For many years interpreters have been faced with a disturbing lack of official recognition of their work. The South African Translators Institute has confronted the very issue raised in the case of court interpreters, namely the matter of professional recognition for translators. SATI has always realized that recognition is a matter of quid pro quo – translators have rights, but they also have duties. Recognition cannot be given for nothing, and that is why the professionalisation has always been very high on the agenda of SATI. This will become clear in the course of this article.