The feelings of people with physical disabilities regarding discrimination in Tembisa

Abstract

The aim of the study was to explore and describe the feelings of people with physical disabilities regarding discrimination in the community of Tembisa. Discrimination against people with physical disabilities is one of the major problems affecting the larger society, impacting on their lives. The exploratory and descriptive designs were used because of insufficient information available on this topic particularly in Tembisa and to describe the feelings of people with disabilities regarding discrimination. A semi-structured interview schedule was used as a data-gathering instrument. The study was conducted among people with physical disabilities who are clients of the organisation Association for Physically Disabled (APD). Ten respondents were then selected following a purposive non-probability sampling method. The study revealed that most people with physical disabilities experience difficulty in accessing some of the public buildings in Tembisa as they are not wheelchair friendly. Housing for people with disabilities was also raised as another problem experienced by people with disabilities in general. The findings further proved that not much has been done regarding inclusion of people with disabilities by employing them in the open labour market. In conclusion, it has been proved that people with disabilities feel isolated, rejected, marginalised and stigmatised in the community of Tembisa by their able-bodied counterparts. Recommendations are provided regarding how people with disabilities can be included in Tembisa and mainstream society.