Date: 03/11/2003
Source: Department of Labour
Title: Mdladlana: Launch of Technical Assistance Guidelines on employment of disabled


KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY THE HONOURABLE MMS MDLADLANA, MINISTER OF LABOUR, DELIVERED AT THE LAUNCH OF THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GUIDELINES ON THE EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, 3 November 2003

Programme Director
Chairperson and members of the Commission for Employment Equity
Organised Labour
Organised Business
Representatives from the office of the Office on the Status of People with Disabilities and various provincial desks
Members of Parliament representing the People with Disabilities
Representatives of various organisations of and for people with disabilities
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

In his new-year speech on the eve of this century, in 1999, President Thabo Mbeki wished this century to be the century of hope and encouraged all to make 'real advances to the achievement of a better life for all' and ensure that every effort is made 'to wipe out the legacy of the past of racism, sexism and discrimination against people with disabilities.' It is this legacy that barred people with disabilities from permanent employment, removing them from a pool of other employees and therefore the right to other benefits like pensions and others. It is this legacy that reduced many people with disabilities to beggars and limited many to self-help schemes and protective shelters.

This century will not be a century to write about if its achievements do not include ensuring that the stigma around disabilities with regard to access to employment is removed and done away with completely. Again in 1999 Mel Cappe, Clerk of the Canadian Privy Council warned against only doing the right things, and urged people to ensure that things are done right as he found it no longer sufficient for the workplace to be a place where people work, but that it should be built around the people and give them the support they need.

It is for this reason that although the South African constitution recognises the rights of all people regardless of their differences, deliberate and systemic measures have to be taken to address the legacy of discrimination, most of which was government sponsored.

My Department did not only end at introducing the Employment Equity Act, but has within three years of its implementation also launched the Code of Good Practice on the Key aspects of Disability in the workplace.

During the sitting of the Portfolio Committee on Labour, presentations made included the failure of business from making significant advances towards the employment and promotion of people with disabilities. Again during the Growth and Development Summit in June this year, there was an outcry that very little is done to accommodate people with disabilities in the open labour market.

Many people see Employment Equity only with racial and gender eyes. Many articles and speeches refer to blacks and women. People with disability are only mentioned in the background and at the end of a list of designated groups.

My Department, with advice from the Commission for Employment Equity is at the moment making advances to close all loopholes in order to make it difficult for employers to have excuses in the implementation of affirmative action, with special focus on people with disabilities.

I would like to thank the chairperson of the Commission for Employment Equity and her Commissioners for their splendid work on the Technical Assistance Guidelines on the Employment of People with Disabilities and also ensuring that the TAG is finalised within 11 months of the launch of the Code of Good Practice

The challenge, in the employment and advancement of people with disabilities, both in government and the private sector, is still there and is continuous. Having issued the Code of Good Practice, and now this TAG, to further assist employers and employees and trade unions, I would like to draw your attention to the following:

* The public sector has up to 2005 to ensure that its staff compliment comprises 2% of people with disabilities, who ought to be represented in all occupational levels and categories;
* The National Skills Development Strategy expects of the labour market to have 4% of people with disabilities trained by 2005;
* The CEE Annual Report indicates slow progress with employment equity in this sector. A statistical report indicates only 0,9% of the total number of employees with disabilities reported by employers in the 2002 reporting period;
* Employers out there still do not have policies and/or programmes aimed at accommodating or advancing people with disabilities.

These are the kinds of challenges my Department is inundated with for policy guidance. However, I believe that if all stakeholders to the employment equity implementation process were engaging in a positive and serious manner, I would be standing here ululating about the progress South Africa is making in the disability sector, and about the labour legislation in general. We would be examples to the global workplaces for progressiveness, like our miraculous move to democracy, which is echoed throughout the world today.

I am however encouraged to learn that there are employers who are doing their best to accommodate people with disabilities. I was encouraged by what the principal of Access College, a college which train people with disabilities, said recently during an interview by one of the TV programmes, when she mentioned that "between the last report of the Commission for Employment Equity, released early this year, and now, there has been improvement in the employment of people with disabilities."

As we celebrate the launch of this TAG, let us also celebrate the society, our society that is transcending the science and technology barriers, becoming more of a knowledge and information society. A society that will be driven by its ability to respond aptly to technological advances. These new technologies not only modernise our lives but also create challenges in employment and skills in our workplaces. But, they also provide an opportunity for us to move frontiers of disabilities and take our incumbent and prospective economic players into new heights. The aid instruments are now more modern, readily available and affordable.

It is these types of new developments that make me wonder how many more career and entrepreneurial opportunities can be created by and for people with disabilities if we were all to harness change to our benefit. Today, we have all the tools of trade you may need to aid or reasonably accommodate any employee, be it with or without a disability, to enable them to discharge their responsibilities without any hindrances.

As I conclude, I wish to leave you, employers, employees, the disability sector, service providers in the disability sector and, to an extent, institutions of higher learning, with the following for your consideration when charting a way forward and creating a platform for further engagement on the challenge of employment of people with disabilities:

* Identify the extent of economically active population of people with disabilities, who are in active employment and those that are not;
* Identify the skills shortage amongst the economically active population of people with disabilities;
* Take advantage of HRD interventions that are currently earmarked for people with disabilities, both by government and the private sector, and in particular the SETAs;
* Targeted efforts by Institutions of Higher Learning and collaboration with role players in the disability sector, aimed at skilling and creating life-long learning and employment and/or entrepreneurial knowledge and skills for people with disabilities;
* Ensure that 'Charters' that are being negotiated do not exclude or disadvantage people with disabilities;
* Take advantage of the availability of disability management programmes and service providers.

The Technical Assistance Guidelines released and launched here today will be of no use if employers, employees, organised labour and other stakeholders do not rally behind its role as an assistance guideline to implementing affirmative action measures. My Department, through the service delivery unit is ready to provide further assistance to ensure that your failure to employ and promote people with disabilities does not lie in your lack of understanding and knowledge.

It is only when all of us, government, employers, employees, organised labour and the disability sector, join hands and forge links to advance our course for the benefit of generations to come, that this century will be a century worth writing and singing about.

I thank you.

Source: Department of Labour (http://www.labour.gov.za)