22 Jul 2019

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse says there are 103 employees  living with albinism and other disabilities. Of those, 12 are people with albinism while 91 are those with other disabilities, 34 of whom are females and 69 males.

According to Mr Autlwetse, the number of people employed was in line with the United Nations(UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) No. 8: ‘Decent work for all’.

He said government recruitment policy did not discriminate any person from being employed on the basis of their disability. As such, people with disabilities were not discriminated against employment, hence it ‘is indeed inclusive’.

He further said the SDG targets and indicators were measured at national level and not at institutional level. “For our country, the SDGs Roadmap is in two phases; Phase 1 is from 2017 to 2023.

This will provide an opportunity for review of progress of the SDG targets during the first phase and put in place strategic interventions to meeting the targets by 2023,” he said.

The second phase, he said would be embedded in NDP 12. “In these regards, the country target of the UN No.8 is expected to be met by 2023 and interventions would be reviewed during NDP11 and NDP 12 to ensure compliance.”

He was answering a question from specially elected MP, Mr Mephato Reatile, who had asked the minister to state the number of people living with albinism and other disabilities that were employed by town and districts councils, and if any, to provide a breakdown by town, district, sub-district council, date of employment and gender.

He also wanted to know if the number of people employed met the country’s target of the united Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No.8: Decent Work and Economic growth by 2030, to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all, if not, when would the target be met for compliance. ENDS