Media release from QASA

A week later, on the 10th of December we celebrate International Human Rights Day, which the United Nations proclaimed in 1950 “to bring to the attention of the peoples of the world’ the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations.”

To imagine Gauteng motorists departing for their year end break with the South African Government facing charges of human rights violations against people with disabilities is a crying shame.

The disability sector instead of celebrating these days as we usually do, will now be forced to respond vigorously to this discriminatory infrastructure which will immobilise the disability community.

QASA was part of OUTA in the legal challenge against SANRAL and the Department of Transport and now has lodged a complaint of discrimination with the human rights commission. As much as SANRAL has being making irresponsible statements that people with disabilities will be exempt and given a concession, QASA has tested this at the e-toll offices, the call centre and the retail stores with no success.

SANRAL has misled the disability community that there will be a concession in order to encourage the disability community to register for an e-tag. Further discrimination of a more serious nature is that people with mobility impairments who do not own vehicles, do not have opportunity to own an e-tag which would give them an exemption, to be passed on to the driver who is voluntarily giving them a lift.

QASA will seek the intervention from the Human Rights Commission to ensure justice is done and to ensure that the fundamental human needs of people with disabilities, especially people with mobility impairments are not impoverished through this e-toll system.

The Opposition to Urban Tolling Alliance (OUTA) shall be assisting us with resources and professional guidance to formulate and lodge the complaint.

Ari Seirlis

Chief Executive Officer

QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA)

Tel: 031 7670352/48

Fax: 031 7670584

Email: ceo@qasa.co.za

Mobile: 0829014150

www.qasa.co.za