In this article, the author gives an introduction to the language situation in South Africa. She also examines the existing paradigms of interpretation at community level in order to determine which possibilities may be considered for the South African situations. Since this type of interpretation has already been investigated on a world-wide basis, some insight should be provided by means of obtaining an overview of the terminology, role definitions and implementation models which are used within the frameworks of different schools of thought. In the light thereof, the problematics of the South African context may then be considered anew, so that possible applications of existing models, as well as shifts of emphasis which will probably be necessary, may be considered.