Hon Speaker, Ministers, colleagues and all our visitors in the gallery, molweni, dumelang, goeie middag! [Good day!]
I extend a special welcome to the learners from the Dominican School for the Deaf in Wittebome, and to Portia Oliver, who holds the title of Miss Deaf South Africa. The famous words: "Wathint' abafazi, wathint' imbokodo," [When you strike the women, you strike a rock,] still echo today, some 50 years after the courageous protest march of women to the Union Buildings.
Why is it then that we still find women, "omama", who have always been the rock, the centre, the strength of the family, suffering from discrimination and marginalisation? Many still suffer from a denial of basic human rights, not having access to land or employment, not participating in decisions affecting their lives, and having limited access to health care and education. Many are totally dependent on men.
Domestic violence against women continues unabated. The number of cases reported to the police rose from 86 000 in the years 2005 to 2006 to 95 000 in 2008. One of the stipulations of the Domestic Violence Act requires police to assist victims by taking them to a suitable shelter. Very commendable in theory, but in practice this is not possible, as we have only 60 shelters in the whole of South Africa. We may have good laws, but the real challenge lies in proper implementation. May the oversight exercised by the new Portfolio Committee on Women, Children and People with Disabilities improve implementation and service.
Education and training are vital for women and for future generations in order for women to be at the centre of restoring moral and social values, and bringing back discipline and respect. Men should support this.
This brings me to the discrimination and marginalisation of the deaf, and the difficulties that they have in getting a good education. They are, clearly, doubly disadvantaged. Portia, Miss Deaf South Africa, had to give up her studies because of the lack of interpretation and support structures.
Many of the four million deaf people are highly intelligent, but because they cannot communicate easily are often treated otherwise. They are frequently denied the opportunities they aspire to have. Many leave school with the literacy competence of an eight-year-old. But how does a profoundly deaf child communicate? How does a hearing parent learn to communicate with a deaf child? Their plight seldom makes the headlines, but I'm hoping that this will change today.
I'm happy to show you the first South African sign language dictionary, called Finger Talk, written by Sue Howard of the Fulton School for the Deaf in Durban. This well-illustrated book will facilitate learning to sign, both for hearing and deaf people, thus improving communication and the ability to learn.
DeafSA gives some shocking figures on the plight of deaf children in South Africa. Only 12 of our 47 schools for the hearing-impaired offer matric. Only 14% of the teachers are fluent in sign language! Thousands of deaf children have no access to education at all.
The overwhelming majority of deaf adults haven't matriculated. The functional illiteracy rate of South Africa's deaf and hard of hearing is 75%, while unemployment is at 70% - shocking indeed!
Kyle Springate, a deaf matric pupil from KwaZulu-Natal, recently took the Department of Education to court to declare South African sign language an official examination subject, so that he could get matric exemption. He failed.
The Constitution of South Africa recognises sign language. In Chapter 1 of the founding provisions, section 6(5) provides that the Pan South African Language Board, PanSALB, must "promote, and create conditions for, the development and use of ... sign language". In 1996, DeafSA applied to PanSALB for South African sign language to be recognised as an official language. Nothing came of it. Thirteen years later, Parliament has still not adopted South African sign language as an official language, and all that PanSALB has done is to hold workshops and raise awareness.
Hon Speaker, this is not good enough. Parliament and PanSALB have failed the deaf. The DA wants South African sign language to be recognised as an official language and a matric subject, so that Portia and all the other deaf people can be empowered to reach their full potential and have the benefit of an open opportunity society. [Applause.] I'm sure that you and all honourable and right-thinking citizens share this wish. Let us go forward together and make this happen. Let us empower the deaf and bring equality to all. Enkosi kakhulu. [Thank you very much.] [Applause.]