Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma missed the opportunity to address disability issues during his state-of-the-nation address, Disabled People SA (DPSA) said on Friday.
“The Sona (state-of-the-nation address) sets the tone for government and presents indeed the 'state of the nation',” DPSA national chairman Robert Masambo said in a statement.
“We had therefore expected far more than we received from a president who is very well conversant with our plight.”
Masambo said DPSA did not just want disability grants, but independence for disabled people.
DPSA and Zuma met twice last year.
In the meetings, DPSA had raised issues such as low levels of skills and education in the disability sector, the unemployment rate, compromised safety and security, economic participation and transport, said Masambo.
DPSA hoped the detail missed in Zuma's speech would find space in the budget vote. - Sapa