Thank you very much, House Chair, for the ruling and giving us the opportunity. Hon Deputy Minister, government has really forsaken people with disabilities, we cannot deny that. The norm is that 3% of people with disabilities should have access to jobs and currently it is only standing at 1,2%.
We really need to grow the public and private partnerships and we need to partner with nongovernmental organisation, NGOs, so that we can get those people with disabilities access to jobs and meaningfully participate in the economy. By doing this we will give them back their dignity - the dignity they deserve.
What I would like to ask of you, Minister, is: What incentives or tax breaks are you willing to give businesses and the private sector to attract people with disabilities? Thank you.
The DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR WOMEN, YOUTH AND PERSONS
WITH DISABILITIES: Hon members, depending on the contribution that the private sector wants to make ... I will just give a simple example: We have people who want to manufacture special oils for people with albinism. So, Trade and Industry has incentives and a formula. In our discussion with them they said they have a criterion which people will have to meet to qualify for those incentives and then our people will participate as partners in those activities. It is something new that we are exploring but we have that commitment now from Trade and Industry.
As I have indicated earlier on, I think we come from an era where emphasis was on grants - making people to be dependent on government. More and more clearly now our thinking is that many people with disabilities can function independently with adequate support from the state, and I mentioned also in my original response the fund that is within the small business which is earmarked for persons with disabilities - but a big one for us is the co- operation with Trade and Industry and of course some special entities.
People have come up with proposals that there are functions that our airlines can give to persons with disabilities like cleaning the headsets, pack them and send them back.
We are getting all kinds of proposals and we hope that there will be an uptake of all of these as soon as possible, but certainly the Trade and Industry one is a big one for us since it has special economic zones. How do we then ensure that even the multinationals that come to the country become aware of these special projects that we have for persons with special needs that need assistance and to be empowered so as to function independently.