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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS PRESENTATION TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON WOMEN,CHILDREN AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES 31 OCTOBER 201 2 PRESENTER: ACTING DG: MS. MANDISA FATYELA-LINDIE. PRESENTATION OUTLINE. Purpose Introduction and Background Accessibility – Regulation Requirements

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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

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  1. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKSPRESENTATION TO THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON WOMEN,CHILDREN AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES31 OCTOBER 2012PRESENTER: ACTING DG:MS. MANDISA FATYELA-LINDIE

  2. PRESENTATION OUTLINE • Purpose • Introduction and Background • Accessibility – Regulation Requirements • Need for strategies and integrated plan • Inter- sectoral and inter- Departmental Collaboration • Lack of awareness - UNCRP • Assistive Devices • Employment • Challenges • Solutions 2

  3. 1.PURPOSE • To provide status report to Portfolio Committee on Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities on progress made by the Department of Public Works (DPW) on implementation of the UNCRPD with respect to: • Accessibility • Need for strategy and an integrated plan • Inter-sectoral and inter-departmental collaboration • Awareness raising on UNCRPD 3

  4. 2. Introduction and Background • In 2007 South Africa ratified both the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and its Optional Protocol. • The purpose of the convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights by persons with disabilities. It covers a number of key areas such as accessibility, personal mobility, health, education employment, habilitation and rehabilitation, participation in political life, equality and non- discrimination. • Due to its mandate, the department therefore, is expected to provide a strategic and leadership in the fulfilment of Article 9 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

  5. 3. The Role of Public Works in Implementing the UNCRPD: Legislative Context • DPW draws its mandate from amongst others, the Government Immovable Asset Management Act (GIAMA) of 2007 and its white papers and is mandated to provide land and accommodation to national government departments and institutions, administer such land and accommodation as custodian of government’s immovable assets and regulate and transform the construction and property industries within which the needs of disabled persons are also catered for. • While DPW is not governed by any existing Building Act which governs its work in terms of prescribing for accessibility of all state buildings, the UNCRPD has influenced DPW to develop its own Disability Policy Guideline, adopted in 2011that seeks to: • Ensure government buildings are accessible and user-friendly to persons with disabilities; • Review, give effect to and recognise disability in the DPW supply chain management processes; and, • Increase the number of persons with disabilities benefiting from the Department’s projects and programmes especially the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP)

  6. 4. The Role of Public Works in Implementing the UNCRPD: Accessibility • DPW Disability Policy Guidelines do not however provide technical specifications to be used in making buildings accessible. • Instead it commits the DPW to providing access for people with disabilities using universal design principles in the building, renovation and refurbishment of state buildings to address the challenges of: • Lack of access to service delivery and social infrastructure in the provision of health, Home Affairs, Justice, Social Security & Welfare and Sports & Recreation services. This includes: • Facilitating the development of norms and standards for the provision of these different services through accessible infrastructure development. • Complying to the National Building Regulations in all capital works, rehabilitation and maintenance projects. • Monitoring budgets and expenditure.

  7. The Role of Public Works in Implementing the UNCRPD: Accessibility (cont) (ii) Lack of access to economic opportunities through various legislative and policy instruments that ensure the entry and progression of persons with disabilities into the mainstream economy. This includes: • Ensuring accessibility of labour centres in compliance with the ILO Convention 59. • Ensuring the re-skilling of persons who acquire a disability within our mandate. • Innovative recruitment practices. • Promoting the ownership of land or buildings by persons with disabilities. • Through the CIDB register of contractors, ensuring the utilisation of contractors owned, managed by persons with disabilities. • Through the CBE, ensuring minimum norms and standards are set to facilitate the registration of disabled persons as professionals within the built environment. • New leases and renewals – the accessibility requirements are included in the tender specification for the procurement of leased accommodation

  8. Scope of Work of DPW Accessibility Programmes The programme aims to address the following requirements in State-owned buildings in terms of the South African Bureau Standards (SABS) 10400 – S: 2011: 1. Signage; 2. Parking; 3. External & Internal circulation – accessible route from the site entrance to main entrance); 4. Doors, doorways & door handles – appropriate doors and handles to allow for easy access into various parts of a building 5. Ramps 6. Lifts - audio and visual warning signs as well as raised numbers on buttons 7. Toilet facilities; 8. Warning signs (e.g. fire alarms) – audible and visible; and 9. Other measures – informed by requirements per building . 7

  9. Infrastructure Roll-out on DPW Accessibility Programme • The above buildings are occupied by various user departments (e.g. SAPS, Justice, Home Affairs & Correctional Services, etc). 9

  10. DPW Budgetary Trend on Accessibility Programme

  11. DPW Budgetary Trend on Accessibility Programme (cont) • The under-expenditure is due to delays caused by non-responsive bids and poor performance by contractors, etc., since contractors with a low CIDB grading qualify/ are appointed for these projects owing to the fact that the scope is most often small. • Lack of adequate budget planning mechanism that ensures an appropriate proportion of the budget is allocated to meet the commitment of accessibility for disabled persons. • Lack of proper coordination with DPW on implementing Disability Policy Guidelines.

  12. 5. The Role of Public Works in Implementing the UNCRPD: Developing Strategies & Integrated Plans • DPW is still in the process of coordinating its own integrated plans to ensure alignment to its Disability Policy Guidelines which are informed by the UNCRPD. • The Terms of Reference of a DPW Accessibility Advisory Panel are being drafted to ensure that the needs of persons with disabilities are incorporated in the entire value chain of the DPW Business Model. • To date, very little consultation had been made with persons with disabilities in our planning processes. • However, following the Governance & Administration Working Session, DPW will engage DPSA, National Treasury and the Department of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities by November 2012 to ensure a coordinated and integrated implementation of the accessibility programme. • Already a forum constituting of National and Provincial Public Works has been formed to discuss progress on various issues of concurrent mandate (including the accessibility programme).

  13. 6. The Role of Public Works in Implementing the UNCRPD: Inter-sectoral& Departmental Collaboration • DPW is part of a Committee constituted by South African Bureau Standards (SABS) and representatives of various bodies of people with disabilities responsible for the development/review of standards for accessible buildings. • The prioritization of buildings for the installation of facilities for persons with disabilities is done in consultation with User Departments. • DPW Outreach Project – partnerships have been forged with schools for learners with disabilities across provinces including early development center for children with disabilities. • DPW through its Advocacy and Awareness Projects partnered with Organisations for Persons with Disabilities e.g. Blind SA, Retina SA, Refilwe Care Centre. • A strategy to strengthen our partnerships with associations representing the needs of the disabled will be developed for implementation in 2013.

  14. 7. The Role of Public Works in Implementing the UNCRPD: Awareness Raising on UNCRPD • In response to the above Article, NDPW in partnership with the Department of Public Service and Administration and their Sector Entity, Public Administration Leadership and Management Academy (PALAMA), designed a Disabilities. Management Training, which has been tailor-made to respond to the department’s mandate. • United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability forms part on the above-mentioned training. • To date 117 officials have participated in the training programme.

  15. The Role of Public Works in Implementing the UNCRPD: Awareness Raising on UNCRPD (cont) • NDPW runs annual awareness campaigns to educate and to promote the rights of persons with disabilities. The following annual events/ activities prioritize education and training on United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: • Deaf Awareness Week: 1 – 7 September annually • World Sight week: 4 – 10 October annually • Casual Day: 7 September (proceeds are donated to NGOs) • International Day for Persons with Disabilities: 03 December annually

  16. The Role of Public Works in Implementing the UNCRPD: Awareness Raising on UNCRPD (cont) • NDPW established a Departmental Disability Committee in 2010. The committee participates in strategic forums/committees of the department. (“Nothing about us without us!”) • The objectives of the Committee: • To address any other pertinent issues that will advance the objective of inclusion of persons with disabilities in line with the transformation agenda of DPW. • Monitoring and evaluating the implementation of disability management programmes, practices and services in the Department. • Developing a Designs Manual for Accessibility of State buildings.

  17. The Role of Public Works in Implementing the UNCRPD: Awareness Raising on UNCRPD (cont) • As part of awareness raising, the Department conducted a workforce profile assessment which enabled the department to identify and provide for special needs/assistive devices to enable employees with disabilities to function optimally without limitations. • The following equipment was procured by DPW and is currently being utilized by people with disabilities except Jaws software and Printer: • Perkins Brailer • 2x Brailer Printer • Scanner • 3x wheel Chairs • 1 Visual impaired Software

  18. 8. Employment Figures of People with Disabilities at DPW • As at 01 August 2012 current Disability Statistics show that 1.12% employees are persons with disabilities

  19. THANK YOU!

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