OP-ED: It’s high time that African governments prioritised Deaf-friendly websites

By Juventus Duorinaah & Timothy Egwelu Every year on the 28th of September, the world earmarks the International Day of Universal Access to Information. This day aims to raise awareness for the need to expand information related laws and their implementation particular as its related to digital rights. Digital rights are crucial for ensuring online...

Grief and Consolation

Written by Lesley Potgieter Grief is an emotion we all feel but seldom acknowledge. It is an emotion shrouded in darkness, living in the shadows, lingering, breathing. When a parent is told that their beautiful newborn will live a different life to the one that they had imagined, the first feeling is numbness, shock. All...

Koos Jacobs’ landmark ConCourt win a big step forward for accident victims who are intellectually disabled

By Tzvi Brivik For the thousands of road accident victims South Africa mourns each year, Jacobs’ ConCourt victory demands of us that that we recognise, promote and protect the rights of intellectually disabled persons generally and those disabled by road accidents specifically. hile much has been written about the judgment handed down by the Constitutional Court...

SPOTLIGHT OP-ED Mental health: We need shifts in mindset and structure at the micro, meso and macro levels

By Lesley Robertson In its observations on South Africa, the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities expressed grave concern regarding the rights of people with psychosocial disabilities. Here we look at our medical model of disability and mental health legislation, and unpack the change needed at the societal and health system levels....

OPINION | Michelle Botha: Charitable appeals feed into negative ideas about blindness

By Michelle Botha Charitable appeals support the provision of visual impairment services, but are potentially damaging to the social status of persons with visual impairment, writes Michelle Botha. Most organisations that provide support services to visually impaired persons in South Africa operate as non-profits. While these organisations receive some government funding, they often rely heavily on...

No more lip service: Let’s reclaim Women’s Month, especially for those with disabilities

By Tarryn Tomlison Women’s Month commemorations and programmes often miss the mark on the real significance of 9 August 1956, and most exclude women with disabilities. A quick Google search reveals that most Women’s Day events centre on the theme and keywords “pamper”, “spoil” and “celebrate”, missing the true significance of the day and of...

The Mainstreaming of Ableism

By Munaka Munyai The tragic murder of 16-year-old Nathaniel Julius on the 26th of August at the whim of South African law enforcement served as a dual display of violence to the country and media. On the first level, the overt use of brutality by law enforcement is an unfortunate reality South Africans have become...

People with disabilities should lead discussions about their rights and needs, especially during pandemic

By LISA DEADERICK Advocacy organizations for people with disabilities discuss the need for equitable access to resources and centering their voices in the creation and implementation of best practices, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. From the beginning, organizations and individuals advocating for the rights of people with disabilities have been working to make sure the current...

Having a disability is a violent and brutal experience

By Masingita Masunga It is a painful experience to watch the mother of Nathaniel Julius and the pain she is going through during a time and month that has not been easy across every corner of South Africa. The story of Nathaniel, as it got news coverage and highlighted the frustration, pain and hard relationships...

When Disabilities And Inequality Meet In A Pandemic

What happens to the poor during self quarantine? And what happens to the disabled who don’t have support? What happens when you are both? Makgosi Letimile asks.   I am a disabled woman, I have been fortunate to afford living in an accessible home and even then the accessibility is limited because I can’t take a...