DISABILITY INCLUSION
disabled talent ignored
South African corporates are failing to meet the legally required 3 % employment target for people with disabilities, with representation sitting at a mere 1.4 %. The economic fallout is significant: the International Labour Organisation estimates that this shortfall is costing the country between 1 % and 7 % of its GDP each year.
In response, leading non-profit Afrika Tikkun is urging businesses to move beyond box-ticking compliance and actively partner in unlocking a largely overlooked pool of skilled talent.
“ Executives have told me that they do not know how to‘ do disability‘,” says Lana Roy, the Programme Lead of 360: Disability Inclusion at Afrika Tikkun.“ What does‘ do disability‘ even mean? In South Africa, companies have a legal obligation to employ disabled people, but there are also moral reasons for companies to make an effort to improve disability inclusion.”
The legal landscape The Employment Equity Act( EEA) No 55 of 1998 aims to correct historical workplace inequalities by increasing the representation of people with disabilities, alongside black people and women. Under new sectorspecific targets, companies have until 31 August 2030 to ensure that at least 3 % of employees in upper occupational levels – including top and senior management – are suitably qualified people with disabilities, up from the previous 2 %.
In South Africa, companies have a legal obligation to employ disabled people …
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