SEDIBENG.- The recent announcement that seven percent of employment and seven percent of procurement should be allocated to disabled people is, at face value, a bold and hopeful step. It signals recognition of the systemic exclusion that disabled people face in the labour market and in economic participation.
Yet, before we celebrate too quickly, we must confront the sobering reality, the earlier target of two percent employment of disabled people was never meaningfully implemented.
This failure casts a long shadow over the new pledge and raises serious questions about whether this latest commitment will be any different.
One cannot help but ask whether NEDLEC (the National Economic Development and Labour Council) was consulted prior to this announcement. And what about the trade unions, who are supposed to be the custodians of workers’ rights and inclusion?
If these critical stakeholders were bypassed, then the announcement risks being another rhetorical flourish rather than a binding commitment. Policy without consultation is policy without teeth and without the involvement of those who hold government and employers accountable, the pledge risks becoming yet another empty promise.
Economic justice must be the foundation of this pledge.
Employment is not charity, it is a right.
Disabled people deserve equal access to livelihoods, financial independence and dignity. To frame employment opportunities as benevolence is to perpetuate paternalism and exclusion. Instead, the pledge must be understood as a corrective measure to restore justice and equality in a society that has long denied disabled people their rightful place in the economy.
Breaking stereotypes is another critical dimension.
The visible participation of disabled people in workplaces challenges entrenched prejudices and normalizes inclusion. When disabled people are seen not as exceptions but as integral contributors, society begins to dismantle harmful myths about incapacity and dependency. Representation in economic life is not symbolic, it is transformative, reshaping how communities perceive ability, productivity and human worth.
Strengthening democracy also depends on this pledge.
A society that excludes disabled people from economic life undermines its own democratic foundations. Democracy is not only about voting rights, it is about full participation in every sphere of life. Economic exclusion translates into political marginalization and until disabled people are economically empowered, democracy remains incomplete and fragile.
Moreover, innovation and resilience are enriched by the inclusion of disabled employees. Disabled people bring unique problem-solving skills, adaptability and perspectives that strengthen organizational culture. Their lived experiences often foster creativity and resilience, qualities that are indispensable in a rapidly changing economy. To ignore this contribution is to deprive workplaces of a vital source of innovation.
If the seven percent target is to move beyond paper, NEDLEC and trade unions must play a central role. NEDLEC, as the forum where government, business, labour and community interests converge, must ensure that this pledge is embedded into binding agreements. It must be monitored rigorously and enforced through accountability mechanisms. Without NEDLEC’s oversight, the pledge risks being diluted into aspirational rhetoric rather than concrete action.
Trade unions, too, bear a profound responsibility. They must champion disabled workers as part of their broader struggle for equity. Unions cannot remain silent or treat disability inclusion as peripheral.
Instead, they must negotiate for accessible workplaces, monitor compliance and defend disabled workers against discrimination. To neglect this responsibility is to betray the very principles of solidarity and justice upon which the labour movement is built.
The seven percent pledge will remain hollow unless it is backed by clear timelines and enforcement mechanisms.
Promises without deadlines are destined to fade into obscurity. Transparent reporting and monitoring must also be established, ensuring that progress is visible and measurable. Employers must be supported through capacity-building initiatives that equip them to implement inclusive practices, rather than leaving them to navigate this transformation alone.
Most importantly, disabled people’s organizations (DPOs) must be actively involved. Their participation ensures that policies are not designed for disabled people but with them, reflecting lived realities and genuine priorities.
Ultimately, the announcement is a promise. But promises alone do not change lives. What will change lives is the collective will of government, NEDLEC, trade unions and civil society to ensure that disabled people are not merely spoken about, but employed, empowered and included. The seven percent pledge must not become another symbolic gesture, it must be the beginning of a new era of accountability, justice and authentic inclusion.
Lucky Tumahole – Disability Advocate and Political Writer
