MMC concerned with special needs workers
Johannesburg – Group Corporate and Social Services MMC Ntombi Khumalo has interacted with disabled staff of the City of Joburg on issues affecting them in the workplace.
Khumalo wanted to know if the employees had easy access and enough facilities. That included toilet facilities, training and equal opportunities to grow like anyone else.
“Here at Metro Centre some of our restrooms do not accommodate people with disabilities, people have to go to certain floors to get facilities that will accommodate their needs. Another challenge that cuts across to every employee is stationery. I have to buy my own stationery because there isn’t any in the City,” said Khumalo.
She said people with disabilities have been excluded from the mainstream of society, and continued to experience difficulty in accessing fundamental rights.
“As the leadership of the City of Joburg we acknowledge that people with special needs require special attention, and if we want to achieve our priority to create a professional civil service that serves the residents of Joburg with pride, we need to attend to all issues that may hinder people with special needs to perform to the best of their ability,” Khumalo said.
She has urged all departments to commit to providing the necessary support to every employee.
“Persons with disabilities in particular need every support we can give in terms of mentorship, coaching and any other necessary tools of trade required to enable them to thrive within the City. We also ensure that the recruitment processes are accessible to people with special needs, compared to other applicants with the same level of education and qualifications. The City must therefore continuously improve the contractual obligations with the recruitment agencies to support and encourage applications from people with disabilities,” she said.