ABSTRACT
Pierre de Villiers Pienaar is viewed as the founder of the speech and language therapy (SLT) profession in South Africa. The public—private distinction is characteristic of the profession in South Africa, and has been present since the early 1940s, that is, within the first decade of the existence of the profession in South Africa. The profession of SLT in South Africa was founded on the ‘Western model’, which originated in developed countries such as the United States. Several South African publications on child language impairment exist, including in international journals. In South Africa, practising SLTs mandatorily register with the HPCSA, and need to undergo a specified amount of continuous professional development each year to remain registered, some of which must be on ethics, human rights and/or medical law. The government pays SLTs in public health care posts. South African SLTs who treat children provide intervention primarily for language delay, language impairment and neurological conditions.
