Pretoria - The Department of Social Development will this afternoon host a community imbizo in Beaufort West, Western Cape, to look into the abuse and neglect of people with disabilities.
Beaufort West, which falls within the Central Karoo District Municipality, has an estimated population of just under 50 000. It incorporates the areas of Central Town, Paradise Valley, Newlands, Prince Valley and Mandlenkosi.
The residents of Beaufort West have raised the alarm on the widespread abuse and neglect of people with disabilities in the area. They have also bemoaned the limited access for people with disabilities in some public facilities, as well as lack of opportunities in skills development programmes for people with disabilities.
The department said today’s imbizo will be held to promote government’s core principles on disability, as outlined in the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The White Paper was approved by Cabinet as an essential instrument towards improving the lives of persons with disabilities.
Statistics South Africa estimates that there are over two million people with disabilities in South Africa, constituting 7.5% of the overall population. Of these, 222 333 people with disabilities are said to be living in the Western Cape province. – SAnews.gov.za
