Issued by: Office of the President
December 3, 1995
DISABILITY STRATEGY FOR NEXT RDP WHITE PAPER
A national strategy to promote equal opportunities for disabled people in South Africa will be included in the next RDP White Paper, due out early next year, Minister in the Office of the President Jay Naidoo announced today.
Speaking to a group of more tha 100 - held at Friday Mavuso Self-Help Association & Paraplegics in Soweto, Naidoo said a discussion document on the Development of an Integrated National Disability Strategy for South Africa would be made available from today for interested parties to comment on.
"This is the first time that government has developed a specific strategy to benefit disabled people in South africa," he said.
The Department of Health has estimated that approximately 13 percent of the population is disabled. Research suggests that approximately five percent of the population is severely disabled.
"Whatever the reliability and accuracy of the estimates, disability affects numbers far greater than these, in that it affects not only the person with the disability, but also that person's family and community," Naidoo said.
The fundamental proposition of the framework is that disability should be looked at as a developmental issue, rather than a welfare issue.
"In the past, disability was regarded primarily as a health and welfare issue," Naidoo said. "But since April 1994, a fundamental principle of our society has been that equal rights - where each individual is of equal importance - should have equal opportunity to participate fully in society, with equal obligations and responsibility toward society."
"By treating disability as a welfare matter we ensure that it remains a burden for taxpayers. It discourages the development of people with disabilities, inhibiting integration into the mainstream of society. It marginalises and impoverishes them, denying them options and opportunities," he said.
"By creating a framework within which equal opportunities for people with disabilities are encouraged, we create awareness, start changing attitudes and, ultimately, create cracks in the barriers. They can become tax payers not tax burdens."
In following the developmental approach, government had committed itself to
The four pre-conditions for disabled people to participate in society include increasing public awareness, medical care, rehabilitation and support services, Naidoo said. "The draft framework on disability has recommended steps to be taken in respect of each of these and has also suggested stakeholders who need to be involved ," he said.
"It also discusses priority areas that should be targeted in a disability programme. These include environmental accessibility, education and training, employment, income maintenance and social security."
The first of these priority areas is a specific concern of disabled people. The next four are all functions, but point out the special need of disabled people within the overall programme of the departments concerned.
In the last category, the sensitive groups are specified as women with disabilities, children with disabilities, elderly people with disabilities and disabled people living in rural areas.
Each of these - women, children, the elderly and rural dwellers, itself cuts across line functions.
The wide-ranging and multi-sectoral nature of the initiative will require a permanent office within the RDP to ensure ongoing monitoring and supervision of progress at all level, Naidoo said.
The discussion document proposes an initial lead-in period covering 1995/96, followed by a medium-term national place for the period 1996/2002.
"The next international review of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons is planned for 2002, and this would provide South Africa with an opportunity to draw on its own experience in the intervening years as well as that of the international community, in devising a plan for the following five years," said Naidoo.
Copies of the discussion document can be obtained from Shuaib Chalklen at the RDP Office in Pretoria, phone (012) 341-5569; fax 341-5569 ext 203.
ISSUED BY: Mandy Jean Woods Dierctor: Communications Ministry in the Office of the President (Reconstruction and Development Programme)
Phone: (012) 341-5569 Fax: (012) 341-5569 ext 203 Pager: (012) 804-2777 code 71799
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT MANDY JEAN WOODS OR SHUAIB CHALKLEN AT THE RDP MINISTRY IN PRETORIA.