The country is celebrating National Disability Rights Awareness Month but in reality people living with disabilities are struggling to access buildings in South Africa.
Building aren’t obeying the National Building Regulations that states all buildings need to be disable friendly.
Megan Gamiet, a resident of Riverlea Extension and her mother looks after Caleb (8) who was diagnosed with a certain type of Cerebral Palsy.
Gamiet has experienced this and has said that this is new form of discrimination against people living with disabilities.
“Some of the buildings in my community are friendly towards people with disabilities but there are others that make our lives difficult when we have my son with us,” said Gamiet.
Disability is the consequence of an impairment that may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental, or some combination of these.
A disability may be present from birth, or occur during a person’s lifetime.
Caleb contracted Athetoid Cerebral Palsy after Gamiet’s birth was prolonged by doctors at Rahima Moosa Hospital, eight years ago.
Children with Athetoid Cerebral Palsy often have trouble holding their body in a steady, upright position for sitting or walking.
“The Disability Awareness Month offers an opportunity for all of us to remove these barriers and to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities through concrete action.
“People that live around us are very warm towards Caleb, but you get those people that would stare when we are out.
“I take my child everywhere I go, I am not ashamed of my child,” said Gamiet.
The Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities is responsible for driving the government’s equity, equality and empowerment agenda in terms of those living with disabilities.
In Riverlea extension Gamiet says that her community is not disability friendly and the parks equipment is not very friendly for her son to utilise.
“He (Caleb) is confined to our yard and now we got him in a school after being on the waiting list for years.
“South Africa has a long way to go until we live in a country without barriers for people with disabilities,” said Gamiet.
