Deaf South Africans 'still locked out of opportunity'

As many people in the world commemorate Deaf Awareness Month, the Deaf Federation of South Africa (DeafSA) has called on the government to treat deaf people with dignity and give them the opportunities they deserve.

- Masoka Dube

Deaf Awareness Month is observed every year in September to raise awareness about deafness and the challenges faced by deaf people.

DeafSA national director Bruno Druchen was concerned that the government and other employers were reluctant to employ deaf people "because it was costly as they will also have to employ an interpreter".

"In a recent incident, a woman who is deaf and highly qualified was not promoted at her workplace because of her disability," said Druchen.

"Instead, the company promoted her interpreter. She had tried in vain to convince them to give her a chance to prove herself."