DEPUTY MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT LISTENS TO THE VOICES OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

• Key role players in Gauteng are being consulted on the Promotion of Equality and Protection Against Discrimination of Persons with Disabilities Bill
• Deputy Minister of Social Development Ganief Hendricks described the consultation as an important step toward ensuring the full inclusion, dignity, and empowerment of persons with disabilities in South Africa’s society.
• The bill is more than just a legislative document, it is a powerful step toward dismantling barriers and ensuring equality is not just a principle but a lived experience, the deputy minister noted.

Legislation protecting against discrimination of persons with disabilities must be informed by the voices of those it seeks to protect.

Those were the words of Deputy Minister of Social Development Ganief Hendricks at the opening of a consultation on 17 March 2025 on the Promotion of Equality and Protection Against Discrimination of Persons with Disabilities Bill in Gauteng.

Participants included government officials, representatives of disability service organisations, policymakers, advocates, and parents, who came together as a united force committed to building a society that upholds dignity, equality, and the full inclusion of persons with disabilities.

“This gathering marks a significant step in our ongoing commitment to dismantling barriers, eliminating discrimination, and ensuring that every person with a disability, regardless of type, severity, or circumstance, has equal access to rights, opportunities, and services,” said Hendricks.

The deputy minister noted that for too long, individuals with disabilities have faced systemic barriers – to education, employment, healthcare, and full participation in society.

“Despite progress, discrimination and exclusion remain stark realities for many,” he said, adding that the bill was more than just a legislative document. “It is a powerful step toward dismantling those barriers and ensuring that equality is not just a principle but a lived experience for all persons with disabilities,” Deputy Minister Hendricks noted.

There is an urgent need for a legal and policy framework that is inclusive of all disabilities, ensuring the protection and support of children and adults with psychosocial disabilities, autism, intellectual, and multiple disabilities, whose needs are often misunderstood or overlooked.

Deputy Minister Hendricks outlined the purpose of the consultation:

• To ensure the alignment of the Bill with the developed policy on social development services for persons with disabilities, which serves as a vital roadmap in addressing long-standing gaps in policy and legislation. This policy seeks to ensure that persons with disabilities continually receive responsive, disability-specific social development services tailored to their needs.
• To listen, to learn and to act.

The deputy minister told the meeting that no policy or law can be truly effective unless it is informed by the voices of those it seeks to protect. “That is why your insights, whether as parents advocating for your children’s future, as organisations delivering essential services, or as individuals with lived experience, are invaluable in shaping a Bill that is both meaningful and enforceable.”

The is not about token engagement; it is about ensuring that the final version of this Bill reflects the real needs of the disability community.

“We are here to co-create solutions, to identify gaps, and to strengthen the legal protections that will safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities in every aspect of life.”

The consultation is a testament to a shared responsibility to build an inclusive society where persons with disabilities are not only protected against discrimination but are also empowered through equitable access to services and opportunities.

Hendricks encouraged those present to speak openly, to share their experiences, and contribute to shaping a future where disability rights are not seen as an afterthought, but as a cornerstone of our collective commitment to justice, equality, and human dignity.

“Together, we have the opportunity to influence real and lasting change.”

In summary, Hendricks told the participants: “Your insights, expertise, and lived experiences will be invaluable in shaping legislation that is just, effective, and transformative.”

He called for the consultation to be the beginning of a stronger, more inclusive legal framework—one that truly promotes equality and protection against discrimination for all persons with disabilities.