Johannesburg - The deadline for the creation of units to draw up policies allowing the public to get information in official languages, has been extended, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa said on Friday.
"It is with grave concern that I note the slow progress with regard to the implementation of the Use of Official Languages Act that stipulated that all national government departments, public entities, and public enterprises must have language policies in place by 2 November 2014," he said in a statement.
The new deadline was set for 2 May next year.
Mthethwa said the delay in implementation of the act could make it appear government had failed to implement its own regulations.
The language policies would need to be ready to be
gazetted for public comment by 31 March 2015.