SEDIBENG.- July, celebrated as Nelson Mandela Month, is a time when South Africans reflect on the values of justice, dignity and equality that Madiba embodied.

Among his many convictions, Mandela was clear that the measure of a nation’s soul lies in how it treats its children. He often reminded us that “there can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”

For disabled children, this truth is even more urgent, as they remain among the most marginalized in our education system.

He believed that disabled children should not be hidden.

Mandela’s views on disability rights were rooted in the principle that freedom is incomplete if it excludes those with impairments. He believed that disabled children must not be hidden away or treated as burdens, but rather embraced as full participants in society.

His vision was of schools and communities where accessibility was not an afterthought but a foundation where ramps, braille, assistive technologies and trained educators were as natural as chalk and paper.

Yet, in the Vaal area today, many disabled learners are denied this promise.

The Department of Education has failed to prioritize the construction of LSEN schools (Learners with Special Educational Needs) in Emfuleni and surrounding areas. This neglect perpetuates cycles of exclusion, forcing families to travel long distances or leave children without proper education. Accessible learning environments from the earliest years are not luxuries, they are lifelines.

They are about ensuring that disabled children are not left behind.

They shape confidence, independence and the ability to contribute meaningfully to society.

The Department of Education must commit to building LSEN schools in the Vaal. Such institutions are not only about classrooms, they are about dignity, opportunity and justice. They are about ensuring that disabled children are not left behind in the democratic project Mandela fought for.

But government alone cannot carry this responsibility. Investors and the private sector must also step forward. South Africa has already seen successful models, such as the Sizanani LSEN School, in Bronkhorstsruit supported by the Ackerman family through the Pick n Pay Foundation.

Mandela Month is not only about remembrance, it is about renewal.

Their investment demonstrated that inclusive education can thrive when business and community align. Replicating such initiatives in the Vaal would transform lives, create jobs and strengthen social cohesion.

Mandela Month is not only about remembrance, it is about renewal. To honor his legacy, let us demand that the Department of Education act decisively and let us call upon investors to join in building LSEN schools in the Vaal.

In doing so, we affirm that disability is not inability and that every child deserves a fair start in life.