For deaf people, the biggest obstacle to accessing education is the difficulty of finding interpreters – and this is the case at Rhodes University.
For deaf people, the biggest obstacle to accessing education is the difficulty of finding interpreters – and this is the case at Rhodes University.
Deaf educator, Mfundo Lebaka, gave a presentation for Disability Week at the University on 14 May.
Asanda Katshwa was his Sign Language interpreter at the well-attended event.
Lebaka was born deaf, a fact his parents discovered when he was six months old.
He started pre-school at age four and completed matric at age 21 and is now studying for his Bachelor of Education through Unisa.
Lebaka has worked as a sign language tutor at the University of the Witwatersrand.
He was also a volunteer educator and supervisor at Kha Ri Gude, an organisation that teaches adults literacy and numeracy.
Lebaka currently works as a Social Auxiliary Worker at DeafSA Eastern Cape and received a teaching award in March this year.
Lebaka is at Rhodes for two weeks, along with Katshwa, to teach second-year English Language and Linguistics students basic Sign Language.
Katshwa can hear, but her first language is Sign Language, because both her parents are deaf. She translated Lebaka’s presentation into English, her third language.
Witnessing Lebaka’s facial expression, body language and the energy that accompanied his signing put verbal speakers and hearers to shame.
His silent communication spoke louder than the words that Katshwa related to the audience.
The biggest obstacle to accessing education is the availability of interpreters, Lebaka said.
He said he would like to do an honours degree in his home province, at Rhodes; however, like most South African tertiary institutes, the university doesn't offer the Deaf community this opportunity.
Lebaka is also concerned about the barriers deaf people face in everyday life.
He gave the example of the glass that separates clients from bank tellers, who cannot assist Deaf people with normal banking requests.
Lebaka's audience learned that he feels the most joy being among the Deaf community at his church, where the congregation and the pastor are deaf.
“Everything is fully accessible at church. "We also have a Deaf club where we play sport together and it’s a joy to be a part of,” Lebaka signed.
