Concerns of disabled persons gain momentum

By Ofentse Mokae
14 October 2009

Visually and hearing impaired pedestrians in Cape Town will find it easier to cross the road in future.

A vibrating button which sends out an audible signal at new traffic intersections was launched in the city today.

It provides both audio and tactile signals indicating that the pedestrian green light is on and that it is therefore safe to cross the road.

The Detector, was demonstrated during a ceremony by Councillor Elizabeth Thompson, Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Roads and Stormwater.

Meanwhile the department of Public Works will host an indaba on Disabled Persons in the city from tomorrow to Friday with the theme “Nothing about us without us”.

The indaba will bring together policy makers in government and the civil society to help lay foundations upon which the department’s Disability Policy will be formulated and fasten.

Spokesperson Koketso Sachane says the outcomes of the indaba will assist the department to finalize both its disability policy and strategy by end of 2009.

“As a Department responsible for erecting government buildings, we needed to develop a comprehensive Disability Policy and its accompanying strategy, to be able to consciously and deliberately incorporate issues of the Disabled People into our operations and employment equity,” Sechane said.

The public works minister Geoff Doidge, together with his deputy Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu is expected to address the indaba.