People living with disabilities address challenges at eMalahleni dialogue
People with living with disabilities in eMalahleni have called for greater representation and stronger action against crime and unemployment.
People living with disabilities raised concerns about crime, unemployment and inaccessible services during a public dialogue in eMalahleni.
The National Dialogue of South Africa for People Living with Disabilities hosted the engagement at the Emalahleni Local Municipality on August 28.
It brought together community members, government representatives and local stakeholders to discuss barriers affecting people with disabilities and possible solutions.
Call for representation
Facilitator Melusi Mthembu said: “The purpose of this dialogue is to provide a platform where people living with disabilities can voice their concerns, outline the challenges they face daily and work together on solutions that will improve their lives.”
Some participants stressed the importance of having more leaders with disabilities in decision-making positions, particularly in local government.
One community member, Thabang Mayibane, said: “Councillors living with disabilities would have a better understanding of the realities faced by the disability community and would be better placed to advocate for their needs.”
Government engagement
Another facilitator, President Mahlangu, described the event as a success, saying the turnout demonstrated the need for more engagements of this nature.
“We were encouraged by the number of people who attended. We also had a representative from the Office of the Premier, who took note of the issues affecting people with disabilities. Our concerns will now be submitted to the relevant government departments for consideration,” said Mahlangu.
He added that continued engagement with government would be essential in ensuring that commitments made during the dialogue are translated into meaningful action.
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The dialogue concluded with a commitment from organisers to continue engaging with government departments and other stakeholders to ensure that the concerns raised lead to practical interventions that improve the quality of life for people living with disabilities in eMalahleni.
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