Three disability ambassadors take accessibility to new heights
Western Cape Minister of Social Development Jaco Londt took a bold leap in promoting accessibility and inclusivity during Disability Rights Awareness Month.
On 19 November 2024, he went down the world’s longest zipline, the K3 SA Forest Adventures zipline, just outside Caledon, with three persons with disabilities: Jabaar Cassiem Mohamed, Provincial Director of DeafSA Western Cape, Anda Mthulu, a professional wheelchair athlete and entrepreneur, Joseph Matheatau, a barista trainer at NPO Innovation for the Blind, in Worcester.
Participants reached speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour, zipping down the mountainside, each experiencing the “ride” in a different way due to their unique abilities.
Mthulu, whose left leg was amputated after a shooting incident in 2011, usually uses a wheelchair. For this adventure, he used his crutches to walk alongside Minister Londt up the short but steep stretch to the departure platform.
Mthulu said, “I’ve always said there’s life after disability. This shows that you can do as much as you can, with assistive devices that can help you to achieve your goals. We need to come out as people with disabilities and experience wonderful moments. I also urge public places to make it a bit more accessible so everyone can be accommodated.”
This is exactly what K3 SA Forest Adventures did to ensure that all participants had an enjoyable time. On the hour-long tractor ride up the mountain to the departure platform, Mohamed was able to read the lips of staff as they explained safety instructions and described the unique landscape and animals along the trail.
He said, “Before I came here today, I was so excited. When I got to the top of the mountain, I felt I was ready. Once I went down, it was beautiful, I wished I could’ve gone all the way to Cape Town!”
Matheatau – who lost his sight due to glaucoma – went down the mountain in tandem with his friend, Stephné Botha, CEO of Innovation for the Blind. On the journey up the mountain, K3 staff gave Matheatau the different plants they were describing, so he could feel what everyone else was seeing.
“I’m grateful for this opportunity, I couldn’t even sleep the night before, that’s how excited I was. I like adventures, so I was looking forward to this. With Stephné on my side explaining everything while we went down until it went quiet and we reached the last stage, it was really amazing,” said Matheatau.
K3 SA Forest Adventures owner Clinton Lerm said, “It was an amazing day, and a learning curve for us as well. We want our products to be as accessible as possible, so we’ve taken some notes, and we are definitely ready now for a much larger audience.”
“We are always talking about creating inclusive spaces for persons with disabilities, and here we had a business doing just that. All it takes is a little bit of effort to promote diversity and accessibility. A huge thank you to K3, whose staff went above and beyond when it came to accessibility for the participants. The adventure is a symbol of what can be achieved when we break down barriers – whether physical or mental – and are deliberate in creating inclusive spaces for all,” said Provincial Minister Londt.
To access more information about services offered by the Department, call our toll-free number on 0800 220 250, send an email to SD.CustomerCare@westerncape.gov.za or visit the department’s website: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/social-development
For more high-res quality pictures: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/135vwCXgZTKQ0lyvwqBK0cGJFWriac7Zl?usp=drive_link
Media Enquiries:
Monique Mortlock-Malgas
Spokesperson to MEC Jaco Londt
Department of Social Development
Tel: 084 775 2975
E-mail: Monique.Mortlock@westerncape.gov.za
Website: www.westerncape.gov.za