Deaf in South Africa


Population
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

Some Deaf South Africans live in middle and upper-middle-class areas of large cities and small towns. Others maintain rural ancestral lands. Many families live in poorer townships. Most Deaf people live on social grants without jobs, either among their families or in disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. The Deaf are quite patient with hearing people however most of them don't know any way to communicate and tend to avoid them.

A few have more education, therefore better jobs. Deaf people don't see themselves as disabled, but communicate directly and literally with Sign Language's unique structure. Only now does the national Education Department realize that the Deaf need to learn South African Sign Language to achieve more.

The first Catholic Deaf school opened about 170 years ago. But there are very few yet today who follow Christ.

The Deaf generally socialize within their Deaf culture and language group and also with other dialects. Five aspects of any Sign Language include: hand shape, position in space, palm orientation, movement and expression. Sign dialects vary, with some aspects overlapping.

The few believers can't easily grow in faith, since they don't understand written Bibles. Perhaps 60-80 percent of Deaf people follow traditional African religious practices. About 1 to 3 percent are Muslim. Because a lack of accessible education creates low reading skills, the Deaf need Bibles their hearts can understand, which is South African Sign Language.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Deaf in South Africa.


Profile Source:   Anonymous  

People Name General Deaf
People Name in Country Deaf
Pronunciation def
Alternate Names
Population this Country 453,000
Population all Countries 49,661,000
Total Countries 216
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 3
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
People ID 19007
ROP3 Code 114916
ROP25 Code 301989
ROP25 Name Deaf
Country South Africa
Region Africa, East and Southern
Continent Africa
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Scattered.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country South Africa
Region Africa, East and Southern
Continent Africa
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Scattered..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Christianity
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
75.24 %
Ethnic Religions
13.68 %
Hinduism
1.20 %
Islam
1.73 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
8.15 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language South African Sign Language (453,000 speakers)
Language Code sfs   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language South African Sign Language (453,000 speakers)
Language Code sfs   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking South African Sign Language

Primary Language:  South African Sign Language

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (2021)
Bible-New Testament No
Bible-Complete No
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
None reported  
Photo Source Anonymous 
Profile Source Anonymous 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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