Clearwater Mall is making shopping easier for everyone. The Roodepoort shopping destination has introduced an on-demand South African Sign Language (SASL) interpreting service in partnership with Deaf-owned Convo South Africa — a simple QR-code video link that connects shoppers instantly to a live interpreter. The move removes a practical barrier that has long made routine errands stressful for Deaf and hard-of-hearing customers, and it sets a new accessibility standard for retail in the West Rand.
This is low-friction access: there’s no app to download, no registration, and no cost to the customer. Shoppers point their phone camera at a conspicuous green QR code at customer service desks and information points, and they’re connected within seconds to a qualified SASL interpreter who relays the conversation in real time. The service also supports English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu and Sesotho for mixed-language interactions. Convo’s QR-first “Convo Access” model has been used in public spaces elsewhere and is designed specifically so businesses can offer interpreting without complex tech rollouts.
“People come to the mall to get things done. If they can’t communicate with staff, the experience is broken,” says Prianka Singh Rodgers, Marketing Manager at Clearwater Mall. “CONVO means that we are removing a communication barrier.” Mall staff have been trained to recognise and guide Deaf customers to the QR points so the in-person experience runs smoothly from day one.
Convo South Africa is Deaf-owned and Deaf-led, and launched nationally with a suite of relay and interpreting services in recent years. The company has been recognised for innovation in multilingual access and technology, and its Convo Access product is explicitly built for places where face-to-face interactions matter — shops, clinics, service counters and public transport hubs.
Why this matters: the scale of hearing loss in South Africa
Hearing loss is common in South Africa. Recent sector reports and public-awareness material cite figures of millions of South Africans who are Deaf or have significant hearing impairment — and roughly 600,000 people who use South African Sign Language (SASL) as their primary language. That mix of large numbers and a relatively small pool of SASL users makes on-demand interpreting a practical, inclusive tool: it creates rights-based access without the need for a full-time, on-site interpreter at every location. For many Deaf customers, an interpreter on-tap changes a tense shopping interaction into a dignified, independent transaction.
A simple innovation with outsized impact
Accessibility improvements are often dismissed as niche or costly. But QR-triggered interpreting is inexpensive to deploy, invisible to most shoppers until it’s needed, and immediately empowering to Deaf customers. When malls and retailers adopt this kind of service, the benefits ripple: better customer satisfaction, fewer miscommunications at tills and service desks, and a clearer, more inclusive brand reputation. Chelsea Williamson, General Manager at CONVO South Africa, says the uptake among shopping centres is encouraging: “Clearwater Mall understands that accessibility isn’t a nice-to-have feature. When Deaf customers can communicate freely with staff, everyone benefits.”
What shoppers should know
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Where: Clearwater Mall, Roodepoort (information desks and customer service points). clearwatermall.co.za
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How it works: Scan the green Convo QR code with your phone camera → connect via video to a live SASL interpreter → proceed with the conversation. No app, no sign-up, no cost.
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Languages: SASL plus English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu and Sesotho. Facebook
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Mall hours (for planning visits): Monday–Thursday & Saturday 9:00–19:00; Friday 9:00–21:00; Sunday 9:00–17:00.
Why retailers should pay attention
Retailers that set a baseline for accessibility don’t just comply with social expectations — they expand their customer base. A Deaf customer who can transact independently is more likely to return and recommend the mall. For centre management, QR-based interpreting scales across many service points with minimal overhead. For staff, a brief training module mitigates uncertainty: staff can direct customers to the QR code and the interpreter handles the rest.
Beyond convenience: right to communication
Access to communication is a human right. South Africa’s recognition of South African Sign Language as an official language in recent years adds moral and legal weight to initiatives like Convo Access. For many Deaf customers, having their language recognised and supported in everyday spaces — shops, clinics, banks — is symbolic and practical progress.
What’s next
Other malls and retailers will watch how the rollout performs in the West Rand. If the partnership between Clearwater Mall and Convo proves smooth and popular, it could be the model for a wider wave of immediate interpreting adoption across South African retail and public services. For customers and families who have navigated the exhausting choreography of repeat miscommunication, the convenience of “scan, connect, chat” is more than a gadget – it’s independence.
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More information: Visit Clearwater Mall’s official site or Convo South Africa’s Convo Access pages for technical FAQs and guidance on where to find the QR codes in the centre.
