The Forum, which is aimed at supporting both staff and tourists living with disabilities, strives to promote the rights of persons with disabilities in employment, identifying and managing barriers to equal access to opportunities, career advancement and retention, and ultimately creating a non-discriminatory and inclusive workplace culture.

“It is a reality that people living with disabilities are still being discriminated against in some areas of our society, including in the workplace. Some people are born with a disability, some get sick or have an accident that results in a disability, whilst some develop disabilities as they age or at some point in their lives. SANParks strives to play a part in breaking down these barriers and ensure that the stigma or perception attached to disabilities diminishes. We, therefore, hope that this launch will increase awareness, understanding and improve attitudes towards the inclusion and participation of people with disabilities,” says Mahlangu.

Research by the National Department of Tourism states that tourism products must be designed with the sole purpose of being enjoyed by all tourists – young, elderly, and people with disabilities. One of the SANParks’ objectives is to increase the representation of people living with disabilities in its workforce from the current 1.7% to 2% by the end of the 2016/2017 financial year.

“As SANParks, we place commitment to equity and diversity and we can only achieve this if the organisation itself is more inclusive for its staff, tourists, and members of society,” Mahlangu adds.

For more information, visit www.sanparks.org. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.