Deaf and blind people picketed outside the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Thursday to support a deaf pupil who is fighting to have sign language declared an official language in schools.
"We as the KwaZulu-Natal Blind and Deaf Society fully support Kyle Springate in his attempts to have sign language declared an official language in schools," said KwaZulu-Natal Blind and Deaf Society CEO, Jace Nair.
With the help of the Legal Resource Centre, Springate, a matric pupil at Westville High School, filed court papers against the education department in June.
The department was expected to file its own papers on Thursday after it failed to meet the July 5 deadline.
Kyle was accompanied by his two brothers and his parents.
Nair said he was happy that Springate had decided to take the matter to court.
"Our organisation has been lobbying for the sign language to be declared an official language in schools for a long time now. We have had meetings with the department but nothing materialised," he said.
The Legal Resources Centre's Willene Holness said the date for the hearing would be set on Thursday. - Sapa