Durban — Playing his part in raising awareness and contributing to the disabled community on Disability Awareness Day, South African actor and founder of Nokusa Support For Disabled People, Menzi Nxumalo, has taken a significant step towards improving the lives of individuals with physical impairments by donating three wheelchairs to those in need.
"It's time we create more disability awareness campaigns so that we can educate each other about the needs and abilities of people with physical disabilities," Nxumalo stated.
He highlighted the importance of inclusivity in industries such as media, farming, IT, and tourism, emphasising that the creation of equitable job opportunities is paramount.
Among the recipients was Nozipho Majozi, a devoted mother from uMlazi, who expressed her gratitude for the new wheelchair.
"This will help me move around job hunting and doing day-to-day activities, as my old wheelchair was old and damaged, making it hard for me to use."
Her sentiment echoes the urgent need for functional mobility aids, which can significantly enhance the quality of life for many individuals facing physical challenges.
Another recipient, Nomusa Shange from uMbumbulu, described receiving her new wheelchair as akin to getting a Christmas gift. She lamented the difficulties faced by disabled individuals in the transport sector.
“I hope something can be done about the transport industry because it's hard to travel as a disabled person in my location,“ she said.
Nxumalo said that he is dedicated to hosting Disability Awareness Workshops designed to educate disabled individuals about self-confidence, media marketing, and addressing critical issues such as gender-based violence (GBV), unemployment, LGBTQ rights, and mental health.
"We have disabled people suffering from GBV, unemployment and mental health issues, so by donating these wheelchairs, we're giving them the freedom to move around and enjoy life," Nxumalo stated.
Looking forward, Nxumalo said he aspires to see every disabled person running their own business, believing that true empowerment begins with giving disabled people the chance they deserve. This vision speaks to a broader commitment to fostering inclusivity and representation within the economic landscape, he said.
Nxumalo encouraged anyone interested in partnering or contributing to Nokusa Support For Disabled People to join his mission to uplift the disabled community and create a more equitable society.
Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli emphasised the province's commitment to fostering inclusivity and improving the lives of persons with disabilities during the commemoration of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities. This was said at the Annual Commemoration held at Richmond Indoor Sports Centre.
Ntuli said that globally, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says disability is part of being human. It affects an estimated 1.3 billion people, or about 16% of the global population.
“So as our population ages, this number tends to increase, but it is also caused by the prevalence of non-communicable diseases. So, disability can be physical, but also mental. It can be temporary perhaps due to an accident, or permanent resulting from accidents, disease or medical condition.”
He further said that regardless of one’s type of disability, the challenges are similar. These range from negative attitudes, personal and environmental factors, inaccessible transportation and public buildings, and limited social support.
“In rural areas, the terrain can be challenging to wheelchair users. Environments must therefore be created to enable the full participation of persons with disabilities in society on an equal basis with others,” said Ntuli.
Ntuli said the office of the premier has the responsibility to coordinate the vulnerability scorecard every quarter with government departments to monitor the implementation of decisions to empower persons with disabilities, especially in the government spheres.
From April to June 2024 the provincial departmental achievements on Persons with Disability are as follows. The departments with over 2% employment for People With Disability (PWD) are EDTEA (2.18%), Human Settlements (2.14%), Social Development (2.30%) and the only one approaching 3% is the office of the premier at 2.89%, he said.
“With regards to Preferential Procurement, we can report that there is poor progress so far. As an illustration procurement for people in the disability sector hovers around 1%, except for OTP which is at 36%,” Ntuli said.
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