REMARKS BY PREMIER THABANG MAKWETLA AT DISABILITY ACHIEVER'S AWARDS
Secunda, Tuesday 23 November 2004
Programme Director
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Thank you for inviting us to share this important occasion with you as we honour those among our people who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of people living with disabilities in spite of being principally challenged themselves. We do this against the backdrop of the launch, nationally, of the campaign of no violence against women.
As we celebrate our achievements in the first decade of freedom and democracy, we are humbled by the glorious memory of Harry Gwala, Friday Mavuso, Maria Rantho, Phindi Mavuso, Harry Mohale and many others who championed the rights of all, including people with disabilities. . Individually and as members of organisations of disabled persons, they never relented in fighting for their rights in the face of formidable odds.
We are proud that in the past 10 years we have managed to put into place legislation and institutions for the empowerment and upliftment of persons with disabilities. Today more people with disabilities are afforded equal opportunities and participation in governance and public administration.
A lot has happened since 1997 when government adopted the White Paper on an Integrated National Disability Strategy, which is premised on the social model of disability. The White Paper represents a shift in the outdated view that disability is a medical or welfare issue – a view that considered persons with disabilities as abnormal, different from their non-disabled peers, unable to be productive and in need of care.
Our approach focuses on the removal of barriers to equal participation and on the elimination of discrimination based on disability. It stresses that people with disabilities are an asset and a massive human resource, eager and ready to build a sustainable and stable economy.
Ladies and gentlemen, we must acknowledge that despite the giant strides we have taken, we are still far from creating that society that offers equal opportunities to all. Today a significant number of people with disabilities still live in conditions characterised by poverty, hunger and starvation. They are also vulnerable to abuse and disease, massive illiteracy, and many others social ills associated with under-development.
Last year the Policy Unit in the Presidency released a commissioned report that assesse the impact of government policies and programmes on persons with disabilities. Estimates on the number of persons with disabilities in Mpumalanga is 4.5% of the total population, which is significantly lower than the national average that varies from 6% to 12%.
The report also found that of the 797 750 employees in the public service, there are 2007 persons with disabilities. This represents an average of 0,25% which falls far short of the 2% that needs to be achieved by 2005.
More striking is the finding that the employment of people with disabilities, apart from being confined to low levels, involving little decision-making and authority, tended to be male biased thus further marginalising women. For this situation to change it is necessary that there is careful monitoring and a genuine empowerment strategy, to ensure that people with disabilities are able to move through the ranks into more senior positions.
We must have specific policies, strategies and plans to systematically recruit and retain people with disabilities within the public service. These will help departments and administrations to focus on what they we need to do, in very practical terms.
The report found that most national and provincial departments do not have specific policies on disability. A number of departments and provincial administrations indicated that specific policies on disability were either in the process of being developed, or in draft form. But no timeframes were given.
Beyond the public sector, we must display consistency and vigour in sponsoring training and equal opportunities for all those who live with disabilities. We, must create employment opportunities and ensure their access to jobs, both in urban and rural communities.
Ladies and gentlemen, to today's winners, accept our congratulations on behalf of the government and people of Mpumalanga. You have already made us proud. Keep up the good work.
Thank you very much for affording us the privilege to address this important gathering.