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System still excludes people with disabilities from jobs and education

For thousands of South Africans living with disabilities gaining access to education and finding employment still remains an uphill battle, despite progressive legislation in the country, says deputy minister of employment and labour Judith Nemadzinga-Tshabalala. Nemadzinga-Tshabalala was addressing a policy dialogue session in Arcadia, Pretoria, on Thursday. The session, titled 'Transitioning of persons with disabilities into employment', was held in collaboration with the EU through its Education for Employability Programme, the department of basic education, department of higher education & training and department of employment and labour. Nemadzinga-Tshabalala said 'despite progressive legislation, people with disabilities still face systemic exclusion from education and employment'. 'A small number of people with disabilities have access to tertiary education or adequate foundational skills development and training,' she said. Due to exclusion, a substantial portion remained unemployable even when their disability did not affect their work ability. Nemadzinga-Tshabalala listed four major challenges: Limited opportunities were due to a pervasive lack of access to diverse careers and meaningful work, compounded by a historical disconnect between educational outputs for people with disabilities and industry needs, Persistent societal barriers which were a result of stereotyping, prejudice and unconscious bias from employers and society, Perceived obstacles to accommodation, while legitimate concerns existed regarding reasonable accommodation, and Healthcare and transport were seen as insurmountable obstacles rather than manageable, cost-effective adjustments. To address barriers faced by people with disabilities, the departments needed to enhance their initiatives guided by principles intended to promote alignment and collaboration among spheres of government, she said. 'A fragmented approach by government departments creates a significant barrier to a seamless career pathway for people with disabilities. 'We must dismantle a silo mentality when addressing challenges faced by people living with disabilities and build a truly collaborative, interconnected ecosystem supporting people with disabilities from the classrooms to workplace.'