The government’s decision to publish important information in all 11 official languages and less crucial documents in at least six will cost it R39,3-million, according to the Budget.
Twenty-million brochures and 10 000 posters will be printed by June to raise awareness of the new national language policy.
That policy — to be accompanied by a language code of conduct for public servants — is expected to be finalised in Parliament by September. The Cabinet approved it last year.
“Where government is required to communicate comprehensive information, documents will be published in all 11 official languages. Otherwise, national government departments will publish documents simultaneously in at least six languages,” reads the entry under the headline “Service delivery objectives and indicators” in the arts, culture, science and technology Budget vote in the bulky, 839-page Estimates of National Expenditure.
As measurable objectives are a new feature of Budget documentation, it will not be clear what the R23,1-million allocation for the language services during the 2002/03 financial year was used for — until the arts department’s annual report is released.