IN CONVERSATION WITH NOLUTHANDO MOYANA
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Today, 3 December, marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a global moment to highlight inclusion, accessibility, and equal opportunity.
In South Africa, the numbers paint a troubling picture. Although legislation requires companies to ensure that 3% of their workforce is made up of people with disabilities, the country sits at just 1.2% employment representation. This is despite SA having around 3.3 million people living with disabilities — many of whom have the skills, qualifications, and potential to contribute meaningfully to the economy.
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), excluding people with disabilities from the labour market results in losses between 1% and 7% of GDP annually. For South Africa, this means billions of rand lost every year, at a time when the country is battling low growth, high unemployment, and a shrinking tax base.
Organisations committed to disability inclusion, such as Afrika Tikkun, argue that this is not just a compliance issue — it’s an economic and social opportunity being ignored. Yet many executives claim they “don’t know how to ‘do disability’,” raising questions about corporate readiness, workplace culture, infrastructure, and the will to shift from passive compliance to genuine inclusion.
This conversation matters not just for disability rights but for economic recovery, workplace transformation, and long-term skills development.
In South Africa, the numbers paint a troubling picture. Although legislation requires companies to ensure that 3% of their workforce is made up of people with disabilities, the country sits at just 1.2% employment representation. This is despite SA having around 3.3 million people living with disabilities — many of whom have the skills, qualifications, and potential to contribute meaningfully to the economy.
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), excluding people with disabilities from the labour market results in losses between 1% and 7% of GDP annually. For South Africa, this means billions of rand lost every year, at a time when the country is battling low growth, high unemployment, and a shrinking tax base.
Organisations committed to disability inclusion, such as Afrika Tikkun, argue that this is not just a compliance issue — it’s an economic and social opportunity being ignored. Yet many executives claim they “don’t know how to ‘do disability’,” raising questions about corporate readiness, workplace culture, infrastructure, and the will to shift from passive compliance to genuine inclusion.
This conversation matters not just for disability rights but for economic recovery, workplace transformation, and long-term skills development.
