Question NW192 to the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture
22 July 2019 - NW192
Van Dyk, Ms V to ask the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture
(1).What programmes that promote the languages, culture and heritage of the Khoi and San has the Government implemented in each province in each of the past five years; (2). what programmes to protect and promote the cultural and indigenous knowledge systems of the Khoi and San has the Government implemented in each province in each of the past five years; (3). whether his department, in collaboration with the Department of Basic Education, has developed any study material to promote the education of the children of the Khoi and San community in their mother tongue in any school in each province since 1994; if so, in each province, (a) which schools and (b) in what dialect of the language; (4). what number of dialects are spoken by the Khoi and San in the Republic; (5). what number of Nama speakers are there in each province? NW1150E
Reply:
1 & 2.Through possible funding and strategic partnerships between PanSALB and my Department, PanSALB was able to initiate and support the following programmes in line with our mandate to ensure the promotion and development of Khoe and San languages.
(i) September 2013: Khoe and San languages Workshop and Strategic Partnership Meetings at Cape Town in the Western Cape.
(ii) Stakeholder engagement programmes, consultations, advancing PanSALB and KSNLB mandates by reaching out to Khoi and San communities. October 2015: Khoe and San Languages Heritage and Culture Celebration by PanSALB North West Provincial Office and NWPLC held at Vryburg in the North West Province.
- Promotion of Khoe and San languages, cultures, traditions and information sharing sessions on this heritage.
(iii) September 2016: Khoe and San languages Workshop and Dialogue at Springbok in the Northern Cape.
- Stakeholder engagement programmes, consultations, advancing PanSALB and KSNLB mandates by reaching out to Khoi and San communities.
- Launching of the KhoeKhoegowab Dictionary Glossarium at Steinkopf.
- Development and adoption of strategy for the promotion of Khoe and San languages.
(iv) June 2017: Indigenous People’s Language Conference by PanSALB at Bloemfontein in the Free State
- It was a national conference > aimed at information sharing and developments to all provinces by PanSALB in relation to Khoe and San languages.
- Strategic partnerships and cross border relations at SADC level on progress and achievements with Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
(v) July/Aug 2018: PanSALB/KSNLB supported the CRL Commission Heritage Restitution programme for Khoi and San communities
- Strategic partnership platform between PanSALB and CRL Commission reaching out to the Khoi and San communities of the Northern Cape based at Upington, Rietfontein and Andriesvale.
- Programme aimed at encouragement for the true identity and restoration of the Khoi and San languages, cultures, traditions and heritage.
vi) September 2018: Khoe and San Languages Linguistic Awareness Campaign targeting Khoi and San communities at Joubertina, Graff Reinette, Langkloof in the Eastern Cape.
- Stakeholders engagements, consultations, advancing PanSALB and KSNLB mandates as well as information sharing to Khoi and San communities.
vii) January 2019: Khoe and San Languages Linguistic Awareness Campaign targeting Khoi and San communities at Gamalakhe and Didima Rock Art Sites in KwaZulu Natal.
- Stakeholders engagements, consultations, advancing PanSALB and KSNLB mandates as well as information sharing to Khoi and San communities.
- Official Launching of 2019 as International Year of Indigenous Languages at Didima.
March 2018: PanSALB / KSNLB Nama Technical Committee Sessions held in Kimberley in the Northern Cape.
- Development and adaptation of Nama Spelling and Orthography Rules for South Africa from Namibia.
November 2018: PanSALB and the KSNLB strategic engagements meeting with NC Department of Education, NC Department of Sports, Arts & Culture, University of Namibia, Namibia Education, Sports and Cultural Affairs Department .
- Twinning agreement between Namibia and Northern Cape Province (South Africa) on education and cultural programmes for Khoi and San communities.
- Syllabus and Curriculum information exchange programmes.
- Teaching and Teacher Development programmes by the University of Namibia for Northern Cape / South Africa.
2004 – 2012: Teaching of Khwedam as Mother Tongue at foundation phase in Platfontein near Kimberley at XunKhweSA Combined School with the support of PanSALB through Molteno Project for the development of Teaching and Learning study materials.
- Teaching of Nama at various schools in the Northern Cape from Grade 1 to Grade 11 (Kuboes, Riemvasmaak, Steinkopf, Alexanderbay, Port Nolloth) and the provision of teaching and learning support materials through NADISA and SASI (Nama Development Institute of South Africa and South African San Institute).
4. PanSALB and the KSNLB can attest to the following spoken languages and not dialects in the case of the RSA.
- Khwedam, !Xunthali, Nama and !Nuu languages.
4. PanSALB and the KSNLB uncovered Khoi communities that strongly identifies with Nama in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape, Gauteng and the KZN province.
We will rely on STATSSA Census results and other statistical information to determine the true identity and speakers of the Nama language in this regard.