A first of its kind on the African continent, a handbook on Legal Languages and the quest for linguistic equality in South Africa and beyond by Rhodes University alumna Dr. Zakeera Docrat, in partnership with Professor Russell Kaschula and Professor Monwabisi Ralarala, has been launched.
The handbook is based on Dr. Docrat’s PhD thesis awarded from Rhodes University in 2020. In a recent virtual launch of the book, Dr. Docrat said the decision to make English the official language of record in all courts in the Republic of South Africa was what informed her decision to do research on this and write a book. The matter dates back to 2014 where a meeting was held by heads of court and it was resolved that the sole official language of record in South Africa should be English. This resolution was reaffirmed in 2017. Dr. Docrat shared that Chapter 4 of the book examines why this decision is dangerous to society.
She said we often see transformation as only racial or gender-focused and we exclude languages that also form a part of the transformation. Among what she wanted to achieve with this book, was access to justice using all official languages spoken and understood by South Africans and beyond.
“Courtrooms on their own are unnerving and I wondered how terrifying it is to not being able to understand what is happening and not being able to express yourself in your language, the questions are asked in English and not only are people intimidated by the environment but by the language itself,” she said.
Dr. Docrat shares that on this twelve-year journey of research, she’s has learnt that it’s easy to criticise but the difficult task is to come up with solutions. The handbook does not only question or criticises but, also comes with solid recommendations which can be implemented in the South African legal system policies.
University of the Western Cape’s Professor Russel Kaschula said the 10-chapter handbook was adapted to reach a wider audience. “It is not just a law textbook; it’s a diverse text relevant to various fields from psychology, law, linguistics, sociology, to criminology and beyond,” said Professor Kaschula.
Judge Belinda Hartle stated that the book authors confirmed what has been identified in the past that the current system of interpretation in South Africa is not of high quality and there’s a shortage of interpreters.
Dr. Docrat is currently a vice-chairperson for Indigenous Languages Action Forum (ILAF), a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Forensic Linguistics/Language and Law at the University of the Western Cape.
Dr Docrat has received NRF funding in the form of scholarships and bursaries for the following degrees: Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in African Languages; Master of Arts Degree in African Languages with a focus on Language and Law; PhD in African Languages with a focus on Forensic Linguistics/Language and Law, and a Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2020.