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| The disabled |
| Quadriplegic Association
of South Africa |
The Quadriplegic Association
of South Africa (QASA) strives to prevent quadriplegia,
as well as protect and promote quadriplegics’
interests by formulating a national policy and
strategy, to develop and ensure the full potential
and quality of their lives. The association is
represented in Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal, Eastern
Cape, Western Cape, Free State and the North West
provinces.
The financial contribution made by the Trust has
provided assistance in KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng.
The allocated funds in KwaZulu Natal were used
to launch a Road Safety Campaign, which resulted
in securing more than 15 000 signatures pledging
safety on our roads. The Ashley Village Call Centre,
also known as The Chatterbox, owned and managed
by disabled people, was officially opened on 25
March 2004. The Chatterbox has already secured
a number of clients, including Independent Newspapers,
thus generating income for about 50 of its members
to sustain themselves and their families.
In Gauteng, carports, which are rented out to
shoppers in a shopping complex situated in Vanderbijlpark,
were erected as part of economically empowering
members of QASA. This project generates monthly
revenues benefiting eight disabled people. A small
housing unit was also constructed which will be
rented out to people with disabilities as part
of generating income.
Utilising funding from the Trust, QASA recently
established Disabled Driver Training Programmes
in KwaZulu Natal and the Eastern Cape. The programme
aims to teach people with mobility impairments
to drive cars that have been adapted with a hand
control. |
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| Case study
1 |
| “Enable”-ing
the future of disabled people in the workplace |
Across South Africa,
working environments are changing and beginning
to reflect, more realistically, the diverse
groups within the broader population. In
recent years we have seen much emphasis
and attention placed on race and gender.
As these two issues have gathered momentum,
the focus is starting to shift to a minority
group often far less able to speak up for
themselves – the disabled. Due in
large part to societal ignorance and disdain,
disabled individuals have not been given
the opportunity to widely demonstrate their
talents and abilities. Alexander Forbes
Financial Services has now embarked upon
a new project with the intention of enabling
disabled people to have access to the working
environment.
Employers
are, by law, required to work towards an
employee profile that reflects the local
population make-up through all company levels.
According to this principle, this means
that people with disabilities should represent
seven per cent of the workforce –
this according to the University of Cape
Town Disability Unit. The truth, according
to the same source, is that in most instances,
people with disabilities constitute less
than one per cent of the workforce. Many
companies have set goals of two or three
per cent.
In terms of
the Financial Sector Charter, there are
no targets for people with disabilities.
However, in terms of the BEE codes which
will be gazetted later this year, the target
for employing full-time black employees
with disabilities is four per cent. In terms
of the Department of Labour, the rating
is two per cent. With these ratings come
weighting points.
Alexander
Forbes, as an organisation with clients
claiming disability benefits, operates in
an industry where it has access to disabled
employment candidates, as well as the capacity
to assess candidates physically and also
assess the proposed workplace they may be
entering. The basis of using this knowledge
to help place applicants into suitable positions
is that many disabled people would rather
be working and independent than claiming
their disability benefits. The project –
called “Enable” – involves
building upon this database of disabled
persons and matching these with suitable
positions across all industries and professions.
A specialist placement agency is a business
partner in the venture and will be responsible
for the placement process. As Alexander
Forbes has disabled clients across all industries,
the placements will, therefore, not be industry-specific.
With the hiring of disabled
individuals comes certain benefits, for
example the creation of an organisation
that is more representative and diverse,
the expansion of your candidate base when
new positions open up within your company
and legal compliance with the South African
Equity Act (2000) and Employment Equity
Act. The hiring of disabled individuals
demonstrates that a company is taking social
responsibility and equal opportunities seriously.
In addition, disabled people form their
own consumer base and so employing disabled
people gives insight into marketing and
service-focused strategies aimed at these
individuals. |
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| Takalani Home for
the Mentally Disabled, Soweto |
Takalani caters for 384 people
with a variety of needs. Their ages range from
3 to 50 years and they reside at the institution
in Diepkloof, next to the Baragwanath Hospital.
The Trust has made contributions towards the Brick
Making Project. Young people receive comprehensive
training from experienced bricklayers, which includes
the basics on brick-making, sessions on assertiveness
and marketing. This project generates revenue
of about R75 000 per annum. Some of the income
generated is allocated towards the operation and
maintenance of the home as well as compensating
participants in the brick-making project. |
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