Date: 10/12/04
Source: The Presidency
Title: Mbeki: Sixth General Assembly of World Blind
Address by the President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, to the Sixth General Assembly of the World Blind Union, Cape Town International Convention Centre
10 December 2004
Outgoing President of the World Blind Union, Kicki Nordstrom Your Royal Highness and Special Rapporteur on UN Standard Rules, Princess Sheika Hessa Al-Thani of Qatar, Former Special Rapporteur on the UN Standard Rules, Dr Bengt Lindqvist of Sweden President of the African Union for the Blind, Paul Tezanou Chairperson of the SA National Council for the Blind and Judge of the Constitutional Court, Judge Zak Yacoob New President of the World Blind Union and National Executive Director for the SA National Council for the Blind, Dr William Rowland Distinguished delegates and guests, Ladies and gentlemen:
I would like to start by congratulating Dr William Rowland on his election as the new President of the World Blind Union as well as thank the outgoing President of the Union, Kicki Nordstrom, for the good work that you have done in leading this important world body of the blind people.
We are confident that William Rowland will continue the good work of this organisation because for three decades he has been a champion of blind people in South Africa and a relentless activist for the rights of all people with disabilities. We all wish you well in your work as the President.
On behalf of the government and people of South Africa I would like to thank each and every one of you for coming to our beautiful city, Cape Town, to attend the World Blind Union’s 6th General Assembly.
We are proud to have been given the opportunity to host this great event and hope that the outcome of this General Assembly will serve further to mobilise all the people of the world to work together in creating a better world for blind and partially sighted people.
I am certain that you have been successful in your deliberations and the decisions that you have taken, during the past few days will guide all of us, in the public and private sectors, to engage in concrete programmes that will ensure that we advance the cause of bringing to an end the marginalisation of blind people.
It is significant that this is the first time that the WBU General Assembly has been hosted in Sub-Saharan Africa. This is important because this event should help us, as Africans, to pay more attention to the challenges and rights of blind and partially sighted people.
It is also significant that the Assembly is held here during Africa’s Decade for the Disabled. It draws attention to the imperative we face as Africans, to carry out the tasks we set ourselves when we proclaimed the Decade.
In this regard, and speaking on behalf of our government, I would like to make the commitment to the Assembly that we will continue to do everything we can to fight for peace and stability on our continent. I mention this here because we all know, war is one of the central causes of disability in Africa.
Therefore we should not only have correct policies and programmes to meet the needs and aspirations of blind people and others with disabilities. We must also and as vigorously address the issue of the causes of disability.
This year also marks our country’s tenth year of democracy. In these ten years, South Africa has registered a number of achievements in our on-going pursuit of a better life for all. In this regard, we are hugely indebted to the disability movement in this country for the valuable role it has played and continues to play in the struggle for justice and equality.
Because of this struggle, the rights of all the disabled people are one of the central features of our constitution and many practical steps are taken daily by government to ensure that the lives of all people with disability are normal and fulfilling and that none among this important section of our people continue to be an object of pity who survive on handouts.
Indeed, because we believe that together we have a duty to engage in this important struggle of empowering people with disabilities, we established the Office on the Status of Disabled Persons, which is located within The Presidency and reports directly to a cabinet minister, Dr Essop Pahad.
Among other things, together with the disability sector we have launched an Integrated National Disability Strategy, which targets priority areas such as education, training, employment, income maintenance, social security and housing.
Through a number of legislative and other interventions we aim to empower people with disabilities through measures such as the National Skills Development Strategy, the Black Economic Empowerment Strategy, which includes people with disabilities.
Larger employers have register employment equity and skills development plans relating among others to people with disabilities. By 2005 at least two percent of jobs in the public sector have to be occupied by persons with disabilities.
During our 1998 Presidential Jobs Summit, government gave its commitment that 5 percent of the public sector’s spending to promote small business would be directed to the enterprises of disabled persons.
A further commitment was made that 5 percent of government procurement would be allocated to businesses owned by people with disabilities or employers whose workforce comprises of at least 5 percent of workers with disabilities.
South Africa has 16 members of parliament in the National Assembly with disabilities, three of whom are partially sighted. Many people with disabilities have been appointed to various state institutions such as the Human Rights Commission, the Gender Commission, the Youth Commission, the South African Broadcasting Corporation, the South African Tourism Board, the National Development Agency and many more.
Furthermore, the promotion of Braille literacy in South Africa has been an important aspect of our work. We have developed Braille codes for all of our 11 official languages and have made books, magazines and study materials available.
The demand for Braille literature has grown dramatically in this country during the last ten years. We see this demand as an indication of the success of our Braille literacy programmes at school level and among previously disadvantaged adults.
There is also good progress with regard to the literacy drive in some other parts of the African continent. It is encouraging to see Braille printing initiatives starting in countries such as Kenya and Botswana.
Chairperson,
I mention all these things to say that as South Africans, we have begun a process of ensuring that people with disabilities, who include blind people, enjoy equality and justice in this country. This process will only succeed if we have the full support and guidance from our international friends such as those who constitute the World Blind Union.
Clearly, hosting an event of the magnitude of this Assembly could not have been possible without the exceptional blind leaders of our country.
I would like to make particular mention of Judge Zak Yacoob, Chairperson of the South African National Council for the Blind, and also a Judge of the Constitutional Court. Judge Yacoob was a courageous activist against apartheid and after we attained our freedom in 1994 was an advisor to the Constitutional Assembly, which wrote the new democratic Constitution of our country, of which we are so proud.
I think in the new struggle for the realisation of the rights of blind people, we need many people like Zak Yacoob. We need many like these distinguished delegates gathered here, so that together we rid our world of the stereotypes about blind people. We have a duty to ensure that through education, skills development and the necessary resources we create the possibilities for all the people with disabilities to realise their full potential and contribute fully to the development of our countries.
Our wish for the promotion of the rights of blind people and other people with disabilities has to form part of the central agenda to achieve Africa’s renewal. It is important that we should take advantage of the infancy of both the African Union and its development programme, NEPAD, to ensure that these two critically important initiatives fully take on board the task to protect and advance the rights of the blind and other people with disabilities.
I trust that this gathering has further strengthened the World Blind Union and given it the impetus to ensure that it becomes well entrenched in all our countries, particularly on this continent. Together let us use our limited resources to empower blind people to occupy their pride of place among all the people of the world. I hope that you have enjoyed yourselves, visited some of our heritage sites and experienced the hospitality and warmth of South Africa and her people. The Haitian proverb says that: “People who share with other are seldom hungry”. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us in how we can improve the lives of blind people. I am confident that as we implement the ideas you have shared with us we will give true meaning to our call for a better life for all.
Thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
10 December 2004
Source: The Presidency
Title: Mbeki: Sixth General Assembly of World Blind
Address by the President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, to the Sixth General Assembly of the World Blind Union, Cape Town International Convention Centre
10 December 2004
Outgoing President of the World Blind Union, Kicki Nordstrom Your Royal Highness and Special Rapporteur on UN Standard Rules, Princess Sheika Hessa Al-Thani of Qatar, Former Special Rapporteur on the UN Standard Rules, Dr Bengt Lindqvist of Sweden President of the African Union for the Blind, Paul Tezanou Chairperson of the SA National Council for the Blind and Judge of the Constitutional Court, Judge Zak Yacoob New President of the World Blind Union and National Executive Director for the SA National Council for the Blind, Dr William Rowland Distinguished delegates and guests, Ladies and gentlemen:
I would like to start by congratulating Dr William Rowland on his election as the new President of the World Blind Union as well as thank the outgoing President of the Union, Kicki Nordstrom, for the good work that you have done in leading this important world body of the blind people.
We are confident that William Rowland will continue the good work of this organisation because for three decades he has been a champion of blind people in South Africa and a relentless activist for the rights of all people with disabilities. We all wish you well in your work as the President.
On behalf of the government and people of South Africa I would like to thank each and every one of you for coming to our beautiful city, Cape Town, to attend the World Blind Union’s 6th General Assembly.
We are proud to have been given the opportunity to host this great event and hope that the outcome of this General Assembly will serve further to mobilise all the people of the world to work together in creating a better world for blind and partially sighted people.
I am certain that you have been successful in your deliberations and the decisions that you have taken, during the past few days will guide all of us, in the public and private sectors, to engage in concrete programmes that will ensure that we advance the cause of bringing to an end the marginalisation of blind people.
It is significant that this is the first time that the WBU General Assembly has been hosted in Sub-Saharan Africa. This is important because this event should help us, as Africans, to pay more attention to the challenges and rights of blind and partially sighted people.
It is also significant that the Assembly is held here during Africa’s Decade for the Disabled. It draws attention to the imperative we face as Africans, to carry out the tasks we set ourselves when we proclaimed the Decade.
In this regard, and speaking on behalf of our government, I would like to make the commitment to the Assembly that we will continue to do everything we can to fight for peace and stability on our continent. I mention this here because we all know, war is one of the central causes of disability in Africa.
Therefore we should not only have correct policies and programmes to meet the needs and aspirations of blind people and others with disabilities. We must also and as vigorously address the issue of the causes of disability.
This year also marks our country’s tenth year of democracy. In these ten years, South Africa has registered a number of achievements in our on-going pursuit of a better life for all. In this regard, we are hugely indebted to the disability movement in this country for the valuable role it has played and continues to play in the struggle for justice and equality.
Because of this struggle, the rights of all the disabled people are one of the central features of our constitution and many practical steps are taken daily by government to ensure that the lives of all people with disability are normal and fulfilling and that none among this important section of our people continue to be an object of pity who survive on handouts.
Indeed, because we believe that together we have a duty to engage in this important struggle of empowering people with disabilities, we established the Office on the Status of Disabled Persons, which is located within The Presidency and reports directly to a cabinet minister, Dr Essop Pahad.
Among other things, together with the disability sector we have launched an Integrated National Disability Strategy, which targets priority areas such as education, training, employment, income maintenance, social security and housing.
Through a number of legislative and other interventions we aim to empower people with disabilities through measures such as the National Skills Development Strategy, the Black Economic Empowerment Strategy, which includes people with disabilities.
Larger employers have register employment equity and skills development plans relating among others to people with disabilities. By 2005 at least two percent of jobs in the public sector have to be occupied by persons with disabilities.
During our 1998 Presidential Jobs Summit, government gave its commitment that 5 percent of the public sector’s spending to promote small business would be directed to the enterprises of disabled persons.
A further commitment was made that 5 percent of government procurement would be allocated to businesses owned by people with disabilities or employers whose workforce comprises of at least 5 percent of workers with disabilities.
South Africa has 16 members of parliament in the National Assembly with disabilities, three of whom are partially sighted. Many people with disabilities have been appointed to various state institutions such as the Human Rights Commission, the Gender Commission, the Youth Commission, the South African Broadcasting Corporation, the South African Tourism Board, the National Development Agency and many more.
Furthermore, the promotion of Braille literacy in South Africa has been an important aspect of our work. We have developed Braille codes for all of our 11 official languages and have made books, magazines and study materials available.
The demand for Braille literature has grown dramatically in this country during the last ten years. We see this demand as an indication of the success of our Braille literacy programmes at school level and among previously disadvantaged adults.
There is also good progress with regard to the literacy drive in some other parts of the African continent. It is encouraging to see Braille printing initiatives starting in countries such as Kenya and Botswana.
Chairperson,
I mention all these things to say that as South Africans, we have begun a process of ensuring that people with disabilities, who include blind people, enjoy equality and justice in this country. This process will only succeed if we have the full support and guidance from our international friends such as those who constitute the World Blind Union.
Clearly, hosting an event of the magnitude of this Assembly could not have been possible without the exceptional blind leaders of our country.
I would like to make particular mention of Judge Zak Yacoob, Chairperson of the South African National Council for the Blind, and also a Judge of the Constitutional Court. Judge Yacoob was a courageous activist against apartheid and after we attained our freedom in 1994 was an advisor to the Constitutional Assembly, which wrote the new democratic Constitution of our country, of which we are so proud.
I think in the new struggle for the realisation of the rights of blind people, we need many people like Zak Yacoob. We need many like these distinguished delegates gathered here, so that together we rid our world of the stereotypes about blind people. We have a duty to ensure that through education, skills development and the necessary resources we create the possibilities for all the people with disabilities to realise their full potential and contribute fully to the development of our countries.
Our wish for the promotion of the rights of blind people and other people with disabilities has to form part of the central agenda to achieve Africa’s renewal. It is important that we should take advantage of the infancy of both the African Union and its development programme, NEPAD, to ensure that these two critically important initiatives fully take on board the task to protect and advance the rights of the blind and other people with disabilities.
I trust that this gathering has further strengthened the World Blind Union and given it the impetus to ensure that it becomes well entrenched in all our countries, particularly on this continent. Together let us use our limited resources to empower blind people to occupy their pride of place among all the people of the world. I hope that you have enjoyed yourselves, visited some of our heritage sites and experienced the hospitality and warmth of South Africa and her people. The Haitian proverb says that: “People who share with other are seldom hungry”. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us in how we can improve the lives of blind people. I am confident that as we implement the ideas you have shared with us we will give true meaning to our call for a better life for all.
Thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
10 December 2004
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