Chairperson, the SA Constitution is very clear on the rights and the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities. Specifically paragraphs 9(3), 9(4), 10, 21(1), and 32(1) in Chapter 2, dealing with the Bill of Rights, emphasise that persons belonging to the disability sector have enshrined rights, and not the privileges some people make them out to be. Furthermore, the Employment Equity Act and the Equality Act are supposed to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy the benefits emphasised by the intentions of these Acts.
Voorsitter, die DA het herhaaldelik die Parlement en onderskeie Ministers daarop gewys dat hoewel die regering baie goeie wetgewing asook indiensnemingsdoelwitte het, die praktyk ons keer op keer daarop gewys het dat genoegsame erns vir seker nie getoon word nie.
Ongeag die regering se indiensnemingsdoelwitte, toon die jaarverslae die regering slaag steeds nie in sy doelwit van slegs 2% indiensname van persone met gestremdhede nie. Verskonings sluit in dat dit 'n onvoltooide aaneenlopende proses is; dat persone met gestremdhede glo nie geklassifiseer wil word as gestremd nie en daarom kan die oudits nie voltooi word nie, ens.
Natuurlik wil hierdie persone nie kwotas wees nie en wil hulle op meriete aangestel word. Hoewel baie Suid-Afrikaners nie as swart Afrikaan, swart, bruin, wit of Indir geklassifiseer wil wees nie, moet daar steeds oor die rasse- en geslagsamestelling verslag gedoen word. Dit is dus 'n onaanvaarbare verskoning om nie oor die indiensname van persone met gestremdhede verslag te kan doen nie. Die regering behoort dit verpligtend en afdwingbaar te maak en natuurlik die voorbeeld te stel. Slegs Sars het, volgens my wete, openlik die uitdaging aanvaar om noemenswaardig meer gestremdes aan te stel in die volgende jaar.
Voorsitter, die verslag toon baie duidelik dat die staat nie genoegsame erns toon om die regte van persone met gestremdhede te verseker nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Chairperson, the DA has repeatedly pointed out to Parliament and various Ministers, that although the government has very good legislation and employment objectives, in practice we have seen time and again that it is not treated with the seriousness it deserves.
Irrespective of the government's employment objectives, the annual reports indicate that the government is still not successful in its objective of no more than 2% employment of persons with disabilities. Excuses include that it is an unfinished continuous process; that persons with disabilities apparently do not want to be classified as disabled and therefore the audits cannot be completed, etc.
These persons obviously do not want to be quotas and want to be appointed on merit. Although many South Africans do not want to be classified as black African, black, coloured, white or Indian, the race and gender composition still has to be reported on. It is therefore an unacceptable excuse not to be able to report on the employment of persons with disabilities. Government should make it compulsory and enforceable and, of course, set the example. It is only Sars, to my knowledge, that has openly accepted the challenge of appointing significantly more persons with disabilities in the next year.
Chairperson, the report clearly shows that the state is not taking the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities seriously enough.]
The report highlights the following as being of particular importance. Firstly, access to employment: We know that many able- bodied persons still don't understand the challenges the disabled are facing, and don't know how to deal with this group.
Secondly, access to information: Due to, amongst other things, the inaccessibility of facilities, and the inability to effectively communicate with persons with a disability, they are denied access to important information.
Thirdly, access to transport and buildings: South Africa is still trailing far behind other countries. Enforceable minimum standards should be implemented. Fourthly, access to quality education: Mainstreaming is often very challenging for many disabled learners, and can easily marginalise them.
Lastly, access to housing: Special standards must apply for allocating housing units, as well as special tax concessions for extra costs. Housing schemes should always allocate special units to disabled persons and their families as a priority.
The one aspect to always take into consideration when deciding on anything that might affect the lives of persons with a disability is to involve them and to consult them. I have a 22-year old multiple and severely disabled daughter, which certainly qualifies me to have a very good understanding of their circumstances, but even I cannot have 100% empathy with their challenges because I myself am not disabled.
My plea is for us to interact with them in order to understand their circumstances and their needs better. They are 100% able, in my opinion, to give advice on their real requirements. They have a saying: Nothing about us without us.
We must certainly not accommodate these very able and capable persons purely because they are disabled, but rather see it as an additional positive characteristic of their abilities that they can execute any task as well as or even better than any able-bodied person can.
Dit is nie net belangrik dat persone met gestremdhede in die drie sfere van regering verteenwoordig moet wees nie, maar dit is ook belangrik om hierdie persone te sien, en na waarde te skat, vir die ekonomiese bydrae waartoe hulle absoluut in staat is. Ek hoop werklik dat die regering die voorbeeld sal stel tot daadwerklike verbetering van die lewenskwaliteit van alle persone met gestremdhede. Die DA ondersteun hierdie verslae. Dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[It is not only important that persons with disabilities should be represented in the three spheres of government, but it is also important to see these persons, and to value them for the economic contribution that they are absolutely capable of. I sincerely trust that the government will set the example and play an active part in improving the quality of life of all persons with disabilities. The DA supports these reports. Thank you.]