Govt depts encouraged to employ people with disability
Posted 28th July 2008 at 12:10 PM by NewsTracker
By Gabi Khumalo
Johannesburg - Government departments and provinces have been urged to accelerate the employment of people with disabilities so that the 2 percent target set by government can be achieved sooner.
Speaking at a two-day National Disability Summit held on Monday at the Sandton Convention Centre, Minister in the Presidency, Dr Essop Pahad has urged government to take a decision to ensure that by the end of 2009; 2 percent of people employed within the public sector are persons with disabilities.
“We have done well as government regarding the issues of disability, but we are not there and still have a long way to go before we reach the target,” said the minister.
One province which has met the target is the Limpopo Province.
Mr Pahad acknowledged the provincial government for its success in meeting the target and encouraged other provinces to find out how the province managed to achieve this.
The Disability Summit aims to bring together stakeholders from government and civil society to discuss the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
It will also strengthen the existing partnerships between government and civil society and different civil society organisations.
The UNCRPS came into force on 3 May and South Africa, as one of the first signatories of this convention and its optional protocol, will now be held accountable for the implementation of the convention.
Themed “Justice and Dignity for all”, the summit will develop a united front to implement and monitor the UNCRPD. It will also inform a united and practical action plan for the implementation and monitoring of the UNCRPD.
Minister Pahad urged all political parties to put more people with disabilities in Parliament’s National Assembly and provincial legislatures.
He also encouraged people with disabilities to form a united disability movement to help achieve their goals as a collective.
“Use this summit to socialise and get to know each other because in the end you can act for a common purpose, the outcome will assist us to take the struggle forward.”
He urged them to tell government where it had failed and to help it address the weaknesses and gaps.
South African Human Research Council Chairperson Jody Kolapen said they had established a unit which monitored the human rights of people living with disabilities.
“We are not doing a favour by employing people with disability, it’s their Constitutional right,” said Mr Kolapen.
Lorrain Bam, a public servant with a disability, said employment access and transport were the major challenges for people with disability in the public service.
“A large percentage of people with disability have no access to essential basic services including health and education, we are not being consulted on major projects launched in the country on how they will affect us like Gautrain and taxi recapitalisation as most disabled people finds it difficult to use them,” she said.
Ms Bam said government should look at the availability of resources for people living with disabilities in rural areas.
“In terms of policies, government is doing very well but it lacks the implementation,” Ms Bam told BuaNews.
Mmanare Kgaka, who is employed at the Department of Education in Limpopo and living with a disability, cited the access to buildings as a major challenge for people with disability as well as the lack of availability of reception staff who know sign language.
“Everytime a person goes to the building, they need to be accompanied by a person who can interpret for them. Government policy persuades the government to ensure that we are being looked after but the implementation is too slow,” Mr Kgaka said. – BuaNews
Johannesburg - Government departments and provinces have been urged to accelerate the employment of people with disabilities so that the 2 percent target set by government can be achieved sooner.
Speaking at a two-day National Disability Summit held on Monday at the Sandton Convention Centre, Minister in the Presidency, Dr Essop Pahad has urged government to take a decision to ensure that by the end of 2009; 2 percent of people employed within the public sector are persons with disabilities.
“We have done well as government regarding the issues of disability, but we are not there and still have a long way to go before we reach the target,” said the minister.
One province which has met the target is the Limpopo Province.
Mr Pahad acknowledged the provincial government for its success in meeting the target and encouraged other provinces to find out how the province managed to achieve this.
The Disability Summit aims to bring together stakeholders from government and civil society to discuss the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
It will also strengthen the existing partnerships between government and civil society and different civil society organisations.
The UNCRPS came into force on 3 May and South Africa, as one of the first signatories of this convention and its optional protocol, will now be held accountable for the implementation of the convention.
Themed “Justice and Dignity for all”, the summit will develop a united front to implement and monitor the UNCRPD. It will also inform a united and practical action plan for the implementation and monitoring of the UNCRPD.
Minister Pahad urged all political parties to put more people with disabilities in Parliament’s National Assembly and provincial legislatures.
He also encouraged people with disabilities to form a united disability movement to help achieve their goals as a collective.
“Use this summit to socialise and get to know each other because in the end you can act for a common purpose, the outcome will assist us to take the struggle forward.”
He urged them to tell government where it had failed and to help it address the weaknesses and gaps.
South African Human Research Council Chairperson Jody Kolapen said they had established a unit which monitored the human rights of people living with disabilities.
“We are not doing a favour by employing people with disability, it’s their Constitutional right,” said Mr Kolapen.
Lorrain Bam, a public servant with a disability, said employment access and transport were the major challenges for people with disability in the public service.
“A large percentage of people with disability have no access to essential basic services including health and education, we are not being consulted on major projects launched in the country on how they will affect us like Gautrain and taxi recapitalisation as most disabled people finds it difficult to use them,” she said.
Ms Bam said government should look at the availability of resources for people living with disabilities in rural areas.
“In terms of policies, government is doing very well but it lacks the implementation,” Ms Bam told BuaNews.
Mmanare Kgaka, who is employed at the Department of Education in Limpopo and living with a disability, cited the access to buildings as a major challenge for people with disability as well as the lack of availability of reception staff who know sign language.
“Everytime a person goes to the building, they need to be accompanied by a person who can interpret for them. Government policy persuades the government to ensure that we are being looked after but the implementation is too slow,” Mr Kgaka said. – BuaNews
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