South Africa Youth Day Event Tackles Disability Exclusion & Social Barriers
Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2018/06/12 - Updated: 2025/04/21
Publication Type: Informative
Topic: Africa - Publications List
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This report details a 2018 Youth Day Disability Awareness Event in Soshanguve, South Africa, organized by Rudzambilu Holdings to address systemic barriers faced by youth with disabilities, particularly social exclusion and communication gaps between disabled and non-disabled peers. It cites Census 2011 data showing 7.5% of South Africans live with disabilities, with disparities in education and gender, while contextualizing these challenges within historical struggles like the 1976 Soweto Uprising. The event featured cross-sector dialogues involving government, religious, and disability leaders, emphasizing actionable collaboration to dismantle stigmatizing attitudes. The information is authoritative as it directly references national census data and statements from advocacy leaders, providing a critical lens on intersectional disability rights for policymakers, educators, and affected communities seeking inclusive solutions - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
South African history would not be complete without reminiscing on the June 16, 1976, uprising that seminally changed the socio-political landscape of the country.
Main Item
When the language of Afrikaans alongside English was made compulsory as a medium of instruction in 1974, black African students began mobilizing themselves and this resulted in a widespread revolt that turned into an uprising against the erstwhile repressive government, which began in Soweto and ultimately spread across the country.
A Youth Day Disability Awareness Event will be held in Soshanguve, North of Pretoria, the object of which being to reflect on challenges faced by youth with disabilities forty-two years on.
This is the initiative of the youth-led Rudzambilu Holdings, an outfit that is actively advocating for disability to be recognized within social discourses and its flagship #Tag Going Organization.
"While we recognize a myriad of challenges that youth with disabilities face, our focus for 2018 is to interrogate how lack of or poor communication between youth with disabilities and their abled-bodied counterparts inhibit social interaction, which in turn accrue to acrimonious cohesion", said Lucky Netshidzati, CEO of Rudzambilu Holdings.
In South Africa, 7.5 percent of the population (2,870,130 people) live with some form of a disability. This is according to a Census 2011 report titled, 'Profile of persons with disabilities in South Africa'. Further, disability is more prevalent among females compared to males (8,3% and 6,5% respectively).
The population group profile shows that black Africans had the highest proportion of persons with disabilities (7,8%), followed by the white population group (6,5%). Youth (between ages 25 and 34) with disabilities account for 5,4% of the total population, 5,3% of which had attained higher education, 23,8% had no formal education while 24,6% had some primary education.
"These statistical realities paint a rather bleak picture of the youth disability landscape in South Africa and enjoins every member of society, up to the highest echelons of government to play their part, no matter how minute, in improving the lot of this sector," continued Netshidzati.
Motivational speakers, Church representatives, Youth leaders, Persons with disabilities from both the business and legal fraternities as well as Government representatives are billed to address the Event, whose attendance would be constituted by mainly youth from diverse orientations.
"One need not look far in the history disability in South Africa to find evidence of attempts at social extermination, including ostracism, institutional control and segregation. Such attempts at forceful exclusion may be understood to be simultaneously eradicating from awareness those parts of self that persons with disabilities represent. Almost akin to the June 16, 1976 Uprising, this is a proverbial stereotypical struggle that has to be waged and delinquent attitudes defeated with axiomatic sledge-hammers", somberly concluded Lucky Netshidzati.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: While commemorating the Soweto Uprising's legacy, this initiative underscores an often-overlooked truth: disability rights are inseparable from broader social justice movements. By centering youth voices and cross-sector collaboration, it reframes inclusion not as charity but as collective accountability - a necessary step toward dismantling the structural indifference that perpetuates exclusion. The data-driven approach here offers both a mirror to society's failures and a roadmap for meaningful change - Disabled World (DW).
Author Credentials: Ian was born and grew up in Australia. Since then, he has traveled and lived in numerous locations and currently resides in Montreal, Canada. Ian is the founder, a writer, and editor in chief for Disabled World. Ian believes in the Social Model of Disability, a belief developed by disabled people in the 1970s. The social model changes the focus away from people's impairments and towards removing barriers that disabled people face daily. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and achievements, check out his bio.