Dear Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and People with Disabilities, In 2014 March 20 I was involved in a car accident which left me permanently wheelchair bound (Paraplegic). At that time I was temporary employed through a council 3 year year fixed term contract as a lecturer but eventually migrated to DHET in 2015.

In 2015 on my return back to work after 9 months incapacity leave I started to experience difficulties in navigating my way around the campus of the TVET College where I am employed. A key challenge I faced was access to the buildings, which raised my awareness of the barriers experienced by people with disabilities, which I was not aware of as an able-bodied person.

I reported to the college management but was forced to return back to class which did not and still does not accommodate people with disabilities, due to pressure I reported to DHET national offices in Pretoria but did not get justice. In avoiding being charged for insubordination I employed external services of the KZN Public Protector as well as Department of Labour (KZN Dundee) who issues prohibition to the college management.

Soon after that I was exposed to investigation by the private attorney who was hired by the college principal, up to today i have been denied findings of that investigation. Through the internal labour office, I was continuously forced to return back to that class. I then launched a formal grievance with the national office of the Public Service Commission which I have not received any formal feedback from them after almost a year.

Last semester I was given 10 students to teach at a small boardroom in the middle of the covird-19 pandemic, I did that out of fear of being charged. Up to date I'm still faced with threats of being charged because I'm being labelled as an attention seeker who neglects his duties and black needy students.

I want to believe this is basically a war against people living with disabilities as I have been subjected to discrimination, exclusion and injustice in this college.

Young, 2000 illustrates Marginalisation, Exploitation, Powerlessness, The culture of silence and Violence as Five Faces of Oppression towards vulnerable targeted groups, I want to believe this is the case in this college as potential students who come to apply to study in some campuses are turn away because of non-compliance.

Kindly intervene as i have exhausted all avenues within the DHET

Kind Regards