Members of the Qhakaza Disability Group (QDG) in Nyanga are appealing for community recognition. They also want to be treated with respect and to be seen as part of the community. Members of the group also urged the society not to pity them.
Qhakaza is a non government organisation (NGO) for people living with disability. The NGO works in and around Nyanga.
The president of the organisation Peterson Dlamini said their members still feel marginalised in some sections of the community.
“As people who are living with disabilities we feel as if we are not welcomed in our communities. Some people call us names and also some family members lock the children indoors because they don’t want them to be seen by the community,” he said.
Dlamini said public transport also failed to cater for their special needs and accused taxi drivers of bad behaviour towards the disabled. “When we board a taxi we have to pay double, including for a wheelchair or else you put your wheelchair on your lap,” he explained.
Qhakaza acting deputy secretary Andisile Moni stated that their disability does not mean that they are not humans.
He accused various government departments of letting them down by failing to accommodate them in some of their buildings.
“We are struggling to get into some of the government buildings because there are no ramps or their lifts do not accommodate our wheelchairs. The department of Human Settlement doesn’t accommodate us when they build houses. And you go to banks it is the same thing, the tellers are not designed for us,” he said.
Moni said Qhakaza is the voice of the voiceless. He said they cannot sit down and fold their arms while their rights are suppressed. He said many companies do not hire them.
“When we go to interviews you could see the attitude from the panellists while conducting the interview. The way they look at us,” he said.