Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, praised these publications at the official launch: “These books centralise the importance of language and language practice in a deep historical and contextual understanding. Language is more than a vehicle of understanding. These books are not only about language; they are about justice, care, and human dignity, reminding us that recognition without implementation is an unfinished democratic practice.”
The journey of SASL recognition
The first publication,
Van Tegniek tot Amptelike Taal, Die Opkoms van Suid-Afrikaanse Gebaretaal as ’n Twaalfde Amptelike Taal van Suid-Afrika 1977–2023 (translated as
From technique to official language: The emergence of South African Sign Language as a twelfth official language), offers a comprehensive examination of the language planning and policy trajectory of SASL. The monograph by
Prof Theodorus du Plessis interrogates the journey towards official recognition, while critically examining the gap between legal acknowledgment and implementation.
“This book is the first to document the official history of South African Sign Language. There are very few countries in the world that have recognised sign language as an official language, and South Africa is the first on the African continent,” said Prof Du Plessis.
Drawing on archival material, parliamentary records, and media sources, the book adopts a historical-sociolinguistic approach to trace developments from the pre-1994 era through to the landmark 2023 recognition. It highlights key legislative milestones, including the
South African Schools Act of 1996, while emphasising the combined influence of governance and activism in shaping the language’s trajectory.
Although written in Afrikaans, Prof Du Plessis noted: “The book makes an important international contribution, as it traces the full journey of how sign language ultimately became an Act in 2023. It is crucial that we document the histories of languages.”
Prof Reddy recognises, “This text is about being human and humane. It is about how signing ultimately finds a place where people are heard and seen. What makes this work distinctive is that it asks, honestly: now that sign language has been recognised, what do we do now? Because a right on paper means nothing if it does not work in practice.”
Beyond recognition
A central argument of the book is that SASL had already attained a level of functional parity with South Africa’s eleven official languages through its integration into education, government communication, and language services by as early as 2014. As such, the 2023 officialisation, while symbolically significant, did not fundamentally alter the legal framework.
Instead, it exposed a deeper systemic challenge: the persistent lack of implementation of language policies, particularly for historically marginalised indigenous languages.
“The recognition of South African Sign Language as an official language marked an important legislative milestone, but the real work lies in implementation,” says Prof Vasu Reddy. “Research such as this plays a critical role in ensuring that policy translates into meaningful access, inclusion, and participation for Deaf communities.”
The book calls for a shift in focus from symbolic recognition to resource-driven implementation. It positions SASL not merely as a language-seeking status, but as one requiring sustained institutional support, policy enforcement, and societal commitment to become fully functional within public life.
“At the UFS, our research agenda is closely aligned with the need to respond to complex societal challenges,” Prof Reddy adds. “Work emerging from areas such as language development and multilingualism demonstrates how scholarship can inform policy, strengthen inclusion, and contribute to building a more equitable society.”
The second book, Geskiedenis van die Eenheid vir Taalfasilitering en Taalbemagtiging aan die Universiteit van die Vrystaat, 1992–2018 (translated as History of the Unit for Language Facilitation and Language Empowerment at the University of the Free State, 1992–2018), provides a detailed account of the university’s pioneering efforts in multilingualism and language support. The book by Prof Johan C Moll traces the evolution of the unit within a transforming higher education landscape and highlights its contributions to language rights, interpreter training, and multilingual communication.
The unit played a foundational role in establishing interpreting as a professional practice in South Africa, extending its services to institutions such as the Free State Legislature and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It also contributed to the development of South African Sign Language as an academic field at the UFS, reinforcing the university’s longstanding commitment to language inclusivity.
The book further reflects on innovative programmes, including multilingual informatics, language management training, and community-based initiatives aimed at fostering functional multilingualism. Through these efforts, the unit helped institutionalise language diversity and create platforms for equitable communication across linguistic groups.
Prof Reddy added, “This text is not a theoretical exposition but rather a deep history of a unique unit at the UFS that was light-years ahead of its time regarding the true purpose of multilingualism.”
Celebrating student success
The launch also highlighted postgraduate student achievement and the growing body of research within the Faculty of The Humanities.
Together, the two publications show how sustained research and institutional commitment can move language rights beyond legislation into everyday practice. That shift is already visible in the experiences of Deaf students at the UFS. Renatha van Reenen, the university’s first Deaf master’s graduate in South African Sign Language and Deaf Studies, presented her research entirely in sign language, demonstrating how academic knowledge can be created and shared differently. “Sign language is not only about hand shapes and movements. It is a full visual language where facial expressions and mouth patterns carry grammatical and linguistic significance,” she explains.
For graduates such as
Mlondi Cele, this progress is carried into the classroom. Reflecting on his journey into Deaf education, he says, “Success is never a straight path. It is built through struggle, silence, doubt, and courage … your challenges are not your end, they are your becoming.” These experiences point to a future where inclusion is not defined by policy alone, but realised through teaching, research, and lived participation.
For Prof Reddy, these significant publications “remind us that these texts demonstrate scholarship with consequences. They are courageous, socially accountable, and profoundly aligned with giving real meaning to responsible societal futures. Ultimately, the texts bring home a simple and profound message, namely, what does it mean for ideas to work, for languages to live, and for democracy to listen”.