Constitution Eighteenth Amendment Act in Force

Posted 26 June 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category New Legislation

Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The Constitution Eighteenth Amendment Act of 2023 has entered into force, officially designating South African Sign Language (SASL) as South Africa’s twelfth official language.

In terms of a recently gazetted presidential proclamation, the Constitution Eighteenth Amendment Act of 2023 amends section 6 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. Specifically, the Act inserts South African Sign Language into the list of official languages contained in section 6(1) of the Constitution.

The amendment also removes the explicit, separate reference to South African Sign Language from section 6(5)(a) of the Constitution. Consequently, the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) is now required under section 6(5)(a) to promote and create conditions for the development and use of all official languages (which now automatically includes South African Sign Language), as well as the Khoi, Nama, and San languages.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: No direct individual compliance obligations; however, professional awareness of South African Sign Language’s status as an official language is required when interacting with state organs or formal legal proceedings.
  • For your business: Businesses, particularly those in public-facing, legal, or financial services, should review their communication and accessibility policies to accommodate South African Sign Language as an official language.
  • For your clients: Clients operating in public sector environments, education, or regulated industries must ensure compliance with constitutional language policies and prepare for potential legislative directives regarding sign language accessibility.

Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/sign-language-constitution-amendment-act-in-force

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