by TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – EASTGATE Shopping Centre, Johannesburg has announced a collaboration with Convo South Africa to improve accessibility for the hard-of-hearing community.
Through this partnership, Eastgate now provides on-demand access to South African Sign Language (SASL) interpreters at customer service points across the centre.
Deaf and hard-of-hearing shoppers are able to scan quick response (QR) codes displayed at these points to connect with an interpreter via video call.
The service is quick, intuitive and offered at no cost to the customer. Marking a meaningful step in the centre’s drive to offer a more inclusive shopping experience, the initiative is now live.
“Inclusivity should not be an afterthought,” said Saadiyah Kahn, General Manager at Eastgate Shopping Centre.
“We’ve been looking closely at how we can better accommodate shoppers with varying needs, and this partnership with Convo is an important first move. We are committed to ensuring every customer feels seen, understood and respected.”
Approximately 4 million people in South Africa are hard-of-hearing
Convo provides interpreting and communication solutions that are accessible via smartphones, laptops and tablets. The service supports South African Sign Language and spoken languages including English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu and Sesotho, ensuring a wide range of users can engage on their own terms.
As one of the largest shopping centres in Johannesburg, Eastgate has over 200 retailers.
– CAJ News