Lief en Leed high tea volunteers with Marlene le Roux and Anroux Marais, minister of cultural affairs and sport (Western Cape)
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There are still so many misconceptions about disability in society at large. Disability does not mean inability.
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On Sunday 20 August I was privileged to attend a High Tea function organised by an organisation called Lief en Leed in the small West Coast town of Mamre. What makes this organisation so remarkable is that it was started more than 20 years ago by people who live with disability for people who live with disability in Mamre, to create a safe space where their members can encourage and inspire each other as well as learn and make crafts to sell. Their reason for this fundraiser on Sunday? To pay tribute to the women in their organisation because it is Women’s Month, but most importantly, to raise funds towards building a Centre for Excellence for the empowerment of all people in the Mamre area, not just the disabled, a centre which they will manage as persons living with disability and for which they will make the decisions.
My purpose for attending the High Tea function was to be introduced as their patron, a request that these very abled disabled team boldly addressed to me publicly at the launch of the ArtsAbility Festival at Artscape in November last year in the presence of a number of high-profile guests. The audacity of their courage to travel all the way from Mamre and boldly and unashamedly voice their request left me with no choice but to say yes!
Marlene le Roux (Patron) and Min Anroux Marais (minister of cultural affairs and sport) with Lief en Leed Chairperson Michael September (back) and Secretary Paul Arendse (front)
On Sunday Lief en Leed chairperson Michael September, secretary Paul Arendse, who both live with cerebral palsy, and treasurer Danilene Swarts who is hearing impaired, with their team of amazing community volunteers, pulled out all the stops to pull off a high tea fit for royalty. The Mamre Community Hall glowed with beautifully decorated tables filled with an assortment of delectables, enjoyed by the supporters of Lief en Leed who packed out the hall, including the Western Cape Minister of Culture, Arts and Sport, Anroux Marais and her husband Erik. The programme was a show of gratitude and a combination of music and song, spiritual dancing and inspirational short speeches in a heart-warming spirit of humanity and ubuntu interspersed with tea, coffee and cake.
For me as a person living with disability, knowing and believing in the capacity of my fellow citizens who are disabled as so ably displayed by Lief en Leed on Sunday, the reality however remains. There are still so many misconceptions about disability in society at large. Disability does not mean inability. Society in general, individuals, the business sector and employers must learn that people with disabilities are also able and should not be written off. Given the opportunity, they can accomplish, even excel, in many tasks. Lief en Leed is testimony to that.
As we are in Women’s Month, we must ask the question: how far have we really come in South Africa in terms of economic empowerment of women living with disability, given the legislation acts and policies, to ensure that women with disabilities are given equal opportunities to access employment? As a country we do have the policies but lack the will to implement these policies on the ground and in workplaces. People with disabilities still have to go out of their way to prove that they are good enough – this must stop! Workplaces, churches, communities must start to work actively towards creating a conducive, welcoming environment and eradicate hostility, both passive or active, towards people with disabilities. Let us treat people as people and judge them by what they can do, not by what they cannot do. Businesses should not hesitate to employ people with disabilities. Our country’s constitution demands that of them. Their branding materials should show that they are implementing the policies of inclusivity and they should revisit and monitor their existing policies regularly to ensure they are always inclusive and empowering towards persons living with disability. Above all, they should provide employees with disabilities with the tools of the trade and the necessary infrastructure to enable them to perform to their full potential.
Lief en Leed showed us all on Sunday, including the Minister of Culture, Arts and Sport, what persons living with disability are capable of. In my view they are the real heroes of Mamre, who never give up, who won’t be silenced. This is what I call courage in action. Their dream of building a Centre for Excellence, creating a safe space for all Mamre’s people, including the many young people idling on café stoeps with no hope and who are easy targets for the social evils that are engulfing our communities, will become a reality on the condition that all stakeholders join hands. The vision is for it to be a centre that is managed by disabled people, by Lief en Leed, as an example to society at large that people living with disability are not just waiting upon handouts, but can function as equals, with humanity, as they strive towards excellence and equity. This is a dream I support wholeheartedly. I therefore invite you to join us on this journey, to take our hands together with your skills, expertise and time.
On Sunday we also commemorated the day 40 years ago, when the United Democratic Front (the UDF) was founded. We remembered the fallen heroes of the UDF – Ashley Kriel, Coline Williams, Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata and the many thousands who gave their lives so that we could be free. Many survivors of apartheid to this day are still suffering the psychological after-effects and trauma of the brutality of our country’s past. Many persons living with disability are still traumatised by harsh treatment, discrimination, lack of resources and economic opportunities, ignorance and lack of freedom.
Marlene le Roux with Adam, who passed away on 25 August 2017.
I said yes to be the patron of this life-changing organisation, Lief en Leed – persons with disabilities empowering and asserting themselves while living a full life – in memory of my late son, Sunshine Adam George, who also had cerebral palsy and sadly left us at the age of 15 on 25 August 2017. This is the project that makes it possible for me to give back, to be able to say: ‘Môre sal die son weer skyn’ (Tomorrow the sun will shine again). Lief en Leed cannot do it alone. They need more volunteers who are also heroes. Our work is not done. Let us work together to advocate for change, let us be the change, let us join Lief en Leed and many like them to work for justice, equity, equality and humanity for all people.
Aluta continua! The struggle continues!
Marlene le Roux
Lief en Leed: Patron
25 August 2023