SABC, PANSALB in language pact

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and Pan South African Language Board (PANSALB) have agreed a partnership aimed at preserving African languages.

The deal comes shortly after the official launch of SABC’s 24-hour news channel, which will be broadcast in all official African languages.

According to the SABC, the deal positions it as the only broadcaster committed to preserving African languages.

Moshoeshoe Monare, SABC group executive for news and current affairs, said: “As a public broadcaster, SABC has a mandate and obligation to promote, preserve and protect indigenous languages. We do this through ensuring that all our programming, be it in news, sports and entertainment, is multilingual and it is within this context that our collaboration with PANSALB is long overdue.”

The partnership with the SABC will “create a platform for language development and foster multi-lingualism,” added CEO of the language board, Lance Schultz.

PANSALB chairperson Professor Makhubu Bardenhost said: “It’s very important that when people take news, whether it’s education or anything, or we communicate with anybody at home, whether they are cooking in their own home and so on, we use the person’s language.”