WHEN Matthew Brackenbury was first referred to as a ‘born-free’, he was filled with hope as the term was synonymous with a better South Africa for all, especially since he has a disability.

At the age of four, Brackenbury became deaf due to ongoing viral ear infections. Surgery did not help, and now, he only has 30% hearing in one ear. Although he wears a hearing aid, it only assists partially, and he relies on lip reading.

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With the National Elections coming up on May 29, the 29-year-old Durban North resident chatted to Northglen News about some of the challenges he faces on a daily basis.

“Being born-free initially meant a lot to me as I thought I was going to be part of a better South Africa. Being deaf means that job opportunities are that much harder to come by than a person who is able to hear. It’s already so difficult for an able-bodied person to find a job; can you imagine what it must be like for someone with a disability?” he asked.

Brackenbury said he has always taken a keen interest in politics and after analysing and researching, he could see that life for him is not going to be easy. Despite having two degrees to his name – one in psychology and the other in communication science – tapping into the working world is difficult.

“There are more issues now than originally. People may think that because I am White, I have all these amazing opportunities waiting for me, but it’s not true. The government just hasn’t created enough opportunities and programmes to bridge the gap for people who have disabilities. There is the BEE point system, but that does not guarantee a person with a disability a job. At the moment, I run a social media business from home, and I manage the Durban North Tennis Club, but my only wish is that I could be employed somewhere so I can learn more, but I get shut down,” he added.

He said he will be casting his vote this year in the hope that the party he votes for will bring about change and more opportunities for people with disabilities.

“Us born-frees were sold a dream that hasn’t materialised. Lack of jobs, a suffering economy and constant interruptions in service delivery have plagued us as a nation, and we have to be wise with who we vote for in this election if we want things to change. We have a long way to go, and things won’t change instantly, but it starts with us,” he said.

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