Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga: National commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Programme Director, Honourable MEC Galebekwe Virginia Tlhapi, MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation, North West
Honourable Premier of the North West Province, Mr Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi
Executive Mayor of Rustenburg Local Municipality, Cllr Sheila Mabale-Huma
Executive Mayor of Bojanala Platinum District Municipality, Cllr Suzan Nthangeni
MECs present, Members of Parliament and Members of the Provincial Legislature
Chief Director Phuti Mabelebele, and all senior officials present today
Ms Melanie Ramjee, Deputy Chairperson of Special Olympics South Africa
Leaders from the disability sector
Our partners from SAPS
Traditional leaders, faith-based and community leaders
Most importantly, persons with disabilities, Special Olympics athletes and their families
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen

Good morning.

1. Why we are here today

Today, South Africa joins the world in commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities — not as a routine observance, but as a nation that has bound itself to the principle that every person is equal in dignity and in rights.

This commemoration concludes our National Disability Rights Awareness Month, observed under the theme: “Disability Inclusion: Creating Strategic Multisectoral Partnerships for a Disability-Inclusive Society.” At global level, the United Nations calls on us this year to foster disability-inclusive societies that advance social progress.

These themes remind us that progress is not measured by statements, but by whether persons with disabilities can learn, work, travel, access services, participate in sport, and live safely and independently in their communities.

Yet we know that for many South Africans with disabilities, daily life still includes barriers that should not exist — inaccessible buildings and transport, services that do not accommodate different needs, attitudes that exclude, and economies that do not open real opportunities. Their exclusion is not a side issue; it speaks to the kind of society we are choosing to build.

That is why it is so significant that we meet here in Rustenburg, in a province that has accepted the honour and responsibility of hosting the 2026 Special Olympics South Africa National Summer Games, and helping to prepare Team South Africa for the 2027 World Games in Santiago, Chile. Our presence here – across all spheres of government, SAPS and law enforcement, Special Olympics South Africa, families, communities and athletes – signals a shared undertaking: that persons with disabilities will never be treated as an afterthought, but as rights-holders and leaders whose full participation strengthens our democracy.

2. The flame of hope and what it asks of us

Allow me to reflect on what happened just this morning. 

This morning, we took part in a powerful Special Olympics tradition — the journey of the Flame of Hope.

Around the world, this flame stands for dignity, courage and inclusion. It is carried by law enforcement officers, the Guardians of the Flame, who commit themselves to protecting every athlete.

In South Africa, the flame moves from one host province to the next after each National Summer Games. Since the last Games, it has been safeguarded by SAPS Limpopo. Today, we witnessed its formal handover to the North West Province, the host of the 2026 National Summer Games.

The passing of the flame — from SAPS to Special Olympics South Africa, to national and provincial leadership, and finally back to SAPS North West and our athlete — is more than ceremony. It is a shared commitment that:

• National government will lead on policy and coordination;
• Provinces and municipalities will implement with urgency;
• Law enforcement will uphold dignity and safety; and
• Families and communities will continue to advocate and support.

The Flame of Hope belongs to every person with a disability in our country, whose full participation we are obligated to ensure.

3. From commitments to concrete action

Colleagues,

If the Flame of Hope is to mean anything beyond today, it must be matched by clear, concrete work. Allow me to highlight some of the steps we are taking as government, together with our partners.

First, on law, policy and institutions:

• We are finalising an overarching Disability Rights Bill, so that the rights of persons with disabilities are protected through a single, strong piece of legislation aligned with our Constitution and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
• We are reconstituting the Presidential Working Group on Disability for the 7th administration, ensuring that persons with disabilities and their representative organisations help shape policy and monitor implementation.
• Through the Medium-Term Development Plan, we have secured disability-specific targets in education, transport, employment, health, social protection and economic inclusion.

Second, on jobs and economic inclusion:

• Cabinet has supported reforms enabling departments and provinces to procure directly from Supported Employment Enterprises (SEE), which create sustainable jobs for persons with disabilities. Provinces have already begun placing significant orders, including school furniture, opening pathways for expanded employment.
• In the public service, we are working towards a 7% employment target for persons with disabilities. At the same time, we are calling on the private sector to move beyond the 1–2% plateau and use recruitment, bursaries and supply chains to open real opportunities.
• Through the National Skills Fund’s Disability Support Fund, we are strengthening specialised training, enterprise development and workplace readiness for persons with disabilities.

Third, on education, infrastructure and services:

• We are working with sister departments to ensure that special schools are fully electrified, with strong support from state-owned entities and the private sector, so that no child with a disability is excluded because of infrastructure or assistive devices.
• We are strengthening inclusive education and community-based support services, while improving accessibility in infrastructure, emergency responses and social services.

Fourth, on safety, GBVF and data:

• We are ensuring that the GBVF Response Fund and wider GBVF programmes incorporate a strong disability lens, recognising the heightened risks faced by women and girls with disabilities.
• As part of the legacy of our G20 Presidency, we are establishing a Disability Inclusion Nerve Centre — a national hub for data, research and coordination — to turn commitments into measurable change in education, employment, GBVF response and service delivery.

These efforts demonstrate a simple truth: we are moving from policy on paper to practice on the ground — in our laws, in our institutions, in our schools and workplaces, and in how we protect and support persons with disabilities.

And here in Rustenburg, that work meets the power of sport, community and partnership, through Special Olympics South Africa and the journey towards the 2026 National Summer Games.

4. Special Olympics and sport as a pathway to inclusion

Colleagues,

Everything we do as government must be felt not only in policies and plans, but in the real spaces where people gather, play and belong. Sport is one of those spaces — and that is why our partnership with Special Olympics South Africa, and the decision of the North West Province to host the 2026 National Summer Games, matters so deeply.

We are a nation that has watched champions like Kgothatso Montjane, Anrune Weyers and many others prove that disability is not a barrier to excellence on the world stage. Today, that same spirit lives in our Special Olympics athletes here in Rustenburg.

For many, Special Olympics is not about medals. It is about being seen, being included and being valued — in schools, in families, in communities and on the sports field.

As we look towards the 2026 National Summer Games and the 2027 World Games, we must view this moment not as a sporting calendar, but as a national legacy project: a chance to build more inclusive schools and clubs, stronger community support, and better access to health and participation for persons with disabilities.

What we see here today — athletes, SAPS, educators, families, celebrities, government and communities standing side by side — is the very definition of strategic multisectoral partnerships.

And so, this is inclusion in action.

5. Closing – A shared responsibility

So, fellow citizens, 

As we stand with the Flame of Hope today, we also mark the official close of Disability Rights Awareness Month. 

But let me be clear: DRAM may conclude today, but the work of disability inclusion does not. Our responsibility continues — in every department, every province, every community and every institution.

Government must ensure that commitments become accessible schools, clinics, transport and services. The private sector must open real pathways into workplaces, skills programmes and supply chains. SAPS and the justice system must carry this flame through dignity, fairness and protection in every station and courtroom. Communities and families must reject stigma and ensure that no child or adult with a disability is ever hidden or excluded. And persons with disabilities, through your leadership and organisations, must continue to guide and hold us accountable.

If we feed this flame with political will, resources, partnerships and respect, it will burn brighter than today — lighting the path toward a South Africa where everyone can belong, participate and thrive.

As we prepare for the 2026 National Summer Games and support Team South Africa on the journey to Santiago 2027, let us ensure our actions match our words — not only during DRAM, but every single day.

Ke a leboga. Ngiyabonga. Thank you.

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