FEATURE
Writer: Elias Tibane
GCIS scoops PanSALB
Multilingualism Award
A
t a glittering
or programme in the public
the GCIS is responsible for
Tshivenḓa and Xitsonga –
ceremony held
sector that seeks to promote
providing strategic leadership
which enables the former
in Sandton near
multilingualism or any of the
and coordinating government
marginalised languages to
Johannesburg on 15 June
11 official languages, including
communications to ensure
flourish.
2022, the Pan South African
Khoi, Nama, San as well as
that the public is informed
Language Board (PanSALB)
South African Sign Language'.
and has access to govern-
past years been consistently
awarded the Multilingualism
Congratulating the language
ment programmes and poli-
producing some of its com-
cies that benefit them.
munication material in all the
The GCIS has over the
Award in the Government/
unit team, GCIS Director-
Public Sector category to the
General Phumla Williams
Government Communica-
said: “Thank you for flying the
of the Republic of South Af-
to handling various ad hoc
tion and Information System
GCIS flag high.”
rica of 1996 guarantees equal
communication products, the
(GCIS).
Section 6 of the Constitution
official languages. In addition
status to 11 official languages
department’s language unit is
The certificate and trophy
mandate to provide the public
– Afrikaans, English, isiNde-
also responsible for partially
were 'for an effective service
with information that is timely,
bele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi,
translating articles for the
delivery campaign, project
accurate and accessible,
Sesotho, Setswana, Siswati,
fortnightly Vuk’uzenzele
By virtue of its constitutional
newspaper and the Cabinet Statement. It also harvests, develops and consolidates relevant terminology. During the national lockdown, the unit was at the forefront of making information on COVID-19 timeously available in all official languages. It also facilitated translations into the two dominant Southern African Development Community languages, Portuguese and Flying the GCIS flag high are Boitumelo Phalatse, Elias Tibane, Nomgcibelo Motha and Thandolunye Magudulela.
22
French.
Public Sector Manager • June 2022
