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Language barrier emerged to be a predicament between the South African Police Services officials at the Soshanguve Police Station and foreign nationals. This came about during a site visit to the station by a delegation of members of the National Council of Provinces together with members of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature. The visit is part of the Taking Parliament to the People preliminary visit conducted by the delegates.

The barrier of language makes it complicated for South African Police Services officials to assist foreign nationals when they are victims of crime. They rely on using hand signs to communicate with them which in most cases does not result in writing of correct official statements. This challenge also applies when they are perpetrators of crime.

The delegates were informed that most of the foreign nationals that the police station deals with have no legal documents to be in South Africa and they also don’t have fixed addresses. In some cases, they even change their names which then results in the police being unable to keep a database of the foreign nationals.

The language barrier also appeared to be a challenge for educators at the Tsosoloso Special School which admits learners with severe behavioural problems.

The school has learners from SADC countries, East Africa, Central Africa and Europe. The school cannot provide home language for these foreigners and they are forced to learn at least one South African language.

The school admits learners from Grade R to Grade 9 and are placed through the Department of Social Development.

The challenge the department of social development faces after the children have completed their schooling and are adults is family reunification. The delegates were informed that there is often reluctance from the families to reunite with these children which then leads to these children being classified as children of the state.

The delegation also heard about the challenges educators face with separating the children according to age in the classrooms. In some cases, the elder ones fight the young ones and because they have severe behavioural challenges it becomes difficult for educators to separate the fights. Even though the educators are taken to training to deal with such situations it proves to not be enough.

A recommendation was made by the delegation to have the safety and security officials on site who are trained to deal with those situations.

The delegation will continue with a site visit tomorrow morning at the Odi Hospital and will end the programme with a public meeting which will be held in Suurman Community Hall at 16:00.

Issued by The Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of The NCOP leader of delegation, Mr Goerge Mthimunye