2011) and the whole of Friday (24 June 2011). More information about this is available at www.ufs.ac.za

Clear signs, as well as voluntary staff, shall guide parking visitors to their parking spaces. The volunteers were selected after staff of all three campuses offered their assistance for the day.

Amongst the 4 500 guests attending the graduation ceremony are various well-known personalities and dignitaries, alumni, learners and other stakeholders of the university. Good reaction has also been received from the local, national and international media.

The programme in the Callie Human Centre is as follows:

13:00 Doors open
14:00 Doors close
14:30 Opening performances
15:30 Graduation ceremony
16:00 Ms. Winfrey’s speech and question and answer session with students
18:00 Programme ends.

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