By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
A man who is living with disability in Huhudi Location, near Vryburg, said his health continues to deteriorate because of the ‘illegal’ dumping site next to his yard. Lungile Nonkonkonya (34) stays in a house along with his other six siblings.
Lungile’s younger sister, Nomakhosazana said: “My brother has been in and out of hospital because of awful smell that we are subjected to next to our yard. We have reported this matter to the municipality, but we do not get any assistance.
“The municipality has since unsoiled the area in 2013. My brother is living with disability and suffering from muscular dystrophy. The municipality always gives us empty promises and we are sick and tired of that.”
Nomakhosazana further said her brother was once diagnosed with Tuberculosis (TB) and suffered from a short breath because of the dumping site. She said they urge the municipality to clamp down on the ‘illegal’ dumping site next to their yard.
“It is heartbreaking to see our government ignoring our call while we living with a disabled person. Disabled people are large minority groups, starved of services and mostly ignored by society hence they live in isolation and subjected to poverty,” she said.
The Naledi Local Municipality acting spokesperson, Atwell Setlhapeloa said: “We’ve had a change in management. We have a new acting Municipal Manager and he would like to check (twick) few things first before we could respond.”
Meanwhile, the risenshine.org.za website said due to discrimination, disabled persons are not free to get those rights that a non-disabled person gets. The website said disabled persons are also deprived of education and employment.
“Persons with disabilities in South Africa continue to face barriers that prevent them from enjoying their full civil, political, economic, social, cultural and developmental rights.
“This is largely due to a lack of awareness, ignorance, and prejudice in our society. It is also because some legislation fails to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. Mainstreaming and universal access for persons with disabilities are the ultimate goals of the disability movement.”
In 2009, the North West Social Development held a media briefing on the launch of the policy on disability at Mmabatho Convention Centre. According to a statement, the department launched a policy on disability, developed for the social development sector.
“It is aimed at providing strategic guidelines in the delivery of social services that are compliant with departmental mandates and legislation within the social development context.
“It is intended to guide and inform the department on the mainstreaming and integration of disability within social development practices and to facilitate the transformation shifts in line with the current policy framework to promote inclusion for people with disabilities,” said the statement.
The Guardian 