South African Sign Language Lessons – Parents & Siblings

Nowadays when we talk about family it includes so much more than parents and siblings, and some of the people we feel as close to as family may not even be related to us. But basic conversations, particularly introductory ones, tend to focus on parents and siblings, which is why these are the words that Thabo discusses in today’s South African Sign Language lesson.

Remember to watch through to the end to see alternative ways of signing mother, father and parents.

Having difficulty viewing the video? Try this link.

Studio 05 School of Fashion

In Connect

It was a school teacher who inspired Fumbi Adebolaso and Thandiwe Zumi to follow their dream, and thanks to their dedication, and the Studio 05 School of Fashion, they are on their way to realising their dream.

DTV spent time with Cecilia Mungofa, the founder of Studio 05, and her students at the institute, and later also attended the school’s annual student fashion show.

In South African Sign Language Lessons

We’ve covered vegetables before in our South African Sign Language lessons, but we revisit the topic today focusing on specific vocabulary, and different ways of signing the same phrase.

Grab a carrot to snack on as you watch today’s lesson.

In Candice @

Roller derby originated in Chicago in the early 1930s, with the term trademarked in 1935, and a more structured gameplay implemented in 1937. In its early years it was a moderately successful sport, but it began growing in popularity across the US after a game was broadcast on network TV.

The current popularity of the sport in South Africa can be attributed to Melinda Lotz who became interested in roller derby after watching Whip-It in 2010. Together with Candice van Niekerk, Melinda formed the very first Roller Derby League, and the league now has more than 120 members across South Africa.

Watch as DTVs Candice Morgan learns more about this exciting sport both off AND on the track!

In Crazy Colin

Colin continues to surprise us with his magic.

DTV Broadcast Times
This episode is broadcast on Saturday, 31 January 2015 at 12h00 (CAT), and repeated on Sunday, 01 February 2015 at 02h30 (CAT). Only on SABC 3.

South African Sign Language Lessons – Relationships

The words and phrases Thabo will be using in this week’s South African Sign Language lesson all relate to romantic relationships:

  • Girlfriend/Boyfriend
  • Good luck
  • Next year
  • Married
  • Engaged
  • Wedding

How would you use them in a casual conversation?

Having difficulty viewing the video? Try this link.

New Feature – Weekly DTV Newsletter

Each week the DTV website and Facebook Page is updated with information on the next episode of DTV, along with the weekly SASL lesson and other news that relates to the show and the Deaf community. This includes any changes to the broadcast time, as made by the SABC.

However, the Facebook news algorithm naturally limits how many people see each status update from Pages, so if you aren’t visiting the DTV website on a fairly regular basis, there will always be a chance that you miss certain updates. To help minimise this risk we will be publishing a weekly email newsletter from Friday, 30 January 2015.

This newsletter will contain a summary of all news and updates posted to the DTV website and Facebook Page during the week, along with a reminder of the broadcast times for that week’s episode. All delivered direclty to your email inbox every Friday afternoon.

How do you get The DTV Weekly Update? It’s as easy as filling in your details in the subscription form to the right of this post (or following this link if you’re on a mobile phone). Rest assured that we fully comply with all applicable laws in South Africa, meaning:

  • your email address will never be sold, or shared, with anyone
  • your email address will only be used to send you the weekly newsletter
  • you can easily unsubscribe at any time

Note that we make use of a double opt-in process, meaning that after you have entered your details on the subscription form you will receive an email that requires you to confirm your subscription by following a link.

Please contact us at if you have any questions relating to this, or if you have any suggestions for us.

Ilze Saunders – Miss Earth South Africa 2014

In Candice @

Miss Earth South Africa is a leadership programme for young South African woman centred around the environment and sustainability. Under the directorship of Catherine Constantinides, the programme manages several projects ranging from climate change, to water and energy conservation and even several maritime initiatives. The programme’s tree planting initiative has already planted more than 20,000 trees across South Africa.

Each year the programme selects a Miss Earth South Africa ambassador who, during that year, serves as a spokeswomen for the organisation, and helps create awareness of the organisations various projects. Today Candice meets Ilze Saunders, the Miss Earth South Africa ambassador for 2014.

In South African Sign Language Lessons

Mother, Father, brother’s and sister’s. Today’s South African Sign Language lesson is all about immediate family.

Join Thabo as he teaches you the vocabulary associated with them.

In Connect

Early in 2014 the DTV team travelled to Tanzania to present a Zwakala Africa workshop, and during their time in Dar Es Salaam they also got to visit some interesting local projects.

Join us as Mr Mhando from Chavita shows us around the Wonder Workshop, where people with disabilities learn valuable skills and go on to make incredible artwork and products to sell.

In Crazy Colin

Colin isn’t done with his mind-blowing magic. Tune in for more astounding tricks from this master magician.

DTV Broadcast Times
This episode is broadcast on Saturday, 24 January 2015 at 12h00 (CAT), and repeated on Sunday, 25 January 2015 at 02h30 (CAT). Only on SABC 3.

Free DTV 2015 Calendar

We live in a digital age, with calendar’s and calendar apps available to us on our computers, phones and tablets. Despite this, every now and again we need a physical calendar to serve as a visual reminder, or just to quickly look up a date weeks and months from now.

To help with that, we have designed our own simple desk calendar for you to download, print, and place wherever you may need it most. The calendar also includes all our contact details, and highlights all the South African public holidays for 2015.

It really is as simple as download, print, cut and fold.

Download.

We hope you enjoy it, and if you do, please take the time to share it with your friends.

Wits Centre for Deaf Studies

In Connect

The Centre for Deaf Studies at Wits was formed around the idea of improving the standards of training available to teachers of the Deaf, and to continually carry out important research in the field of Deaf Education. The Centre offers everything from academic programmes, through to research papers and other resources that are available to students and the public.

In 2014 the Centre celebrated its 15th anniversary, and the DTV team was there to cover the event. The event not only recognised the achievements of the Centre for Deaf Studies, but also the achievements of three individuals who have dedicated their lives to empowering the Deaf, and promoting Deaf awareness.

In South African Sign Language Lessons

Today Thabo introduces us to vocabulary related to romantic relationships – from dating through to engagement and marriage. With Valentine’s Day just a few weeks away, it is a rather appropriate topic.

In Candice @

Candice meets Alison Moschetta who, in early 2014, opened the L.U.C.C.A Support & Care Centre. As a mother of a child with special needs, Alison felt there was always something missing from traditional approaches to caring for special needs children, and the services and facilities offered by L.U.C.C.A aim to address that.

In Crazy Colin

Colin isn’t done with his mind-blowing magic. Tune in for more astounding tricks from this master magician.

DTV Broadcast Times
This episode is broadcast on Saturday, 17 January 2015 at 12h00 (CAT), and repeated on Sunday, 18 January 2015 at 02h30 (CAT). Only on SABC 3.

South African Sign Language Lessons – Revision

Revision is an important part of learning any new skill, and today’s South African Sign Language lesson is exactly that. Thabo looks at the vocabulary that was introduced over the past five episodes, giving you an opportunity to test yourself.

Don’t forget that all the recent SASL lessons are available to watch at any time on our YouTube channel.

The Man from Eikenhof

In Connect

This week DTV features an exlusive interview with Sean Allan that you won’t want to miss.

Sean grew up in Eikenhof, and attended St Vincent School for the Deaf, but his life took a dramatic turn when he was arrested in Thailand in 1996 and charged with drug trafficking. Sean would spend the next 9-years in one of the world’s worst prisons, before being released on a Royal pardon and allowed to return to South Africa.

While this harrowing chapter in his life will stay with him forever, Sean hasn’t allowed it to stop him from rebuilding his life and becoming a successful entrepreneur.

PLEASE NOTE: This week’s episode of DTV does not include a South African Sign Language lesson.

DTV Broadcast Times
This episode is broadcast on Saturday, 10 January 2015 at 12h00 (CAT), and repeated on Sunday, 11 January 2015 at 02h30 (CAT). Only on SABC 3.