DESPITE the city of Durban aiming to be the most welcoming, it is seemingly falling short in catering for the disabled community.
Glenwood resident, Keith Slabbert, was left disabled when he fell out of bed and broke his neck in August 2012 during an epileptic seizure. He appealed to restaurants in Durban, and to the municipality, to take cognisance of patrons who are wheelchair bound. He said he felt sidelined as a disabled person.
“I was always a socialite before my accident, and I still enjoy going out, but I have found restaurants in the area don’t cater for the disabled. I really want to create this awareness on behalf of the disabled community,” he said.
Keith said he was limited when it came to venues he could frequent. He was only able to access Spiga in Durban North and beachfront restaurants, as most others had no wheelchair ramps.
“Durban has a lot of restaurants, but we are so frustrated for choice now. We went to a restaurant in December, and it was so packed. The staff were amazing and offered to help lift Keith up in his chair, but they are missing the point. Keith feels it is creating even more attention than he wants. I raised the issue with the municipality, and have been asked to give names of places which are not wheelchair friendly, which I have done. I don’t understand how plans are passed for these venues, as it is the law that access is available for wheelchair-bound patrons,” said Keith’s mother, Dorothy.
Keith said when he travelled to America in 2014 to attend a programme at Project Walk Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Centre, he was amazed how different it was in that country.
“It is so much easier for disabled people to get around and the community is so welcoming. We never thought to phone ahead to ask if the restaurant was wheelchair friendly. Tables were raised for wheelchairs to fit under, and there were disabled toilets. It was so much more accessible and it was a real eye-opener,” he said.
“When we compare the US to South Africa, we wonder why it is like this in our country. I want to know why the disabled community is sidelined, it should be an inclusive community. I feel awareness needs to be created, starting in Durban, and going nationally if we must,” said Dorothy.
CEO of the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA), Ari Seirlis, said the municipality should provide access to patrons who are wheelchair bound and restaurants were not obliged to provide this.
“We are 10 to 15 per cent of the population and we have money to spend, so it is up to these restaurants to decide whether they want our patronage. Some of the older buildings, for example in Florida Road, don’t have to comply with the building regulations, however shopping centres do, where access, toilets and parking bays are provided for the disabled,” he said.
Seirlis said wheelchair access to places like the Durban beachfront were improving, however they were still not perfect.
“The parking is not sufficient and signage needs to be maintained, so we are at the mercy of the integrity of car guards. The beachfront is, however, mostly accessible and from Bike and Bean to uShaka there are toilet facilities and access to restaurants and piers,” he said.
Seirlis said QASA was still in the process of getting a rubber conveyor belt onto the beach sand to the sea, which is something that they felt was needed.
“There are two places, at uShaka and at Suncoast, where there are beachfront wheelchairs, but the existence of something to go just a little further from the pavement is what we are working towards,” he said.
In response to queries from Berea Mail regarding Slabbert’s plight, an eThekwini Municipality representative said: “Upon receipt of the complaint, City officials were sent to check if any building applications had been submitted for the properties mentioned. Accordingly, the Building Inspectorate will be required to take the necessary action should the properties have been altered or the use changed. Should circumstances be such that a building application is required, provision for persons with disabilities will be considered.”
The municipality said that while the requirements for facilities for people with disabilities had recently been amended, there are instances where buildings were approved under the previous requirements which, under certain circumstances did not measure up to the current standard.
“The requirements in buildings for facilities for persons with disabilities has improved with the introduction of revised standards and all new buildings are required to meet those standards. Many buildings, in which public facilities such as bars and restaurants are situated, were erected prior to the current standards and in such cases every reasonable effort is made to provide facilities for disabled persons.”
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