“Disability is Diversity”; this was the theme of the first campaign hosted by the Disability Rights Unit (DRU), a support office which falls under the Department of Student Governance and Development within the office of the Registrar at the Durban University of Technology (DUT).
Able and disabled students formed part of this historic campaign, spreading the message of viewing each other as a differently able community at DUT.
Also in attendance were representatives from Saint Giles for the disabled, a non-profit organisation that helps people living with disabilities with work placement and bursaries; DUT Safety Officer Lehlohonolo Mokhohlouloane; DUT Student Counselling Department representative Sihle Mbanjwa and DUT Anaesthetic and Prosthetic Department’s Neil Van der Merwe.
Both students and staff agreed that there were still challenges in terms of access for disabled students.
“We are challenging the University to assist where it can in addressing these challenges of accessibility for those who are differently abled,” said Mokhohlouloane.
DRU is committed to ensuring that students have equal access to educational opportunities at DUT so that they can freely and actively participate in all facets of the University.
“Disability Rights Unit is an office aimed at assisting students with disabilities to be equally accommodated in academic and non-academic programmes. We want to create awareness of the issues and abilities of people living with disabilities amongst our DUT community,” explained Gugu Sacolo of the DRU.
Sacolo added that the office is committed to working towards the goal of creating an accessible and welcoming environment for all students living with disabilities. “The office, working together with the University, endeavours to make the learning environment a rich and rewarding one and we continually strive to improve all aspects of accessibility- physically, technologically and socially,” she said.
The campaign and prizes were sponsored by Redbull, Pavillion Hotel, Laduma, coca cola, DUT Development and Alumni Relations office, Old Mutual and Saint Giles.
Nomfundo Ngcobo
