Casual Day Celebration
By Ephodia Mudau
The South African National Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted persons (SANABP) celebrated Casual Day on Friday, September 2, whose 2022 theme was #ICelebrateSA#, at GMM Phasha Centre for the Blind, at Moletji village, Limpopo.
According to the Casual Day website, “Casual Day is the largest fundraising project for persons with disabilities in South Africa. It is also an important national campaign to raise awareness about persons with disabilities through which their rights are promoted. These include access, equality, social inclusion, and economic participation.”
SANABP promoted disability inclusion by introducing a fun walk where blind people and those who are not blind participated with blindfolds on. The distance walked was about 500 metres. “The aim was for the community to get experience of how it is like to be blind,” said Kate Rakumako, general manager of SANABP.
The fun walk by 35 people was led by Irish Muofhe from the South African Mobility for the Blind Trust, based at the Capricorn TVET College in Polokwane where it gives training to students to boost their independence. She gave instruction on how to hold a white cane to ensure safety.
Captain Mothemane Malefo (54) from the Limpopo South African Police Service said that the fun walk was scary. “I did not know where I was going. I relied on the noise people were making. I see blind people almost every day, but I have never imagined myself in their shoes.”
Lethabo Dikgale (29) project coordinator for the Limpopo South African Library for the Blind (SALB) said that the fun walk experience was an eye opener. “It heightened my hearing. I learned that I should stay alert in the environment I am in, also that I don’t have to see where I am going,” Dikgale said.
The Casual Day awareness campaign for this year at SANABP was aimed at promoting disability inclusion in all areas of life. Moletji community members were informed during the campaign about the needs of people with disabilities and different organisations that cater for various disabilities.
Nganakopi Ramushu, chairperson of GMM Phasha said, “Universal access is important. When people with disability adjust to the environment, society benefits too. Ramushu also promised to visit public and private organisations of people who attended the campaign to monitor whether people with disabilities are included. “Disability is not homogenous, and it should never be treated as [such]. It does not mean that if you have dealt with blind people matters in your organisation, the issues of deaf people are resolved also.”
