PNC Workshop

1
PNC Workshop

• 24/10/2006

2
Question 1

• PNC to facilitate socio-economic development of
  society through ICTs
• From the public
• To find the gaps
• Infrastructure (ICT)
• Level of access
• ICT literacy solutions

3
PNC

• Solution advisory recommendation
• Status both formal and informal

4
DOC

• Develop policies they need to be available in
  all languages
• Information about accessibility to the public
  Telecommunication service delivery such as post
  offices, telephone
• Affordability expensive or not? A challenge that
  need to be investigated
• Coordination between PNC and DOC

5
DOC

• Both formal and informal e.g. policies are formal
• Mode and medium Electronic (internet,telecentres,
  public information terminal
• Multipurpose community centres
• Broadcasting
• Sign language (outsourcing)
• Print
• Road show for e-awareness

6
DOC

• Verbal and oral
• Pamphlets
• Challenges
• Translation of information into local languages
  (because non is in local languages)

7
SITA

• Clients Government departments (websites)
• Deal with the public through these departments.
• What can the SITA do to enhance its services to
  both government and the public?
• SMS application initiative to help the public.
• Have developed text-to-speech for isiZulu and
  Southern Sotho. It has not been distributed to
  the public yet.

8
SITA

• Supportive formal information
• Electronic internet, website, fax, email, sms
• Print
• Seminars (verbal)
• Challenges to work together with clients in
  order that information reach the public

9
DWAF (Water affairs and forestry)

• Language unit is new in this department
• Falls under internal communication
• Three language practitioners one for English and
  Afrikaans, one for Nguni languages and one for
  Sotho group.
• Editors and Translators
• There is no direct interaction with the public,
  but through communications directorate.

10
DWAF

• Information concerning forestry and water
  services
• Want to find how they can correspond with the
  public
• Formal
• Telephone, internet, email, web intranet (inside
  clients)
• Print

11
DWAF

• Challenges
• Have own directorate
• Staffing
• Expanding in local languages

12
DAC

• Diverse department with various sections
• Advertisements to people to come forward with
  particular projects
• In the National Language Services there is
  translation, language policy and development.
• Foreign languages
• Provides promotional and formal information

13
DAC

• Dont actually need something directly from the
  public.
• But the challenges have been identified
• Terminology development standardisation (do
  people accept these terms?)
• HLT is also a challenge

14
DAC

• Written and Spoken
• Telephonically, electronically, posters, fax
• Celebration of events, e.g. heritage day
• Challenges
• HLT
• Sign language and interpreting
• Terminology data base

15
DAC

• Freelance transation
• No legislation to enforce the language policy
• Lack of understanding of the non language
  management

16
DOE

• Textbooks in mother tongue
• Mother-tongue teaching
• How much can mother-tongue teaching improve
  learning
• Local radio stations can help in the delivery
• Target teachers, parents, business
• Formal information

17
DOE

• Spoken and written
• All media depending on the target audience
• Challenges
• Needs more staff
• More translation to African languages
• Quality control of the translated material into
  African languages
• Lack of standard terminology
• Lack of good African Language dictionary

18
DSD (SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT)

• To serve the poorest of the poor
• What kind of services are offered in the
  department
• Social security different types
• Welfare services poverty alleviation programmes
• Radio, TV, newspaper are used to communicate
  with the public

19
DSD

• Both formal and informal e.g. imbizos are
  informal
• Print (publicity material, newspaper, posters,
  letters)
• Electronic (Fax, website, email, cellphone,
  radio, TV)
• Verbal (workshops, conferences, seminars,
  imbizos) and door-to-door campaign
• Inability to use Braille
• Translation is a challenge
• Budget

20
DSD

• Challenges
• Specialised unit that have language specialists
• Translation service
• Budget used for campaigns
• Research capacity in ICTs
• Sustainable projects
• Legislation to enforce language policies

21
Wish list

• DOC
• To have ICT information available in all
  languages
• Affordability to all users
• DWAF
• To workshop service providers
• To have access to the localized keyboards

22
Wish list

• Increase budget and staff
• Local radio stations to promote local languages
• Consultation services for verification for
  certain terms
• DOE
• National language services serving the whole
  nation
• Implementing language policy

23
Wish list

• DSD
• Specialised language unit which is centrally
  coordinated
• Instrument (legislative or non legislative) to
  enforce language policy
• To have information centers accessible to all
  communities