ATC240820: Report of the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture on a letter dated 14 September 2023, from the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, requesting the Assembly to commence with the process outlined in the Pan South African Language Board Act (Act No. 59 of 1995) for the appointment of the Pan South African Language Board with amendments, Dated 20 August 2024

Sport, Arts and Culture

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture on a letter dated 14 September 2023, from the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, requesting the Assembly to commence with the process outlined in the Pan South African Language Board Act (Act No. 59 of 1995) for the appointment of the Pan South African Language Board with amendments, Dated 20 August 2024

 

The Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture (the “Portfolio Committee”), having considered the request of the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture to appoint new members to the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), reports as follows:

 

1. Introduction and Background

The Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) derives its mandate from section 6 (5) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. It is mandated to perform the following functions:

 

Promote, and create conditions for, the development and use of:

i. All official languages;

ii. The Khoi, Nama and San languages; and

iii. Sign language; and

 

Promote and ensure respect for-

i. all languages commonly used by communities in South Africa, including German, Greek, Gujurati, Hindi, Portuguese, Tamil, Telegu, and Urdu; and

ii. Arabic, Hebrew, Sanskrit and other languages used for religious purposes in South Africa.

iii. The promotion of multilingualism in South Africa.

 

PanSALB was established by an Act of Parliament (Act No. 59 of 1995, amended by Act No. 10 of 1999). The Act establishes the Board as a governance structure to oversee the operation of PanSALB. The Board is appointed by the Minister responsible for Arts and Culture for a term of five years. Members are eligible for reappointment for a further one term only.

 

As per the legislation, the former Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Hon. Kodwa, in consultation with the Portfolio Committee, appointed an ad hoc committee which facilitated the process of inviting the general public to nominate persons for the appointment to serve on the Board. All nomination documents including curriculum vitae (CVs) of nominees were submitted to the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture for processing.

 

On 11 December 2023, a call for nominations for members to serve on the PanSALB was advertised on the Department’s website with a closing date of 31 December 2023.  The call for nominations was also advertised by Parliament on its social media platforms.

 

The PanSALB ad hoc committee received a total of 136 nominations for 134 individuals to serve on the PanSALB board - two nominees were nominated twice. These nominations were duly forwarded to the Portfolio Committee on 09 January 2024.

 

As per section 5(a)(i) of the PanSALB Act, from the nominations forwarded to it by the PanSALB ad hoc committee, the Portfolio Committee is required to compile a short list of no more than 25 candidates to be interviewed. This section of the legislation further states that “when viewed collectively, (members of the board) are as representative as possible of the official languages as well as language skills, including but not limited to, interpreting, translation, terminology and lexicography, language and literacy teaching and language planning”.

 

2. Revival of the Committee Report tabled on 20 March 2024

It should be noted that this report was adopted and tabled in the 6^th Parliament on 20 March 2024. However, due to time constraints, the report was not considered by the National Assembly before the expiration of the term of the 6^th Parliament on 21 May 2024. According to Rule 333 of the National Assembly, the said report thus lapsed. The Committee of the 7^th Parliament chose to revive the lapsed report rather than restart the process of appointing a new PanSALB board. In a Committee meeting of 20 August 2024, the report was considered, with an amendment. This amendment is noted later in the report.

 

3. Selection of nominees to be interviewed

The nominations were tabled by the Portfolio Committee on 13 February 2024. After thorough scrutiny of the CVs, the Portfolio Committee met on 16 February 2024, and based on legislative requirements, it unanimously shortlisted the following 25 candidates to be interviewed:

 

No.	Name of Candidate
1.	Professor Rosethal Lolie Makhubu-Badenhorst
2.	Ms Nalini Maharaj
3.	Ms Mulalo Jane Dzivhani
4.	Ms Naledi Maponopono
5.	Ms Lesle Jansen
6.	Ms Maseje Felicia Nchabaleng
7.	Ms Clarinda Elizabeth Simpson
8.	Doctor Rajendran Thangavelu Govender
9.	Mr Piet Amos Thokwana
10.	Mr Abdul Qadir Chogle
11.	Doctor Nomakhosazana Hazel Rasana
12.	Doctor Mpho Dellynah Mudau
13.	Doctor Napjadi Eugene Letsoalo
14.	Doctor Fio Dolly Gaebeng Dlavane
15.	Doctor Godfrey Vulindlela Mona
16.	Doctor Dakalo Takalani
17.	Advocate Nontutuzelo Njeza
18.	Advocate Matsobane Gabriel Mello
19.	Advocate Toto Jeremiah Fiduli
20.	Doctor Tsholofelo Masetshaba Mosala
21.	Doctor Cedric Vuyo Dyanti
22.	Doctor Xolani Khohliso
23.	Mr Christopher Alois Thulani Phewa
24.	Mr Kgomotso Manfred Molebaloa
25.	Ms Bontle Lorato Rasebopye

 

The names of the shortlisted candidates were published on the parliamentary website on 29 February 2024 for public comment for a period of 14 days.

 

4. Members of the Interview Panel and Interviews
   1. Members of the Panel

The interview panel constituted of Members of the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture. The following members formed the panel to conduct the interviews:

 

Name of Member	Political Party
Hon BN Dlulane	African National Congress
Hon R Adams	African National Congress
Hon MA Zondi	African National Congress
Hon VV Malomane	African National Congress
Hon D Sibiya	African National Congress
Hon V Van Dyk	Democratic Alliance
Hon D Joseph	Democratic Alliance
Hon E Mthethwa	Economic Freedom Fighters
Hon BN Luthuli	Inkatha Freedom Party

 

1. Interviews

The Committee scheduled interviews on 15, 16 and 17 March 2024. From the 25 candidates who were short listed, 24 candidates were interviewed. One candidate, Mr. AQ Chogle, withdrew from the interview process. Each of the remaining candidates on this shortlist was interviewed by the Portfolio Committee.

 

5. Recommendations

A final short list of 19 candidates was compiled in terms of section 5(3)(b)(iii) of the PanSALB Act. The Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture recommends that the National Assembly adopts the following nominees to be considered by the Minister responsible for Sport, Arts and Culture for the appointment to the Board of the Pan South African Language Board:

No.	Gender	Title	Names	Surname
1	Female	Ms	Clarinda	Simpson
2	Male	Adv	Toto Jeremiah	Fiduli
3	Female	Dr	Fio Dolly Gaebeng	Dlavane
4	Female	Prof	Rosethal Lolie	Makhubu- Badenhorst
5	Female	Ms	Naledi	Maponopono
6	Female	Dr	Nomakhosazana Hazel	Rasana
7	Female	Ms	Nalini	Maharaj
8	Male	Dr	Rajendran Thangavelu	Govender
9	Male	Dr	Xolani	Khohliso
10	Male	Dr	Godfrey Vulindlela	Mona
11	Female	Dr	Dakalo	Takalani
12	Female	Ms	Lesle	Jansen
13	Female	Dr	Tsholofelo Masetshaba	Mosala
14	Male	Mr	Piet	Thokwana
15	Male	Dr	Napjadi Eugene	Letsoalo
16	Female	Adv	Nontutuzelo	Njeza
17	Female	Dr	Mpho Dellynah	Mudau
18	Female	Ms	Bontle Lorato	Rasebopye
19	Female	Ms	Maseje Felicia	Nchabeleng

 

6. Amendment to the previously adopted report

The Portfolio Committee notes that post the adoption of the original report on 20 March 2024, shortlisted candidate, Dr Nomakhosazana Hazel Rasana, sadly passed away on 19 May 2024. The previous list of 19 candidates to be forwarded to the Minister is thus reduced to 18 candidates.

 

7. Declaration

The Portfolio Committee has agreed and adopted the final of 18 candidates to be forwarded to the Minister pending State Security Agency clearance report for each candidate.

 

 

8. Conclusion

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture is satisfied with the process it followed to compile the final short list of candidates. The Portfolio Committee conveys its gratitude to all individuals who expressed an interest to serve on the board of this prime constitutional entity. The Portfolio Committee notes that the level of interest expressed signifies and reiterates the important role the Pan South African Language Board plays in the development, promotion, and protection of all official languages of South Africa, including the Khoe, Nama and San languages.

 

It is noted that after consultation with the Portfolio Committee, the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture will appoint a board consisting of no fewer than 11 and no more than 15 members from the candidates appearing on the final short list.

 

The Portfolio Committee wishes to thank the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the PanSALB ad hoc Committee, the staff of Parliament’s Office on Institutions Supporting Democracy, and the support staff of the Portfolio Committee in processing the nominations.

 

Report to be considered.