Wits Disability Rights Unit marks 40 years of breaking barriers
From a modest programme supporting just 9 students in 1986, the Wits Disability Rights Unit has grown to serve more than 1 100 individuals today.
The University of the Witwatersrand’s Disability Rights Unit celebrated a milestone on September 8 as it marked 40 years of advancing accessibility and inclusion.
Established in 1986 as the Disabled Students Programme with only nine students, the unit has grown into one of South Africa’s leading university disability support services, supporting more than 1 126 students in 2025 alone.
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The anniversary celebrations included the opening of a commemorative exhibition showcasing the unit’s four-decade history, alongside reflections from university leadership, former directors, staff, students and alumni.
Pioneering journey and future ambitions.
Speaking at the celebration, head of the Disability Rights Unit Dr Leina Abdool Gafoor said the anniversary was about far more than marking a date on the calendar.
“We celebrate the people that have made this journey possible — the pioneers who established the unit, the students who challenged barriers, and the colleagues, academics, partners and allies who have supported the journey towards disability inclusion at Wits University.”
She said every policy introduced and every accommodation provided represented a life changed because a barrier had been removed, adding that the responsibility for removing barriers cannot rest solely with the individual. “Institutions have a responsibility to create access and inclusion, and that principle remains at the heart of our work today.”
Looking ahead, Abdool Gafoor said the unit’s ambition was to move beyond providing accommodations when they are requested. “We want to help create spaces where accessibility is anticipated, inclusion is embedded and belonging is part of our institutional culture. Accessibility is not a favour; it is a right. Inclusion is not charity; it is justice.”
Wits vice-chancellor and principal professor Zeblon Vilakazi praised the pioneers who established the unit four decades ago, describing the Disability Rights Unit as a bold step taken at a time when disability inclusion was rarely part of public discourse.
He said the university had consistently demonstrated leadership by turning policy into practical action through accessible infrastructure, technology and institutional support.
“The next phase of inclusion cannot only be about responding when barriers arise. We need to increasingly design our institution so accessibility is built into everything we do.
“This university must not simply be what society is. It must be what society aspires to be.”
Practical support services
Today, the Disability Rights Unit provides a wide range of support services, including accessible computer centres, sign language interpreting services, hearing induction loop systems, assistive technologies and disability awareness programmes, helping ensure students with disabilities can participate fully in university life.
As Wits celebrates 40 years of breaking barriers, the message from the university was clear: the next chapter is no longer about simply accommodating disability; it is about creating a campus, and ultimately a society, where accessibility is expected from the outset.
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