JOHANNESBURG — When the South African Disability Alliance (SADA) gathers on the evening of Friday, 5 June 2026, it will not simply be for a gala dinner. It will be a deliberate, high-stakes gathering of people who have decided that inclusion is not a future aspiration — it is a present-day responsibility.
The event, held under the theme Be the Change: Inclusive Today, Sustainable Tomorrow, brings together government, corporate South Africa, and civil society around a shared question: what does it actually take to make this country work for everyone?
ABOUT SADA
The South African Disability Alliance is the umbrella body of the disability sector in South Africa, representing 22 member organisations of and for persons with disabilities.
SADA was established on 15 November 2007, in direct response to the lived realities of persons with disabilities across the country. Although equality is enshrined in the Constitution, persons with disabilities continue to encounter physical, social, and economic barriers that undermine their ability to enjoy their rights and to fully participate in society. Recognising this, persons with disabilities — through the disability rights movement — asserted their right to self-representation and leadership in all matters affecting them, guided by the principle: “Nothing About Us, Without Us.”
SADA was formed as a unifying platform to strengthen cooperation, amplify the collective voice of persons with disabilities, and advance equal access, dignity, and participation for all.
That founding intent has only sharpened with time. SADA subscribes to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and acts as the custodian of the rights and freedoms of persons with disabilities in South Africa, playing an active role in policy-making and legislative processes. SADA was mandated to draft the Country Shadow Report on the implementation of the CRPD, which was submitted in June 2023, and which informed the List of Issues subsequently presented by the United Nations Committee to the South African government for response. SADA also holds representation on the Presidential Working Group on Disability, which engages regularly with the President.
The alliance’s membership spans the full breadth of South Africa’s disability sector. Full members include the QuadPara Association of South Africa, the South African National Council for the Blind, Cheshire Homes South Africa, Epilepsy South Africa, the South African Federation for Mental Health, the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation of South Africa, the South African National Deaf Association, Autism South Africa, Blind South Africa, Down Syndrome South Africa, Shonaquip Social Enterprise, Stroke Survivors Foundation, DeafBlind South Africa, and the South African Guide Dog Association for the Blind.
That is not a list of names. That is a coalition of communities — representing millions of South Africans who navigate a society that was not designed with them in mind.
WHY THIS MATTERS NOW
The employment rate among persons with disabilities in South Africa is currently estimated at just 1.3%. Accessible public transport remains largely unavailable outside a handful of major urban areas. Outside of a few limited services in major cities, accessible public transport is virtually non-existent, leaving many persons with disabilities isolated and unable to access education, employment, healthcare, and community life.
These are not abstract statistics. They describe the daily reality of people who have something to contribute and are being stopped from doing so — not by their disability, but by systems that have consistently failed to account for their existence.
The SADA Gala is a direct response to this moment. It is a platform built to close that distance between decision-making and lived experience — and to resource the organisation that has spent nearly two decades refusing to let that gap stand.
THE EVENING
Guests can look forward to an exceptional night, including an elegant three-course dinner, outstanding live entertainment by performers with disabilities, meaningful networking across sectors, and a lively auction with exclusive prizes and special surprises.
The evening’s programme will also include a series of award presentations recognising those who have moved inclusion from rhetoric to reality:
- SADA Lifetime Disability Service Award
- SADA Lifetime Disability Achievement Award
- SADA Rising Changemaker Award (open to individuals aged 18–35)
- SADA Impact Partnership Award
- SADA Inclusive Leadership Award
Black tie. Fine dining. And a room full of people who mean business.
AN INVITATION TO CORPORATE SOUTH AFRICA
The Platinum Partnership at R50,000 includes 20 tickets to the Gala, premium brand visibility to a targeted audience of senior decision-makers, recognition throughout the programme and across event materials, listing as a partner on the SADA website, direct engagement with the SADA network and membership base, and complimentary in-person disability sensitisation training for 20 employees — valued at R15,000 — as well as a Section 18A certificate.
The Gold Partnership at R25,000 includes 10 complimentary tickets, brand visibility to decision-makers and sector leaders, recognition during the programme and across selected event materials, stakeholder engagement opportunities, demonstrated commitment to DEI and Shared Value priorities, and a Section 18A certificate.
The Gala will also feature a curated fundraising auction of high-value items and exclusive experiences, and partners are invited to contribute premium offerings that enhance the event while driving meaningful engagement and fundraising outcomes. For organisations wishing to contribute at a flexible level, guest gift and raffle sponsorship — through financial contributions or in-kind donations — provides brand visibility and engagement with an audience of approximately 200 guests.
Every level of support goes directly towards sustaining an organisation that is doing work government and business cannot do alone.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
This is not a charity evening. It is a strategic investment in the infrastructure that makes inclusion possible at scale — in policy rooms, in boardrooms, in classrooms, and on the streets.
South Africa has the frameworks. It has the human talent. What it needs is the collective will to follow through. SADA has been building that will for nearly 20 years. This gala is one of the ways it sustains that work.
EVENT DETAILS
Date: Friday, 5 June 2026 Venue: Deloitte Waterfall Office, Johannesburg Arrival: 17:00 | Programme commences: 18:00 Dress code: Black Tie
Tickets: Available via Quicket at https://qkt.io/oFb4QV
RSVP deadline: 27 May 2026 Email: secretariat@sada.org.za Tel: +27 83 320 2267 Web: www.sada.org.za
