Disability Awareness is a necessity to the community

The Department of Social Development hosted a disability awareness event for vulnerable individuals on July 26 at Protea Glen Extension 11.

The purpose of the event was to provide integrated care and support programmes aimed at promoting the rights, well-being and protection of both persons with disabilities and older persons.

Supervisor for Social Worker at Joe Gqabi, Abigail Managa said raising awareness about different forms of disability is crucial because, despite their physical limitations, these individuals are still valued members of the community who should be treated equally, honoured and given the freedom to live their lives as they see fit.

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“With today’s event, we hope to raise awareness and understanding about people with disabilities because the majority of people are ignorant of them and do not know how to treat them.

“We also need to realise that these individuals are just like everyone else, they are human and normal, and we should not feel sorry for them when we see them on the streets because they are capable of doing a lot of things on their own,” she said.

The Department of Social Development collaborated with key partners and different stakeholders to make the day more informative.

Ward 135 Protea Glen Counsellor, Phelelani Sindani told Urban News that awareness on disability is one of the most important initiatives that should be done continuously.

He said they are really appreciative that they were able to hold this specific event, in commemoration of Nelson Mandela, the nation’s first black president.

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He said, “Today’s event is more about information sharing, networking and knowing what other departments are doing so that we don’t work silos as the government of South Africa but equally.

The awareness that has been brought to our attention in terms of people with disabilities is how do we treat them and how do we live with them because they are amongst us and one of us.

“We shouldn’t be treating them as if they are from a different planet, this event is a very important initiative because it highlights and also brings to our attention what to do in order to make them feel important.’’

Sindani further stated that they need to have these events on an ongoing basis.

These occasions are equally significant to the correctional services because, when prisoners are released from custody either on parole or at completion of their sentence they are usually met with rejection, lack of gratitude, and hostility from the community.

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If they are to assist these people in integrating into the community, they must raise awareness of these circumstances and provide them with instructions about how to interact with them.

Lehlohonolo Ngakantsi who is living with cerebral palsy said, “There is a need for people to know that disabilities are diverse, so it’s great that initiatives like this one are being carried out. What I love most about this place is that it gives us the opportunity to interact with the community,”