News Wrap: Sign Language becomes SA’s 12th official language 

Sign Language becomes SA’s 12th official language 

Sign language has officially become the 12th official language in South Africa. This after a bill making it official was passed by the National assembly. Even though South African Sign Language is not universally-recognised, the committee said government wanted to promote the language and its dialects.

City’s Emergency Call Centre records close to 3.000 calls over the past week

The City of Cape Town says its Public Emergency Communication Centre received more than 2,900emergency calls over the past few days. During the past week, the City’s Law Enforcement Department officers conducted more than 500 enforcement operations, resulting in 223 arrests and 3 297 fines. Officers attached to the Law Enforcement Advancement Plan accounted for nearly 200 of the arrests made.

Gordhan heads to China for deal to hopefully end South Africa’s rail crisis 

Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, is leading a delegation to China, to resolve the current rail crisis.
The delegation will meet its counterparts in the Chinese government to talk about the delivery of locomotives and spare parts. Transnet halted the supply of over a thousand locomotives from the Chinese state-owned rail equipment supplier after claiming contracts worth over R54-billion rand had been awarded irregularly in 2014

New design for coins gazetted 

National Treasury has gazetted the specifications on the design of new coins.
The gazette revealed several changes to some of the animals featured on the coins.
The various coins will also feature different official languages which will be alternated for the next ten years.
The new coins were announced in August last year where cabinet approved the design and the changes to be implemented.