N Kganyago: Seminar for physically disabled learners

19 August 2006

Chairperson of the scheme, Dr Silas Morokolo Sathekge
Officials of the scheme
Officials from institutions of higher learning
Government officials
Ladies and gentlemen

I feel honoured to be asked to be here today to address this great gathering
which is aimed at encouraging young and beautiful people like you and very
important members of our society.

Being asked to deliver the speech could not have come at a more suitable
time like this in the calendar of this country when we all observe women’s
month and barely a couple days after the maiden celebration of the National
Construction Week that was championed by my department.

The struggle of women for liberation and quality is well documented and
their efforts were critical in building homes, families and communities while
taking care of crucial needs of children. This is one outstanding
characteristic of women’s struggle to build stable communities. Children as
part of those communities are the main beneficiaries, hence our focus to target
youth, especially girl children with skills development as part of our National
Construction Week, which ended on 3 August this year. Of course there’ll be
another campaign next year and every year after that.

This country was transformed by the endurance and resilience of its own
people – men and women, people of all colour, race and creed, youth and the
disabled. It was these men and women on whose shoulders we stand as a proud
nation, that respect all rights that are enshrined in our enviable constitution
– that of women, children, disabled, youth and our aged. Those that violate
such rights must be dealt with by laws laid down by the people.

The example such as the groundbreaking march of women in 9 August 1956,
Sharpville massacre of 1960, 16 June 1976 uprisings have all propelled this
country from relative obscurity, the yoke of apartheid and all forms of
oppressions to the one that is symbolic and exemplary in the world.

Our history has taught us that we need to be considerate to people with
disability and include them in the main frame of the country’s business because
when we fought for freedom and democracy – we fought along with them.
The Apartheid legislation contributed to the social exclusion of people with
disabilities. First, legislation failed to protect the rights of people with
disabilities and, second, through legislation, barriers were created to prevent
people with disabilities from accessing equal opportunities.

Although there has, since 1994, been some attempt to identify and eliminate
discriminatory legislation from our statute books, many aspects of past
discriminatory legislation remain. In addition, some new laws and amendments
contain sections which directly or indirectly lead to discrimination against
people with disabilities. As a result, large sections of the legislative
framework in South Africa still fail to meet international human rights
standards and principles with regard to the rights of people with
disabilities.
Research estimates that between 5% and 12% of South Africans are moderately to
severely disabled. An estimated 99% of disabled people are excluded from
employment on the open labour market. Despite this large percentage of disabled
people, few services and opportunities exist for people with disabilities to
participate equally in society. We must start seeing disabled people as capable
individuals who are contributing immensely to the development of society.

The extremely high levels of unemployment amongst people with disabilities
can be attributed to a number of factors:
* low skills levels due to inadequate education
* discriminatory attitudes and practices by employers
* past discriminatory and ineffective labour legislation
* lack of enabling mechanisms to promote employment opportunities
* inaccessible public transport
* inaccessible and unsupportive work environments
* inadequate and inaccessible provision for vocational rehabilitation and
training
* generally high levels of unemployment
* the fact that menial labour is often the only option for poorly skilled
job-seekers
* inadequate access to information, and
* ignorance in society.

South African society is still very patriarchal and discriminatory. Although
attitudes are changing, women are still typically viewed as second class
citizens, subservient to men and in need of protection. Their social role is,
by and large, defined through motherhood and homemaking. Women with
disabilities, particularly black disabled women suffer even more, despite their
acknowledged role in helping to build the future of this country.

The National Construction Week was one of the attempts of government’s
initiative aimed at not only celebrating the marvel of construction, but to
attract youth to this field. Similarly, the same message was also directed at
the youth with disability to find careers in the construction related fields.
The department held more than 100 events nationwide that involved learners of
various schools throughout all the nine provinces where they were given first
hand account of the workings of the construction industry while others had
practical experiences in matters related to construction.

The Department of Public Works (DPW) is central to public infrastructure
development and as a result works closely with the construction industry.
Between 2000 and 2004 the department recruited 400 youths mainly from Limpopo,
KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape to be trained in basic construction work. The
aim was to let them work in Public Works projects to construct some public
buildings and make these buildings accessible to people with disabilities. More
than 260 public buildings such as schools, magistrate courts, clinics and
police stations were filled with ramps and balustrades. This programme, known
as Youth working towards improving accessibility, was a joint effort between
DPW and National Youth Commission and the Office of the Status of the Disabled
in the Presidency.

I must state that learners like you who are aspiring to reach the pinnacles
of levels of education are born at the right time. Opportunities have been
availed to all children and may not be discriminated against on the grounds of
their biological conditions.

Barely two months ago we celebrated 30 year anniversary of 16 June. That
brings me to the challenge I pose to you, irrespective of your physical
condition, to emulate the class of students that brought about the changes that
you as young people enjoy today. As disabled learners, you can revolutionise
the environment and lay foundation of other future disabled people to look at
you tomorrow as the bearers of hope and symbol of change.

Once again, as this is the women’s month and 50 years since the historic
march of 1956, I urge you, especially the young beautiful girls, to also follow
in the footprints of those fearless warrior women, who marched on the grounds
of the Union Buildings in Pretoria, armed with 100 000 anti-pass petitions –
the likes of Lillian Ngoyi, Ray Alexander, Frances Baard, Fatima Meer, Helen
Joseph, Sofie de Bruyn, Hilda Watts, Bettie du Toit, Rahima Moosa and many
others – as they did, so can you in a modern day democracy.

The vision of the Integrated National Disability Strategy proposed by the
White Paper stipulates that there must be an integration of disability issues
in all government development strategies, planning and programmes. There must
be an integrated and co-ordinated management system for planning,
implementation and monitoring at all spheres of government.

These include prevention, healthcare, rehabilitation, public education,
barrier free access, transport, communications, data collection and research,
education, employment, human resource development, social welfare and community
development, social security, housing and sport and recreation.

The establishment of the Office on the Status of Disabled Persons in the
office of the Presidency was a testament to the dictates of the White Paper. We
must all pledge our support and accede to the call of government to express our
unwavering commitment to the upliftment and improvement of the conditions of
those members of our society who are disabled by playing an active role in
working with them to find joy and happiness and the fulfilment of their
aspirations.

As citizens, your rights are guaranteed in our beloved constitution.
Government efforts, such as Batho Pele Principles, recognise your right to
access government services, opportunities and buildings without any undue
hindrance.

I would like to echo the words of Minister of Public Works Ms Thoko Didiza
when we concluded the celebration of the focus week, “Let us take these young
people on learnerships, provide them with bursaries to study further, but most
importantly, employ them in line with the slogan for this year’s campaign, of
helping them ‘build their dreams’.” In that spirit, I would like congratulate
institutions such as Letaba-Helene Franz Bursary Scheme for their efforts in
assisting these learners.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Public Works
19 August 2006