September has been marked as Deaf Awareness Month to highlight the rights and experiences of deaf people and promote sign language.

To mark this campaign, the Emfuleni Local Municipality recently hosted its first Deaf Netball Tournament at the Saul Tsotetsi Sports Complex on September 29.

Led by MMC for Social Development Sipho Radebe through the GEYODI department, the day featured both an awareness programme and competitive netball matches.

Speaking to guests on the day, Programme Director Nodumo Same, who is also part of the deaf community, highlighted the plight of deaf people. She said most companies do not have sign language interpreters, adding that when deaf people visit these institutions, the message is usually distorted during transmission to the relevant people.

To demonstrate this issue clearly, Same organised a telephone line game with 15 participants, which ended with the final message completely different from the original statement. She urged community members to learn sign language to bridge this communication gap and ensure the rights of deaf people are respected.

Adding to these remarks, DeafSA social worker Kgomotso Mhlanga appealed for greater community awareness and encouraged families living with deaf relatives to reach out to the federation for support.
Organisers announced plans to expand the initiative in future years to celebrate residents living with disabilities across the region.

MMC Radebe concluded the event by expressing sincere gratitude to sponsors and partners, including the Gauteng Department of Sports, Kgalala Palace, DEAFSA, Human Empowerment, Sebokeng SAPS, and Executive Mayor Clr Hassan Mako, for supporting the historic occasion.