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3 December 2004

Programme Director,
Premier of Limpopo, Sello Moloto,
Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers,
Honourable MECs
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honour and privilege for me to be here with you on this important occasion, as we celebrate the International Day of the Disabled Persons.

The celebrations that are taking place here today also coincide with the celebrations that are taking place in our country, as we celebrate Ten Years of Democracy and Freedom. As we mark this celebration, we also recall the progress that has been made in changing the lives of people with disabilities.

We take this opportunity to thank people with disabilities and their respective organisations for the partnership with our government, in highlighting and bringing the challenges that face people with disabilities to the fore.

Today we thank all sectors of society such as non-governmental organizations and the private sector for supporting initiatives that are geared towards the improvement of the lives of people with disabilities.

We also thank people with disabilities and their families for constantly reminding all of us in society of the principle which says “Nothing About Us Without Us”.

We come from a past which did not treat people with disabilities with respect, which did not recognize them as full citizens of this country, a past which denied people with disabilities their basic human rights, and did not accord them the status they deserve in society.

We say today that the situation has changed completely, as the past ten years has seen a complete overhaul of that status quo. Our government together with people with disabilities and their organisations pride ourselves for the advances that have been made, to ensure that people with disabilities are treated with dignity, respect and their human rights are respected. We have come a long way to be where we are today. Firstly our government had to make sure that it legislates against any discriminatory practices.

The past decade has seen a lot of progress in introducing progressive legislation that will deal with the issue of employment. In the past, there were no legal requirements for employers to employ people with disabilities under apartheid. People with disabilities were treated as dependents of the state, as victims, as lesser beings who needed to be hidden from mainstream society.

We now pay a special focus on the rights and abilities of people with disabilities, as equal citizens, as human beings deserving of all citizen rights accorded by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Most importantly, disability issues are now addressed within a social model and paradigm that recognizes the socio-economic, political and human rights that respect all people. Gone are the days when people with disabilities were dealt with, within a medical and welfare framework.

In addition, gone are the days when people with disabilities were denied access to basic health care. The past decade has seen advances being made to ensure access to free primary health care.

We have also gone a long way in addressing the educational needs of the people with disabilities, by ensuring that these needs are dealt with in an integrated way, as opposed to the special schools concept and approach that existed before. People with disabilities are offered education within an inclusive and integrated schooling system which accommodates them in mainstream schools.

The First Decade of Freedom and Democracy has also seen the transformation of parliament and government departments changing, to reflect that we are a society with a large number of people with disabilities, who have a right to serve in parliament and government.

It was within the spirit of “Nothing About Us Without Us” that we saw the growth of parliamentarians with disabilities entering parliament in the past ten years.

This is also reflected in all three spheres of government from national, provincial to local government. We would not have achieved this if we did not implement policies of redress. It is also an indication of the progress we have made that South Africans now elect persons with disabilities to represent them in parliament.

Ladies and gentlemen, part of the victories we need to celebrate here today, is the fact that the National Accessibility Portal was launched this year in June. It was launched in partnership with various stakeholders including the Office of the Status of Disabled Persons, CSIR and a representative group from the Disabled Person’s Organisations and Eskom.

This Portal will ensure that it improves access to information to four million South Africans with disabilities, and contribute towards their empowerment and ensure that they live independent lifestyles. The Phase One of the project is now complete and it will be rolled out in three phases in the period of five years.

Ladies and gentlemen, today we re-commit ourselves to making new strides and build on the successes we have made. We re-commit ourselves to working to meet the challenges that still remain, and to improve the status and quality of life of people with disabilities.

As we approach the Second Decade of Freedom and Democracy, we are mindful of the challenges that still lie ahead of us. The next ten years should see us ensuring that people with disabilities are beneficiaries and equal partners in all our programmes to halve unemployment and poverty by 2014, which is the halfway to our main goal to eradicate both unemployment and poverty.

We acknowledge that the active participation and contribution of all sectors of our society, including people with disabilities is crucial to assist government to achieve this goal.

At the end of our next decade of democracy, we should have achieved our employment equity targets, provided adequate and accessible housing for people with disabilities and provided equal education to all learners with disabilities in mainstream schools.

We should also have ensured that people with disabilities are actively and meaningfully engaging in economic activities and the overall economic growth of our country. For example, we can do much by supporting the conversion of sheltered workshops, of people with disabilities which are still locked within the Second Economy, into viable business entities and through enhancing business skills.

Ladies and gentlemen, as you would be aware, South Africa is hosting the secretariat for the African Decade on Disabled Persons. The objectives are to ensure that the rights of people with disabilities are provided for, in all countries across our Continent.

Our responsibility goes beyond the frontiers and borders of our country. Therefore, we need to play a critical role in advancing the cause of people with disabilities throughout the continent. We therefore need to fulfil our role as hosts of the African Decade Secretariat.

To the African Decade Secretariat and all participating countries in our Continent, we say thank you for all that you have done thus far. We will participate in, and support you as you strive to achieve your goals and objectives.

At the end of the second decade of freedom and democracy, we must also be able to proudly acknowledge our contribution to the development of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. South Africa currently participates in the ad-hoc committee that is responsible for drafting the proposed Convention.

The participation and contributions of South Africans in this process is aimed at ensuring that the final adopted convention is framed within a highly advanced technologically global context.

We support our team which has been tasked with this enormous responsibility. The mandate of our team is to ensure that the implementation of the final Convention is pragmatic to socio-economic conditions, but does not leave any gaps relating to binding fundamental principles. Ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed crystal clear that the last 10 years have been very active ones, during which we scored a number of achievements.

Today as we celebrate, let us also re-commit ourselves to continue working for a better life for all, including People with Disabilities.

I thank you.

Issued by: The Presidency
3 December 2004