9 October 2002
The Office on the Status of Disabled Persons (OSDP) in the Presidency was awarded a prize at an international film festival on disability held in Moscow, Russia recently.
The film, Wild on Wheels, produced by Kagiso Educational Television and commissioned by the OSDP, tells the story of Makhotso, a 19 year old party animal from Kimberley, who dreams of being a tv presenter. Makhotso's legs were amputated as a child and she is a wheelchair user, living life with gusto and passion.
The film, one of the documentaries of the People Unlimited series, first screened on Etv, was produced with the aim of raising public awareness on disability. Negative attitudes in the public continue to be a stumbling block to full integration of people with disabilities in society. This film, awarded the honour of being one of the top films screened at the international festival in Moscow, was enjoyed by an international audience and won the award on the basis of public voting and selection by a panel of expert judges.
Shelley Barry, media officer, accepted the award in Russia, on behalf of the OSDP. " It is an honour for the OSDP's work to be acknowledged in an international environment. SA is certainly one of the world leaders in progress made in the field of disability rights," says Sebenzile Matsebula, director of the OSDP."
Russian TV interviewed the OSDP media officer on how South Africa has managed to make so much progress in a brief period of time. Still, we acknowledge that we have a long way to go in dismantling the remaining barriers.