International day for persons living with disabilities

As the world commemorated the 2024 International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) and 30 years of South African democracy, constituency of persons with disabilities in the Limpopo province representing all the district municipalities gathered at the Invaraan Multipurose Centre, Blouberg on the 5th of December.

With the theme “celebrating 30 years of democracy, creating a disability inclusive society for better quality of life and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities” the disability sector is still faced with exclusion of doing business with government and lack of accessibility with public transport to move around.

However, the Limpopo province is working towards the amplification of inclusivity by ensuring that individuals with disabilities are employed in competitive integrated settings and earning a living wage that will allow them to live independently in their community of choice.

Government has 7% target to employ persons with disability by the year 2030, and currently sitting at 3% with about 495 people employed.

Leeto la Polokwane bus services is one of the progressive projects that seeks inclusivity in the province by having a mode of transport that caters for people in the disability sector. Modification of government buildings and malls have been one of the milestones in 30 years of democracy ensuring that no person is left behind regardless of any disabilities.

Speaking on behalf of Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba, MEC for Social Development Florence Radzilani emphasised the importance of communities learning about the rights of persons with disabilities and supporting organisations that advocate for the inclusion of disability to create an environment that enables all to perform and get services.

Taking stock of the progress made in 30 years on representation and inclusion of persons with disability, a member of South African National Association of the blind and partially sighted person Ms Ramusi Ratshwene gave background on how the organisation was established in 1986 by blind students at the University of the North, which was responding to challenges that were faced by blind and partially blind black students during the height of apartheid era when South African Council for the Blind represented the White and Indian minority affected groups leaving out Africans.

In the memory of founders such as the late Selaelo Makgato who passed away less than 10 days before the commemoration of (IDPD). Institutions advocating for inclusivity will continue to render services such as assisting families to accept, transfer the skill of using brail as a means of communication and teach those that just got blind to leave with positive mind in the memory of Makgato.