Date: 31/03/2005
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Title: Makwetla: Disability awareness rally
Address by Premier TSP Makwetla at the Disability Awareness Rally
Programme Director, Honourable MEC Siphosezwe Masango
Honourable Members of the Provincial Legislature and the Executive Council
District Mayor, Councillor Jeri Ngomane
Mayor of Nkomazi, Selby Khumalo
Commissioner, Madikwe Tom Manthatha from the South African Human Rights Commission
Ubukhosi
Representatives from the Organisations of Disabled Persons
Ladies and Gentlemen
I feel very honoured to have been invited to speak at this disability awareness rally and to be part of a dynamic movement that is rapidly mainstreaming disability into the broader society. It is my conviction that this gathering will contribute immensely in locating disability at the centre of government development programmes.
Today’s gathering is an illustration of Government's commitment in meeting its Constitutional obligation towards people with disabilities.
Over the past decade we have succeeded in creating an environment that is conducive to the implementation of projects and programmes that will restore the dignity of people with disabilities.
Indeed over the past decade we have worked hard to ensure that we improve, all round, the lives of all our people. Today South Africa has a caring government, with housing programmes for the poor, with social security grants for pensioners, young children, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. We have also gone a long way in putting in place programmes to redistribute land. More people can today access quality education and improved health services.
More households are connected to clean water and electricity and more people have access to telecommunications. We also have laws to deal with the cancer of racism, while democracy and equality before the law, are now entrenched in our constitution. Women, workers, youth, professionals, people with disabilities, traditional leaders, religious communities, business people and rural communities, all have the right to utilise opportunities that have come with the decade of freedom.
Programme Director, all this means that we were able to reach and improve the lives of many people confronted by the scourge of poverty. This progress in combating poverty is consistent with the undertaking we made that the eradication of poverty would take centre stage in the sustained advance to create a better life for all.
We did all these things and more because we were, and still are, aware that the poor and the marginalised carry the greatest burden created by poverty and under-development. They are the first to suffer from preventable and treatable diseases and the threat of death. Women, children, youth, the elderly and people with disabilities are amongst those most vulnerable to ill health, which is exacerbated by poverty.
Indeed we have gone a long way in creating a better life for all our people. But we must acknowledge that a sizeable number of our people are still without shelter. Many still go to bed hungry and many dread the approaching cold season because they have no clothes, no food and no place to call their own. Among these we count women, children, the youth and people with disabilities.
People with disabilities are still faced with many challenges. Challenges, which include, discrimination and marginalisation from accessing employment opportunities, education, housing, public transportation and other public facilities.
Recent reports indicate that employment levels of people with disabilities in the province are lower than the desired policy benchmark. While some progress has been made with regard to reasonable accommodation, more work still needs to be done.
Some sections of society continue to view people with disabilities as objects of pity and poverty. They consider people with disabilities as mere recipients of handouts and charity. Disability does not represent inability. People with disabilities are an asset and a massive human resource, which we all have to tap from in order to build a sustainable and thriving economy.
We must focus on what those who live with disabilities require to be enabled and not treat them as invalids, because they are not.
The Integrated National Disability Strategy by Government acknowledges that injustices against people with disabilities still continue. There are high levels of discrepancies in our systems to effect rigorous transformation that is responsive to people with disabilities. This has been Government’s stance in contributing to the creation of a better life for persons with disabilities.
As government we will continue our commitment to the Integrated National Disability Strategy by providing specialised services such as grants, shelters, and access for people with disabilities. We will continue to ensure that government offices and hospitals are made more accessible to people with disabilities. Our aim is to ensure that accessibility to all our institutions; especially schools and health facilities, is addressed on an ongoing basis. Over and above all this, programme director, our biggest challenge is the economic integration, in our society, of all those who live with disabilities.
Programme Director, we are happy that the Executive Council of our province has recently adopted an audit on disability, which will form the basis for our intervention in the year 2005 to 2009. This decision constitutes the basis for our contribution to a broader development and transformation agenda aimed at the improvement of the quality of life of people with disabilities.
All these things demonstrate our level of commitment in improving the quality of life for human kind.
Our agenda is deliberate and a concrete one. We will do all in our power to increase the number of people with disabilities employed by the Provincial Government in line with the Employment Equity Act.
We understand all challenges associated with the employment of people with disabilities. It is for these reasons that we will step up our efforts to meet this commitment.
We have to get the Private Sector on board. Disability issues are not just for Government alone but require the active involvement of the Private Sector too. We would like to see the Private sector taking more and more responsibility in employing those who live with disabilities and thereby contribute to the realisation of their full integration in our society, politically, socially and economically.
We are a province on course and in progress addressing the basic needs of our people and in particular our people with disabilities.
Programme Director, there are from time to time disturbing reports we receive regarding the abuse of people with disabilities. Let us take advantage of the platform of this rally to warn those who continue to abuse people with disabilities, in particular women and children, that their immoral behaviour will not be tolerated. We will ensure that justice is done – that they do not escape the full might of the law.
There are also reports that some individuals are using the cause of the disabled to enrich themselves. They ostensibly claim grants and support from government for non-existent organisations using people with disabilities for their fraudulent activities.
I call upon all of us to work together, in unity and create a conducive environment for people with disabilities in order for them to be totally liberated.
Programme Director, in conclusion, we pledge our continuous support to the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities. We continue internationally to support the process of establishing and developing a Convention on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We believe such a convention will ultimately ensure that people with disabilities across the globe are treated with dignity and respect.
On behalf of the Executive Council I wish to thank you all for your attendance and for blessing this occasion.
Your participation contributes immensely in building a better place for all of us!
Yes, I agree that disability rights are human rights, that people with disabilities have rights too and that all of us are equal and therefore shall be treated with respect.
I thank you all.
Issued by: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
31 March 2005
Source: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Title: Makwetla: Disability awareness rally
Address by Premier TSP Makwetla at the Disability Awareness Rally
Programme Director, Honourable MEC Siphosezwe Masango
Honourable Members of the Provincial Legislature and the Executive Council
District Mayor, Councillor Jeri Ngomane
Mayor of Nkomazi, Selby Khumalo
Commissioner, Madikwe Tom Manthatha from the South African Human Rights Commission
Ubukhosi
Representatives from the Organisations of Disabled Persons
Ladies and Gentlemen
I feel very honoured to have been invited to speak at this disability awareness rally and to be part of a dynamic movement that is rapidly mainstreaming disability into the broader society. It is my conviction that this gathering will contribute immensely in locating disability at the centre of government development programmes.
Today’s gathering is an illustration of Government's commitment in meeting its Constitutional obligation towards people with disabilities.
Over the past decade we have succeeded in creating an environment that is conducive to the implementation of projects and programmes that will restore the dignity of people with disabilities.
Indeed over the past decade we have worked hard to ensure that we improve, all round, the lives of all our people. Today South Africa has a caring government, with housing programmes for the poor, with social security grants for pensioners, young children, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. We have also gone a long way in putting in place programmes to redistribute land. More people can today access quality education and improved health services.
More households are connected to clean water and electricity and more people have access to telecommunications. We also have laws to deal with the cancer of racism, while democracy and equality before the law, are now entrenched in our constitution. Women, workers, youth, professionals, people with disabilities, traditional leaders, religious communities, business people and rural communities, all have the right to utilise opportunities that have come with the decade of freedom.
Programme Director, all this means that we were able to reach and improve the lives of many people confronted by the scourge of poverty. This progress in combating poverty is consistent with the undertaking we made that the eradication of poverty would take centre stage in the sustained advance to create a better life for all.
We did all these things and more because we were, and still are, aware that the poor and the marginalised carry the greatest burden created by poverty and under-development. They are the first to suffer from preventable and treatable diseases and the threat of death. Women, children, youth, the elderly and people with disabilities are amongst those most vulnerable to ill health, which is exacerbated by poverty.
Indeed we have gone a long way in creating a better life for all our people. But we must acknowledge that a sizeable number of our people are still without shelter. Many still go to bed hungry and many dread the approaching cold season because they have no clothes, no food and no place to call their own. Among these we count women, children, the youth and people with disabilities.
People with disabilities are still faced with many challenges. Challenges, which include, discrimination and marginalisation from accessing employment opportunities, education, housing, public transportation and other public facilities.
Recent reports indicate that employment levels of people with disabilities in the province are lower than the desired policy benchmark. While some progress has been made with regard to reasonable accommodation, more work still needs to be done.
Some sections of society continue to view people with disabilities as objects of pity and poverty. They consider people with disabilities as mere recipients of handouts and charity. Disability does not represent inability. People with disabilities are an asset and a massive human resource, which we all have to tap from in order to build a sustainable and thriving economy.
We must focus on what those who live with disabilities require to be enabled and not treat them as invalids, because they are not.
The Integrated National Disability Strategy by Government acknowledges that injustices against people with disabilities still continue. There are high levels of discrepancies in our systems to effect rigorous transformation that is responsive to people with disabilities. This has been Government’s stance in contributing to the creation of a better life for persons with disabilities.
As government we will continue our commitment to the Integrated National Disability Strategy by providing specialised services such as grants, shelters, and access for people with disabilities. We will continue to ensure that government offices and hospitals are made more accessible to people with disabilities. Our aim is to ensure that accessibility to all our institutions; especially schools and health facilities, is addressed on an ongoing basis. Over and above all this, programme director, our biggest challenge is the economic integration, in our society, of all those who live with disabilities.
Programme Director, we are happy that the Executive Council of our province has recently adopted an audit on disability, which will form the basis for our intervention in the year 2005 to 2009. This decision constitutes the basis for our contribution to a broader development and transformation agenda aimed at the improvement of the quality of life of people with disabilities.
All these things demonstrate our level of commitment in improving the quality of life for human kind.
Our agenda is deliberate and a concrete one. We will do all in our power to increase the number of people with disabilities employed by the Provincial Government in line with the Employment Equity Act.
We understand all challenges associated with the employment of people with disabilities. It is for these reasons that we will step up our efforts to meet this commitment.
We have to get the Private Sector on board. Disability issues are not just for Government alone but require the active involvement of the Private Sector too. We would like to see the Private sector taking more and more responsibility in employing those who live with disabilities and thereby contribute to the realisation of their full integration in our society, politically, socially and economically.
We are a province on course and in progress addressing the basic needs of our people and in particular our people with disabilities.
Programme Director, there are from time to time disturbing reports we receive regarding the abuse of people with disabilities. Let us take advantage of the platform of this rally to warn those who continue to abuse people with disabilities, in particular women and children, that their immoral behaviour will not be tolerated. We will ensure that justice is done – that they do not escape the full might of the law.
There are also reports that some individuals are using the cause of the disabled to enrich themselves. They ostensibly claim grants and support from government for non-existent organisations using people with disabilities for their fraudulent activities.
I call upon all of us to work together, in unity and create a conducive environment for people with disabilities in order for them to be totally liberated.
Programme Director, in conclusion, we pledge our continuous support to the African Decade of Persons with Disabilities. We continue internationally to support the process of establishing and developing a Convention on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We believe such a convention will ultimately ensure that people with disabilities across the globe are treated with dignity and respect.
On behalf of the Executive Council I wish to thank you all for your attendance and for blessing this occasion.
Your participation contributes immensely in building a better place for all of us!
Yes, I agree that disability rights are human rights, that people with disabilities have rights too and that all of us are equal and therefore shall be treated with respect.
I thank you all.
Issued by: Mpumalanga Provincial Government
31 March 2005
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