Limpopo MEC for health and social development Ms Miriam Segabutla has called on communities to expose people who are using disabled people as an economic front to win government tenders.

MEC Segabutla said any person who fronts a disabled person for narrow and selfish gain to win government tenders must be blacklisted and legally punished in all ways possible. “It is uncon-stitutional and morally wrong to use disability as a ground to discriminate against any human being. Institutions that are violating the spirit of the constitution in this regard should be exposed, with possible litigation against them,” said Segabutla.

MEC Segabutla was speaking at the Gidjana-Magona Sports grounds near Malamulele last Thursday, during the celebrations of International Day of Persons with Disabilities where she addressed thousands of people from all corners of the province, including people with disabilities.

Segabutla said it was the responsibility of the government to ensure that disabled people were also given the opportunities to access education. “Our schooling facilities should be organized in manner that pays due regard to disabled learners. The opening of doors for learning for all, including disabled people, will assist in establishing a strong foundation for the bright future of disabled people,” she said.

She advised the people that they had to understand that to live with disability was not a matter of choice, but in many respects was due to the dictates of nature. The government has introduced the Employment Equity Act, which is very explicit on the promotion of fair treatment of people living with disabilities. The act indicates clearly that disabled persons should be afforded the op-portunities to prove themselves at the workplace, she added.

One of the disabled people in the Vhembe District, Mr Gilbert Mudobi, says the government has been doing a lot for disabled people since 1994, but still more needs to be done to people with disabilities in the province. Mudobi is blind and is freelancing at various radio stations, doing pro-grammes about people with disabilities.