Shining Madiba Day light on Thembalethu's forgotten citizens

GEORGE NEWS - People with disabilities in Thembalethu should never feel neglected again.

This was the message of the day as key stakeholders involved in a Mandela Day celebration on Friday 18 July, honouring the neighbourhood's people with disabilities, signed a pledge to work hand in hand with Disabled People South Africa (DPSA) to look after this vulnerable group.

The event was organised by the Thembalethu CPF, held at the Inckubeko Science and Youth Centre and attended by the George Municipality, DPSA, Sahara (the Smoking and Alcohol Harms Alleviation and Rehabilitation Association), Sanco and Thembalethu SAPS, who all signed the pledge.

The Thembalethu CPF's chairperson, Simphiwe Schaap, reminded the delegates that Madiba did not fight for a specific group only, but for everyone living in South Africa, including those with disabilities.

He highlighted the atrocious conditions some of their neighbours with disabilities live in, referring to holes in the ceilings of some houses through which one could see the sky.

Back: Bulelwa Plata, Cingile Schaap, Sinazo Duru, Siphokazi Baby Tom, Mwahleni Qonda, Thozama Zukelwa and Phindiwe Raga. Front: Simphiwe Schaap, Nozipho Stone and Chulumanco Leeuw.

Committing to address these issues, Schaap announced they had identified four houses in dire need of renovation for which they will lobby the local municipality to prioritise. "Even Thembalethu's own ward councillors are not looking after the disabled," he said, pointing to their glaring absence from the event.

Putting the George Municipality on the spot, he went on to encourage people to bring their stories to George Herald should there be no progress going forward.

He then called for a disability desk (similar to the spiritual crime prevention and youth desks in police stations) to be established under the CPF, made up of representatives from the pledge signatories, which would tackle issues related to those with disabilities.

Stakeholders sign a pledge to look after Thembalethu's disabled community.

Plans for Swanepoel Building andYork High
Delivering a motivational address to a room filled with young and old living with a range of disabilities, the George Council's speaker, Sean Snyman - himself a member of the disabled community - said the difference between politicians and public servants was that politicians, such as the absent ward councillors, only wanted your vote, while public servants made the effort to attend events like this.

"Only a person who lives a cause can champion it. You don't witness the suffering of people if you don't engage with them. It is sad that the ward councillors who were invited didn't show up today," he said.

He then revealed the old Swanepoel Building would soon be opened to all people with disabilities for the purpose of training, development and feeding. He said it was a municipal building, but when the current project there came to an end, the developer would plant grass, fix up the cottage on the property, make it accessible and also install a jungle gym for kids.

In addition, Snyman announced a substantial donation received from Ward 28 would be used to install wheelchair ramps at York High.

George Municipality's speaker, Sean Snyman