BY Obakeng Maje

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture together with the Pan South African Language Board has this week elected the North West Provincial Language committee.

The election comes after the term of office of the previous committee expired in 2007. The committee was elected recently as the advisory body in the promotion of multilingualism within the framework of the constitution and the committee’s appointment is of a period of five years effective from the 29 November 2012.

“The North West Provincial Language Committee will be the governance structure that will give guidelines on the use of language,” said the MEC of Sport, Arts and Culture, Ms Tebogo Modise. “It will bring change to the North West province as it will be monitoring and improving the policies and programmes of official languages.”

The mandate of the committee is to promote multilingualism, formulate programmes and policies aimed at fostering the equal use of and respect for the official languages, establish, compile and maintain databases of all legislative measures including the provisions of the constitution dealing with language matters, monitor the observance of the constitutional provisions and principles regarding the use of languages, Advise the MEC or any organ of state on the implementation of any proposed or existing legislation, policy and practice dealing directly or indirectly with language matters and to investigate any language violation on receipt of a written complaint.

The elected committee consist of Nombulelo Sonakile (IsiXhosa Teacher), Gaoretelelwe Benjamin Phuti (Chief Language Practitioner), Mrinalini Shantikumar( Wild Life Officer), Diteboho Leponesa (Sesotho Teacher), Walfriede Appolus (Nama and Khoi Teacher), Marlene Visser (Teacher), Ratshikana Ntsime (Education Specialist),Setumo Mokoatsi(Setswana teacher), Kenalemang Kgoroeadira (Self employed),Mthuthuzeli Maloney (Community Liason Officer), Thabo Melamu( Sign Language Lecture), Nkokeletseng Monaisa(Setswana) Ian Bekker (North West University Faculty of Humanities, school of languages) and Goitsemodimo Seleka (Freelance Programme Presenter).

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