By Lindelwa Dlamini
MBABANE – Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thulisile Dladla has called for the introduction of sign language by public transport operators in the country.
Dladla believes that the specific needs of deaf and hard-of hearing passengers still are not adequately addressed – despite the tremendous efforts public transport operators have put in providing accessible communication services to their passengers.
She argued that the introduction of sign language in the industry will help operators easily understand and communicate with sign language users.
Dladla revealed her plans yesterday during her visit to the Mbabane bus rank where she was engaging the public transport operators on issues of Gender Based Violence (GBV) awareness launch.
In other countries Public transport operators are legally obliged to ensure equal access to transportation services. This includes equal access to information and communication related to those services.
Dladla assured the public transport operators that her office can arrange a sign language workshop that would give basic lessons on how to cater for people with all kinds of disabilities including those that uses sign languages.
She challenged public transport operators to continue caring for their customers without any form of abuse or stigma.
She stated that the heightest numbers of abuse cases that have been reported are from the Hhohho region.
“As I am launching this drive today and it would continue to other bus ranks in the country to spread this message. It is our wish as an office to introduce you a basic sign language course that would give you knowledge on how to communicate with people with disabilities when using public transport since they are part of your customers too,” she said.
She continued saying that it is advisable for all bus conductors to know basic sign language in other for them to communicate effectively with their disable customers without communication barrier.
Dladla further said that the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office (DPMO) would put signs language translators in all public transports so that bus conductors would be able to communicate effectively with those who are using signs.
People who are living with disabilities were given an opportunity to voice out their concerns to the DPM and they thanked her for addressing their situation and urge her to continue educating people on how to communicate with them without giving them disability stigma.
However, during the event, Mbabane Bus Rank Marshal Jabulani Dlamini said men shied away from reporting abuse by their partners because police officers mocked them for being abused by women yet they were men. He also thanked the DPM for coming to them to talk about the matter and further talked about the need for them to accommodate people with disabilities.
Federation of People with Disabilities in Eswatini (FODSWA) President Bongani Makama acknowledged the DPM for bringing this motion to her concerns for people with disabilities, as they have been advocating for it for a long time, but there had been no change. Makama said the Constitution stated that people with disabilities should have accessibility of services, especially on public transport.
He further stated that most bus drivers are more time conscious than their customers especially those with disabilities. “It has been part of our advocacy for sign language to be put as the third official language in the country, as statistics stated that people who used sign language were the third class of disability in Eswatini.
Eswatini Local Transport Association Secretary General Ambrose Dlamini transport Associations started by apologising to the public for an accident that recently happened in Mbabane, where a person with disability experienced harsh treatment from some public transport operators. He thanked the DPM for coming up with the plan to educate them on how to cater for customers with disabilities.
“Eswatini must know that disabilities is everywhere across the globe. As we serve the public, we are expected to comply with the Constitution concerning people with disabilities on board. As the transportation association, we thank the Government for this suggestion, as it would make our work easier after the workshop, as everyone must know the basics of sign language,” Dlamini said.
