Bug 163536 - The decimal indicater for numeric values in South Africa must be a comma
Summary: The decimal indicater for numeric values in South Africa must be a comma
Status: NEEDINFO
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Localization (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
24.8.0.0 alpha0+
Hardware: All All
: medium normal
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2024-10-19 21:51 UTC by Johan C. Herselman
Modified: 2024-10-22 10:17 UTC (History)
1 user (show)

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Description Johan C. Herselman 2024-10-19 21:51:10 UTC
In South Africa the comma is used as decimal in numeric values. In version 24.2.5.2 (X86_64) I could use a comma as decimal in these cases but in version 24.8.2 I the decimal is displayed as a dot. 

Here is an extract from the "Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI)" as applicable in South Africa (Country 27):
With the publication of South African Government Notice R.1146 on 5 June 1974 the comma became the only recognized decimal indicator in South Africa for all numbers, including amounts of money. For numbers smaller than 1 a zero must precede the decimal indicator.

Can this issue be corrected?
Comment 1 ady 2024-10-20 02:56:06 UTC
This was changed following tdf#159829.

I have no idea which decimal separator should be considered as correct; I am just mentioning the source of this behavior, starting in LO 24.8.
Comment 2 Glen A. 2024-10-20 08:36:56 UTC
Johan,

As a fellow South African, I urge you to reconsider posting this as a bug.

While it's true that the comma is the "standard", the reality is that most companies and organizations in South Africa use the period, and this fact has been applied to the CLDR in https://unicode-org.atlassian.net/browse/CLDR-16247.

Here is a list of such companies:

Officially Government in South Africa uses the decimal comma (,):

SA Government (root website) uses decimal comma on web pages and some documents:

https://www.gov.za/

Official document that standardises use of the decimal comma:

http://www.gcis.gov.za/sites/default/files/editorial_styleguide_2011.pdf

HOWEVER most Government departments, businesses, banks, media and technical persons in South Africa use the decimal period (.):

Most SA Government websites including tax collections and education use the decimal period

Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (for all business registrations)

http://www.cipc.co.za
http://www.cipc.co.za/index.php/download_file/view/81173/157/ (see percentages at end of report)
http://annualreturns.cipc.co.za/docs/Step-by-step%20guide%20on%20how%20to%20file%20AR_v5.0.pdf

SA Reserve Bank

https://www.resbank.co.za/en/home
https://www.resbank.co.za/en/home/what-we-do/banknotes-and-coin/history-of-banknotes-and-coin

SA Revenue Service

https://sars.co.za/
https://www.sars.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/Docs/AEOI/SARS_External_BRS_2016_Automatic_Exchange_of_Information_v_2_0_0-25.pdf
https://www.sarsefiling.co.za/

SA Government Weather Service

https://www.weathersa.co.za/ (uses decimal period in most of their documents)
https://www.weathersa.co.za/Documents/Corporate/Regional%20Weather%20and%20Climate_Gauteng_16042021150251.pdf

SA Education Department

https://www.education.gov.za/

SA Universities generally use the decimal period

https://www.wits.ac.za/
http://www.uct.ac.za/
http://www.dsa.uct.ac.za/student-housing/off-campus-student-accommodation-services/accommodation

SA Banks use the decimal period

Standard Bank

https://www.standardbank.co.za/southafrica/personal/products-and-services/grow-your-money/savings-and-investment/our-accounts

ABSA (Bank)

https://www.absa.co.za/indices/

FNB (Bank)

https://www.fnb.co.za/rates/ForeignExchangeRates.html (click "View Rates")

Nedbank

https://www.nedbank.co.za/

Tyme Bank

https://www.tymebank.co.za/

SA Accounting businesses use the decimal period

Payments Association South Africa

http://www.pasa.org.za/national-payment-system/overview

Sage accounting (solution to the problem of decimal period built into the software)

https://www.as2.co.za/evolution-200-recommended-regional-settings/

Omni accounts

https://www.omniaccounts.co.za/
https://www.omniaccounts.co.za/check-out

Smart-IT

https://www.smart-it.co.za/
https://www.smart-it.co.za/pricing/

Web Accounting

https://www.webaccounting.co.za/
https://www.webaccounting.co.za/index.php/products/add-on-modules

South African shops use the decimal period

https://www.checkers.co.za/
https://www.pnp.co.za/
https://www.takealot.com/
https://www.woolworths.co.za/
https://www.jetonline.co.za/
https://www.jetclub.co.za/p/5000-funeral-benefit.html

South African news media uses decimal period

https://iafrica.com/
https://ewn.co.za/
https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/
https://www.timeslive.co.za/
https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/

SA Engineering software uses the decimal period

https://www.prokon.com/
https://www.prokon.com/technical-article/2245/
https://modelmaker.co.za/
https://modelmaker.co.za/pricing-zar/

Computer keyboards sold in SA use the decimal period unless specially ordered as German-type

https://tech.co.za/product/dell-business-multimedia-kb522-keyboard-580-17667/
https://www.incredible.co.za/
https://www.incredible.co.za/microsoft-wired-keyboard-600
https://www.laptopdirect.co.za/
https://www.laptopdirect.co.za/Genius-GEN-KB116-p-253338.php

--

Using a comma means that we cannot even paste a currency amount from our banks or revenue service into a spreadsheet, which kills productivity.

How is the use of a period affecting your work?