Language Services: Overview

Overview

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) is committed to ensuring equal treatment for Afrikaans, English and Xhosa in the Western Cape, as well as promoting previously marginalised languages and South African Sign Language. The DCAS Language Unit undertakes to carry out the provisions of the Western Cape Language Policy by ensuring that the residents of the Western Cape have access to services in the official language of their choice. The Unit promotes previously marginalised languages and South African Sign Language through awareness programmes and activities to promote their development.

The Language Unit also provides practical language support services to the Western Cape Government departments. These services include translation, editing, proofreading, interpreting and terminology development.

Administrative and financial assistance is furthermore rendered to the Western Cape Language Committee in terms of the Western Cape Provincial Languages Act, 1998 (Act 13 of 1998). The Department does this by supporting good governance and making it possible for funds to be transferred to the Committee to perform its functions. The Committee plays a key role in advising the Minister on language matters and monitoring the implementation of the provincial Language Policy.