First Engagement between the Disability Sector and the Executive following the 2019 National Elections.
President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa has made it clear on a number of occasions that business under the Sixth Administration will not be as usual. As elected leaders we are well aware that the electorate has given us a last chance to build a non-racial, non-sexist democratic South Africa in which all South Africans can thrive in a safe environment, free from discrimination.
I would therefore like to start off by thanking the leadership of the sector for sacrificing their weekend to meet with us. We do not take this for granted.
Let me from the onset also express my appreciation to the leadership in this room for your tireless, selfless struggle, waged over the past 30 and more years, for the hope and inspiration invested in the 1994 incoming government, with your patience over the years. Admittedly progress has been slow. Too many are still excluded and marginalised.
I am not going to go in-depth into the sometimes dismal education and employment statistics.
I want to indicate that the Executive, under the insightful leadership of President Ramaphosa, is convinced that if we work together as social partners and are willing to agree on priorities; identify good practice to build on and expand; able to reach consensus on catalyst interventions; focus on those furthest left behind first, then we can make a significant change in the lives of persons with disabilities over the next five years.
I would also like to emphasise that we are not starting over, but we are continuing with work that begun following the approval of the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the work that has been done by the Presidential Working Group on Disability. What we however want to see are targeted actions with better impact. This will require ALL of us to rethink how we work, how we budget, how we monitor and how we collaborate with one another.
From my side, I want to assure persons with disabilities and their families that I am in your court; I am determined to do what needs to be done to change your lives. President Ramaphosa has brought back the sector to his courtyard, giving us the political authority to step up all our efforts.
We will also capitalise on our apex location in the Presidency to proactively mobilise members of society; captains of industries; Faith-based communities, traditional leaders, etcetera.
But for us to work together, we need to know one another. I am therefore going to ask that everyone introduces themselves by sharing a bit about your organisation and what its focus is; your area of expertise; and what you believe you can bring to this partnership over the next five years.
Agreeing on Discussion Points for the Engagement
Once we have done that, I want to propose that we focus our discussions on the following, as set out in the agenda –
- I would like everyone to share their thoughts on the proposed national disability inclusion priorities for the Sixth Administration in response to the current challenges we have in advancing the rights of persons with disabilities as equal citizens
- Acting Director General Shoki Tshabalala will then take us on board about the development process followed for a disability inclusive medium term strategic framework for 2019-2024
- I would like us to then through a round-robin and analysis process, identify four to five catalyst interventions for the next five years that will tangibly change the lives of persons with disabilities, if we work in partnership. This will require us to drill down in gaining evidence-based shared understanding of what the causal factors are, that we should address, rather than focusing on remedying symptoms.
- Finally, we would like to share with the sector, work done to date in shaping Disability Rights Awareness Month 2019; hear from the sector what is being planned by the sector; and agree on a few key messages we should elevate during the month.
We would also like to explore what a year round Disability Awareness Campaign should look and feel like, and what each of us can bring to such a campaign.
I am informed that the sector was unambiguous in their wish that we focus on larger provincial celebrations of the National Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3rd , with the national sphere supporting these events, rather than ‘competing’ with mass-based events. I would like us to engage on what we believe the national focus on 3 December for the next 5 years should be, to enable us to own the day as social partners.
The national technical team is here, they can also share or give their perspective and you can also advice based on your thinking as well. Personally, in line with the sector’s thinking, I would like us to reflect on the district development model and explore whether in partnership with our premiers, the status of persons with diasbilities coud be on top of their agendas at all times.
The role of the Ministry in the Presidency: Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities
I have been designated the responsibilities of championing the national disability rights as well as national youth development agenda. These are two very important agendas for South Africa’s future, and we are aware of the importance of the inter-sectionality between the gender, the disability and the youth agenda. One of the questions we are addressing is how best to structure the new department’s focus and operations so that it enhances these inter-sectionalities.
Nothing About Us Without Us
I would like to conclude by briefly touching on your motto “Nothing About Us Without Us”. I would also bring into this particular discussion the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Motto “Leave No One Behind by starting with those furthest Left Behind”, and what this means in practice.
Government is committed to progressively strengthening the right of persons with disabilities to speak and represent themselves, both at individual and collective level. Taking into consideration that the total membership of all the organisations in this room quite possibly does not constitute even 5% of the estimated 2,8m plus persons with disabilities in South Africa.
We in particular would like to engage on how best we advance representation collectively at local level, especially for under-represented voices.
How then do we ensure that we hear these under-represented voices?
How do we ensure that persons with disabilities in rural areas have the advocacy, organisational, financial and skills capacity to effectively represent the interests of persons with disabilities in public participation processes?
With these thoughts, I would like to declare the meeting open – let us engage on how best to Khawuleza in changing the lives of persons with disabilities over the next 5 years!
I thank you.
