KZN HANDOVER OF PROVINCIAL REPORT ON DISABILITY POLICY MARKS STRIDE TOWARD SOCIAL JUSTICE

By Precious Mupenzi

• The Department of Social Development has handed over a provincial report on the Draft Policy on Social Development Services to Persons with Disabilities in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.
• The handover is part of a national process to localise the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disability that guides the development of inclusive and accessible services for persons with disabilities.
• “What we are doing today is not just handing over a document, we are recommitting ourselves to building a caring society,” said the Chief Director: Strategy Management and Transformation in the Department of Social Development, Kenny Maluleke.

As South Africa commemorates Human Rights Month, the Department of Social Development has taken a significant step toward promoting equality and inclusion with the official handover of the KwaZulu-Natal report on the Draft Policy on Social Development Services to Persons with Disabilities.

Held today, 25 March 2025 in Durban, the engagement brought together provincial leaders, civil society, and the disability sector to reflect on the outcomes of the 2023 public hearings and reassert a shared commitment to building a society that recognises the dignity and rights of all citizens, particularly those living with disabilities.

The timing is fitting, with Human Rights Month focusing on ‘Deepening a Culture of Social Justice and Human Rights’.

The handover forms part of a national process to localise the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disability, a policy framework that guides the development of inclusive and accessible services for persons with disabilities.

South Africa ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008, reinforcing its commitment to upholding the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities through aligned domestic policies and programmes.

Speaking during the briefing, Kenny Maluleke, Chief Director: Strategy Management and Transformation said the report marks a key milestone in the implementation of the White Paper.

“This report captures the voices of persons with disabilities from across the province.

“It is a product of a collaborative process that included public hearings, consultations with non-profit organisations, and various stakeholders,” said Maluleke.

“What we are doing today is not just handing over a document, we are recommitting ourselves to building a caring society where no one is left behind.”

The White Paper, together with the Draft Policy on Social Development Services to Persons with Disabilities, sets out clear mandates for government departments to mainstream disability into their planning and implementation.

The policy was gazetted for public comments in November 2022 and underwent a series of engagements at national and provincial levels.

The draft was approved by the Social Protection, Community Human Development Cluster of Cabinet in November 2024.

Between November 2023 and March 2024, all nine provinces hosted disability public hearings and provincial handover events. These created platforms for persons with disabilities to raise concerns, make recommendations, and influence policy decisions.

The KwaZulu-Natal hearings saw the participation of over 100 organisations and individuals who shared their lived experiences and proposed local interventions.

“This policy is not just a legal framework, it is a declaration that people with disabilities are entitled to quality social services, respect, and full participation in society,” said Maluleke.

Public hearings were held in the Ladysmith, Ilembe, and Ugu districts during 2023, with the feedback gathered and consolidated into a provincial report.

The report identifies systemic service delivery barriers, including:

•       Limited access to transport, education, housing, and health care;
•       High costs and limited provision of assistive devices like wheelchairs;
•       Exclusion of people with disabilities from local economic development projects;
•       Bureaucratic hurdles, including annual renewals of grants for lifelong disabilities.

The report includes a high-level action plan with practical steps to improve inclusivity and services.

These include the establishment of special schools, the introduction of driving schools for persons with disabilities, sign language training across departments, and collaboration with the private sector for funding and assistive technology provision.

Maluleke emphasised the significance of integrating these findings into local government strategies: “This report gives direction. It will guide the allocation of resources and inform programme implementation across all sectors involved in disability rights and services.”

As part of the way forward, the department will finalise the development of a Bill on Social Development Services to Persons with Disabilities. This legislative process is expected to reinforce the rights-based approach promoted by the White Paper and enable stronger accountability mechanisms across spheres of government.

“This is a beginning. Our next step is to ensure these recommendations become lived realities for every person with a disability in our country,” said Maluleke

The KwaZulu-Natal report is one of several being compiled for a consolidated national submission.

According to the Department of Social Development, the findings will not only shape future policy but will also become an integral part of the country’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals and the National Development Plan.