Demographics of South African Deafness
One web source said that in 1998 there were at least four million deaf and hard of hearing people in South Africa. According to the 2001 South African census (Statistics South Africa, www.statssa.gov.za), approximately 20 percent of all disabled people in South Africa have a hearing loss. As would be expected for a country with South Africa's history, unemployment and illiteracy are high in South Africa's deaf community.National Deaf Organization
South Africa's national organization for the deaf is DeafSA (formerly South African National Council for the Deaf). DeafSA, at www.deafsa.co.za, has been around since 1929. It has nine provincial chapters throughout South Africa.Two other national deaf/hoh organizations are Deafblind South Africa and SHHH South Africa, the South African organization for the hard of hearing.
Regional/Local Organizations
There is a Kwa Zulu Natal Deaf Association (www.tradepage.co.za/kznda). It is unclear from their website if the Kwa Zulu Natal Deaf Association is actually the Deaf Federation of Kwa Zulu Natal, one of the provincial chapters of DeafSA.
South African Sign Language
Estimates state that between 500,000 and 600,000 South Africans use SASL, the South African Sign Language. There are a few pictures of SASL on the DeafSA website, showing that SASL is similar to yet different from American sign language. For example, the sign for Mother is different from how we do it in the United States.As sign language has grown in South Africa - particularly baby sign language - a deaf nonprofit organization has formed to promote sign language. This nonprofit, Sign Language Education and Development (SLED), will have a website at www.signlanguageED.co.za. Until the new website is up, you can read about SLED at www.idcs.info/resource_library/education_for.html. Signing with hearing babies and children is being promoted through the Signsational Kids website, www.signingkids.co.za.
The Institute for the Deaf website (www.deafnet.co.za) has information on the history of sign language in South Africa.
Deaf Education in South Africa
South Africa has a long-established deaf education system. Statistics indicate that there are more than 40 schools for the deaf in South Africa. Just a few of them:- De la Bat School (run by Institute for the Deaf)
- Fulton School for the Deaf (www.fulton.org.za)
- Kutlwanong School for the Deaf (Rustenburg)
- Kwa Thintwa School for Hearing Impaired
- St. Vincent's School for the Deaf (Johannesburg)
- Vuleka School for the Blind and Deaf
Post-Secondary Deaf Education
The Institute for the Deaf, Worcester operates Deaf College South Africa, which trains deaf people for jobs.
Teacher of the Deaf Education Programs
The University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg has a deaf education program (www.umthombo.wits.ac.za/deafed). This program offers graduate programs in deaf education, and hosts a Centre for Deaf Studies (www.umthombo.wits.ac.za/deafed/cds.html)that focuses on teaching, research, and community service.Famous South African Deaf People
One of the best known deaf South Africans is Terrence Parkin, a former Olympian. Another well-known former deaf South African is Lindsay Dunn.Deaf South African Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen is reportedly the first deaf female in the world to be an elected official, with experience serving on the South Africa Parliament. (At the time this article was written, she was still a member of the Parliament, as seen at www.parliament.gov.za/pls/portal/web_app.app_view_person?p_id=2108&p_page_name=PARLIAMENT_MP). A profile of her was published in Focus on Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen - Disability World, Issue No.3, June-July 2000.
Deaf Service Organizations
The nonprofit Institute for the Deaf in Worcester (www.deafnet.co.za/department/1) provides services including services for multiply disabled deaf, runs two deaf churches, and provides audiological and mental health services.Community Service Organizations
A Deaf Child Centre at the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town provides preschool education and community services (web.uct.ac.za/depts/chu/dcc.htm). This Centre also does a lot of deafness research.The Carel du Toit Center (www.careldutoit.co.za) provides early childhood auditory-oral education. They are based in Cape Town, with additional satellite centers. In addition to providing auditory education services, the Center also engages in Community Outreach, helping families with hearing related needs and more practical needs such as food.
