ARTICLES

 

Employing people with disabilities in South Africa

 

 

PA Maja^{I, *}; WM Mann^{II, *}; D Sing^{III, *}; AJ Steyn^{IV, *}; P Naidoo^V

^I(B.Occ.Th) (UKZN). 2^nd YEAR Medical Student - Malawi
^II(B.Occ.Th) (UKZN). OT in Private Practice (Pretoria)
^III(B.Occ.Th) (UKZN). OT in Private Practice (Durban)
^IV(B.Occ.Th) (UKZN). Locum at Life Entabeni Rehabilitation Unit
^V(B.OT) (UDW). Senior Tutor, Discipline of Occupational Therapy, School of Audiology, Occupational Therapy & Speech-language Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal

Correspondence

 

 

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ABSTRACT

South Africa has developed policy and legislation to overcome barriers that people with disabilities face in the labour force, yet there remain practical issues relating to the implementation of these policies. This research aimed at identifying the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions and experiences of employers when hiring People with Disabilities (PWDs). Two organisations were selected using a purposive sampling method where interviews were conducted based on a completed questionnaire. It was found that there was a lack of knowledge about disability and although there were negative attitudes presented toward disabled people from fellow employees as well as physical barriers to their employment within the organisations, there were also clear benefits. These benefits were related to among others, the positive contribution made by the employees with a disability.

Key words: people with disabilities, attitudes towards People With Disabilities, employment of people with disabilities

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Correspondence:
Pragashnie Naidoo
naidoopg@ukzn.ac.za

 

 

* The work for this paper was completed by these authors when they were final year students (2008), Discipline of Occupational Therapy, School of Audiology, Occupational Therapy & Speech-language Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal