Abuse of disabled bays in Ballito is a matter for concern

People abusing disabled parking bays have become a bane for the physically disabled in Ballito’s shopping malls.

According to numerous protests from disabled members of the community, young and old people alike have taken to parking in designated handicap bays reserved for those with physical mobility disabilities, often with fake disability signs or stickers bought from local shops.

Lesley Dietrich, provincial director for the KwaZulu Natal Association for the Physically Challenged, echoed that disabled bays are reserved for those with mobility problems, while providing sympathy for those who are pensioners.

“There are reserved parking for moms and children in some shopping centres, but not for pensioners,” said Dietrich, who mentioned that pensioners aren’t agile enough to park far away from access.

“If a vehicle backs out of a parking without looking, as most do, an older person can’t jump out of the way.”

According to Linda Nesbitt, a Salt Rock resident who is wheelchair-bound, able-bodied pensioners often park in disability bays with little regard for the physically challenged.

“Alighting and re-entering modified vehicles built to cater for disabled persons requires a much wider parking width that conventional demarcated parking spaces cannot provide,” said Nesbitt.

The South African National Standards 10400 policy document, that governs basic building regulations in South Africa, stipulates that a building must provide one designated 3,5 metre-wide parking bay for every 200 parking spaces, within 50 metres of an entrance and accessible under a minimum height of 2,4 metres to cater for specialised vehicles.

Besides the alleged abuse of disabled parking bays, access-controlled shopping malls have done away with car guards, making mobility in and out of vehicles difficult for any disabled person travelling alone.

Shirley Chapman, a Ballito resident who is wheelchair bound says that no help seems to be available when getting in or out of her specially-adapted vehicle.

“There used to be car guards who we were very happy to give a generous tip to, because they readily helped load and unload our wheelchairs,” says Chapman, who adds that the security complement at some local malls stand idly by while watching disabled residents struggle to get in and out of their cars.

It appears some able-bodied visitors also abuse the disabled stickers in their vehicles meant for others who are not necessarily with them at the time.

According a Nesbitt’s husband Malcolm, upon visiting the Junction on Saturday, February 29, he had dropped off his disabled wife at an entrance and parked his vehicle nearby in a conventional bay.

“I then witnessed a woman scurrying towards a vehicle in the disabled bay, jumping in and quickly making to leave,” said Malcolm.

Upon approaching her, Malcolm said the woman flashed a disability sticker at him and drove off.

“It’s a matter of principle. If disabled people could walk they would park on the other side of the parking lot for the mere privilege of being able to walk,” said Malcolm.

Dietrich also acknowledged that disability stickers or discs can be bought irregularly at many stores, but the legal method of obtaining a disc would be to provide a medical certificate to the Road Traffic Inspectorate in order to be issued with a verified disability parking permit.

Ballito Junction, which has access-controlled parking, mediated the concerns.

“Designated parking for our customers with disabilities (which may be physical or invisible) are located closest to the entrance of each shopping and mezzanine levels. These bays are wider, facilitating easier parking and convenient access to the stores. The provision is as governed by the National Building Code , SANS10400, Part S,” said Sashena Ramparsad, marketing manager for the Junction.

Lifestyle Centre management has briefed their security complement to wheel-clamp vehicles parked irregularly in disabled spaces and all fees associated with releasing are, in turn, donated to the North Coast Courier Orphan Fund.

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