Pan South African Language Board

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Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB)

The Pan South African Language Board is a South African organization created in 1995 to promote multilingualism, develop and preserve the 12 official languages, and protect language rights. It also supports languages used by communities in the country, including Khoe, San, and Nama.

Formation and purpose
- Established by Parliament under Act 59 of 1995.
- Headquarters: Arcadia, Pretoria.
- Official languages: 12 languages, including Afrikaans, English, isiZulu, isiXhosa, isiNdebele, isiSotho, isiSwati, isiTsonga, isiTswana, isiVenda, and South African Sign Language.

What PanSALB does
- Works to promote multilingualism and language development.
- Protects language rights in South Africa.

Structures
- Provincial Language Committees (PLCs)
- National Language Bodies (NLBs)
- National Lexicography Units (NLUs)

Recent collaboration
- In 2023, PanSALB joined with SADiLaR and Wikimedia ZA in the SWiP project to boost vernacular languages on Wikipedia and online spaces. The project includes author training on creating content, citing sources, and adding photos.

A note from history
- In January 2016, the Minister dissolved the entire PanSALB board after a report on finances showed rising administrative costs (from 8 million to 11 million ZAR) while mandate-related spending fell (from 23 million to 17 million ZAR) and irregular expenditure totaling 28 million ZAR.

Website: pansalb.org