SANParks TODAY
Disabilities Awareness By Katlego Morulane
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. In 2013, Cabinet approved 3 November to 3 December as Disability Rights Awareness Month, and 3 December as the National Day of Persons with Disabilities. Furthermore, 3 December is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and is also commemorated as National Disability Rights Awareness Day. Disability is one of the seven focus areas identified by the South African Human Rights Commission to promote, protect and monitor the realisation of Human Rights thereof in South Africa. I sat with Mr Rodney Lucas, SANParks’ Transformation Manager based at Groenkloof National Park and learnt about his noteworthy contribution in elevating the Disability Awareness agenda in the organisation. How did you get involved in Disability awareness and what role do you play in raising awareness about it? By virtue of my role as transformation manager of SANParks, it is one of my duties and my passion to ensure that all employees, irrespective of race, gender, sexual orientation, able bodied or living with a disability, to mention but a few, have the same opportunity as everyone else in the organisation to participate fully and freely in all and any opportunity/ ies that are available to staff within SANParks. What is the state of Disability Awareness in our country and in the organisation? South African Human Rights Commission notes a very critical fact that persons with disabilities currently account for 5.1% of the population. These
10
Mr Rodney Lucas: Transformation Manager
people continue to experience a lack of access to adequate health and basic education and have no prospect of securing employment. The sector is also particularly vulnerable to the compounded effects of discrimination and abuse. This is attributed to the entrenched negative beliefs and attitudes about the causes of disability; about the capabilities of persons with disabilities; about the need to protect persons with disabilities through segregated programmes; and persons with disabilities are mostly unable to take up or access affirmative action opportunities or access public services provided for the general population. In SANParks however, the status of disability and
