With new amendments to the Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Act introduced in December, now is the perfect time to revisit its implications for disability. Rustim Ariefdien provides an overview The BBBEE Act essentially works on the understanding that years of systemic racism contribute to contemporary economic woes and that...
Employment
More skills equal more opportunities
While the economy is struggling and the unemployment rate is high, there are indeed opportunities for people with disabilities. It starts with acquiring the right skills According to the annual Commission for Employment Equity (CEE) report, the percentage of people with disabilities employed in the formal workforce is still about...
Building a disability equitable state machine
The last instalment of our series on the pillars of the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities concerns capacity building and training The seventh pillar of the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (WPRPD) is capacity building and training. It focuses on public institutions...
Owning the economy
One of the most important pillars of the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is empowering people with disabilities to take ownership of the economy Pillar Five of the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (WPRPD) is the reduction of economic vulnerability and realising...
Promoting and supporting empowerment
Businesses should support and promote empowerment through equal learning opportunities The fourth pillar of the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (WPRPD) is promoting and supporting the empowerment of people with disabilities. It states: “Persons with disabilities must have access to inclusive learning opportunities throughout their lives...
Universal access: the first pillar to empowerment
In the second article of a series on implementing the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, I take a closer look at how removing barriers to access plays a role in empowering people with disabilities. The first Empowerment Pillar of the White Paper on the Rights of […]
Economic empowerment in the spotlight
The White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is essential to ensure that people with disabilities are treated as equal citizens in society and can greatly impact on their economic empowerment The White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (WPRPD) is an important construct in the […]
Is Disability Employment Equity failing us?
With too few employment opportunities for people with disabilities, one has to wonder whether the South African legal framework is failing them. South Africa has one of the best legal frameworks in the world, but it seems to fail people with disabilities. For example, the Employment Equity Act (EEA) is […]
The medical aid imperative
Some companies don’t offer their employees medical aid as an added benefit; however, it could go a long way to benefiting employees with disabilities – especially as medical aid funds become less affordable Many employers offer wellness programmes and resources for their employees. These resources are meant to enhance the […]
The path of skills development
The development of skills of people with disabilities is a worthwhile goal, but what happens afterwards? The Skills Development Act states that an employer should be spending about four percent of its skills budget on persons with disabilities. The Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Act provides an employer with […]