Languages: 
A study conducted by a WSU Linguistics researcher, Sinoyolo Nokutywa suggests that semiotic language of South African drivers should be included in the K53 curriculum for learner drivers.
While South Africa has recently added Sign Language as a twelfth official language, Fanakalo and the South African drivers' semiotic language are amongst other languages used to communicate in the country.
Presenting at the Southern African Linguistics and Applied Linguistics Society (SALALS) conference held in the WSU Mthatha campus, Nokutywa, said: “The paper examines the signs of communication amongst South African drivers from different native languages and their meanings to improve South African road side signs and safety rules. A lot still needs to be done to improve our safety on the roads and improvements on K53 might also work.”
Nokutywa added that he discovered that this language is learned through experience on the roads and no one goes to school for it whether as a passenger or driver.
He said that the semiotic language of taxi drivers is the same in all SA’s nine provinces, both passengers and drivers understand it and is convenient for sending warnings on the roads.
“As much as there is no school for this language, but it works best for South Africa roads. A car can warn you of an accident or animals that are in the direction you are headed and that prevents accidents and fatalities on the road.”
The use of Semiotics and discourse analysis are used to examine data and convey information. Semiotics of language has been defined as the study of signs and sounds and their use in interaction.
Nokutywa stated in his paper that, he will be investigating the signs and sounds that the South African drivers use to communicate and interpret information.
“The language of semiotics is a standardized language for its users, even if it is not written down. Drivers communicate to give warnings, gratitude, or instructions when an accident is imminent,” said Nokutywa
Nokutywa also said, by learning this new language and having other drivers observe these signs, passengers also learn and benefit from this communication.
By Anita Roji & Nokuthula Fokazi
