Statement by Ms. Hendrietta Ipeleng Bogopane-Zulu, Deputy Minister for Social Development of the Republic of South Africa, to the 8th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, United Nations, New York
Chairperson,
Your Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen
All protocol’s observed.
My delegation and I wish to thank the United Nations for convening the State Parties once again. We pass our greetings from the President, the government and the people of the Republic of South Africa.
Reducing inequality and eradicating poverty among persons with disabilities and their families must become everybody’s business if we are to succeed in our collective goal of improving the lives of individuals, families and communities.
It cannot be the responsibility of only states parties, a few government departments, or disabled peoples organisations, families and or communities but it is the responsibility of everyone.
Children, young persons, adults and older persons with disabilities are equal citizens with equal rights in a democratic South African society.
It is with pride yet humility, that I can share with this Conference the elements of some of the comprehensive social security measures South Africa has taken on the road to eradicating poverty and promoting equality of outcome:
- Indigent citizens and residents have access to subsidised state housing, either ownership or rental, and persons with disabilities have access to a differentiated top-up subsidy relating to their reasonable accommodation requirements
- All households have access to free water and sanitation services in accordance with the indigent policy;
- All children with disabilities under the age of six have access to free health care, including rehabilitation and assistive devices;
- A cash transfer constituting of a disability grant for both adults and children, as well as a care dependency grants for caregivers taking care of persons with profound disabilities is paid out monthly. It should be noted that this includes military veterans. This is in acknowledgement of the cost of disability and reduction in income whilst our empowerment and affirmative action programmes yield results;
- Persons with disabilities have access to subsidised public transport in the main centres where public transport systems are available
- Indigent students with disabilities at post school education and training institutions have access to an extensive array of reasonable accommodation support grants, including assistive devices and technologies and personal assistance, to ensure that they participate optimally in student life;
- Taxpayers with disabilities or taxpayers with disabled dependents are able to claim tax rebates on all disability-related expenses;
- South Africa applies affirmative action for persons with disabilities in employment and skills development. Job-seekers and employees with disabilities are therefore protected from discrimination when seeking employment, and can access reasonable accommodation support with protection by law.
Chairperson,
These are but a few examples of measures taken to reduce inequality and eradicate poverty.
We acknowledge that this is only a beginning, and that further work is required in increasing the geographical reach of these opportunities, in addressing compounded marginalisation certain groups experience due to both personal and environmental factors, and which detract from their ability to take up these opportunities.
We also acknowledge that more work needs to be done to support the empowerment of persons with disabilities in knowing their rights, the benefits they are entitled to, and accessing recourse where these are not available.
Cabinet will be approving the National Disability Rights Policy in the next two months. This constitutes a major step in the process of domesticating the CRPD, and will be followed by the development of legislation.
It will give effect to:
- the right to equality, dignity and self-reliance;
- strengthen of governance and administrative systems;
- provide the platform for the review of existing and development of new legislation;
- strengthen accountability and enforcement of these rights.
Chairperson,
We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the United Nations and its Agencies, particularly the Partnership to Promote the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Multi-Party Fund for the generous technical and financial support we continue to receive.
This support has assisted us in strengthening our policy, legislative, budgetary, monitoring and evaluation instruments aimed at accelerating equality of outcome for persons with disabilities.
In conclusion, I call on all present here today to support the International Albinism Awareness Day on June 13.
Citizens with albinism need our individual and collective support and protection to ensure that
- they are and feel safe,
- derogatory name-calling and hate speech stops,
- they access appropriate health services to protect them against diseases that compounds their disabilities,
- they access education and employment opportunities,
- they enjoy the same rights all of us do.
South Africa supports the SDGs as currently coined, and in particular, calls for collective action and accountability in ensuring that the interests and rights of persons with disabilities – and in particular those experiencing compounded marginalisation – are protected and promoted in the Post 2015 Development Agenda.
I thank you.
