The City of Johannesburg once again participated in the 2nd Annual Silent Walk in support of our partner DEAFSA to commemorate International Week of the Deaf. Over 300 individuals - young and old - came out all geared up to partake in this year’s walk at the Zoo Lake Sport Club.
The Persons With Disability (PWD) sub-unit within the Department of Social Department is supporting the initiative as part of the department’s mandate that aims to provide transformative opportunities. This would enable transitioning out of poverty and assist the chronically vulnerable to manage their challenges in order to achieve a dignified standard of living.
As a responsive City regarding the needs of all residents, the sub-unit also put in all its efforts to ensure continuous promotion of full inclusion and access to services for the deaf and hard of hearing community.
The main objective of the Silent Walk is to foster promotion of universal access as advocated by the White Paper of the Right of PWDs, by encouraging the learning of sign language as well as deaf culture.
International Week of the Deaf, which is observed annually from 23-30 September, is an ingenuity of the World Federation of the Deaf, where members of the deaf come together to promote the rights of the deaf communities, the status of sign language and to unify the hearing, hard of hearing and deaf people through global mobilization.
The theme for 2018 is “With sign language, everyone is included”.
The day’s activities included:
· 1.6 km Walk, 5km walk AND 10mm run (silent)
· Silent Aerobics
· Deaf Tennis
· Kiddies play court
MMC for Health and Social Development, Dr Mpho Phalatse joined in the festivities and wished the participants well.
“One of our key focus areas within Social Development is to support the disabled and to integrate them more into society through programmes, education and awareness campaigns such as the Silent Walk. That is why we have partnered again this year with DeafSA and other partners to make sure we continue creating awareness around the deaf community and the hard of hearing,” said Phalatse.
Research estimates that 20% of the South African PWDs have hearing loss, are unemployed and that illiteracy levels are high amongst the South Africa’s deaf community. To ensure access and full inclusion, the City has committed to making sign language the language of choice. The department is also working on a Gender, Youth and Persons with Disability (GEYODI) strategy to ensure coordinated service delivery to PWDs and the deaf.
Phalatse said the PWD unit continues to provide training for family members of the deaf, carry out awareness campaigns in schools for the deaf, as well as partner with non-governmental organisations and business to promote access and inclusion of the deaf community in various ways that include initiative such as the Silent Walk.
Winners of the walks and run were rewarded with medals and other prizes.
Dr Mpho Phalatse
MMC for Health and Social Development
City of Johannesburg
For media queries, please contact:
Lesego Mathibela
Stakeholder Manager: Office of the MMC for Health and Social Development
Tel: (011) 407 6725
Mobile: 061 497 8286
E-mail: LesegoMat@joburg.org.za and Cojhealthsocial@gmail.com
