House Chairperson, we are in agreement with the report of the SA Human Rights Commission, SAHRC, wherein the lack of safety and security at schools for children with disabilities is reported. Although South Africa has committed itself in writing to the provisions of quality, equitable and inclusive education in its Constitution, despite relevant laws, policies and guidelines, children with disabilities remain marginalised.
It's also a fundamental right of each and every child to receive an education in the context of security and safety. The reality for many of our children, not only those living with disabilities, is that schools everywhere are generally just not safe. Our children go to school to be raped, as many as the cases that are reported. Our children go to school to be assaulted. Our children go to school to be murdered. All this is happening at the one place where they are supposed to be safe to learn, grow and play. The violence we see in our schools is the same violence we see in our communities, and the violence is suffered mostly by women and children, in particular, black women.
As the report by the SAHRC further observed, our children living with disabilities are not acknowledged or even valued by society. How many schools in South Africa comply with the requirements related to full accessibility, such as ramps, handrails and space maneuverability for all disabled learners and educators? Very few.
As the EFF, we made a clear proposal to the Minister of Police, wherein we asked him to go and establish units that will specialise in school safety for the purpose of police visibility in all, and around, schools. We also made a proposal which said that all schools must have security guards employed full time and we must cancel all contracts with security companies. We must employ all trained security guards in the same way that we employ our teachers. The Safe Schools project has failed our disabled children because nothing has changed so far.
We must not simply adopt the reports, but can we see changes? Thank you. [Interjections.]