SA sign language bible on the way

The Reformed Church of SA is working on a South African sign language translation of the Bible, according to a report.

Beeld newspaper reported on Wednesday Ananda van der Walt, a part-time back-translator in Hands with Words' project to produce the sign language Bible, said there was a great need for this in the deaf community.

According to Van der Walt, it is the first time an attempt has been made to do produce a Bible in South African sign language.

For the deaf, to read a Bible in anything other than sign language is like reading something in a third or fourth language, she said.

Lisa Craye, executive director of Hands with Words said their goal was to complete 32 of the Bible's evangelical texts by end of this year.

The non-profit organisation has completed 16 since it started the project in 2013.