CITY PAUSES DIAL-A-RIDE CUTS FOR DISABLED RESIDENTS

The municipality reaches agreement with disability rights group

- THEOLIN TEMBO

THE City of Cape Town has paused its decision to cut the Dial-a-Ride service for disabled people, which was expected to be suspended today will now run until October, after reaching a settlement with the Western Cape Network on Disability (WCND) on Friday.

The municipality reached an agreement with the WCND, which was made an order of court by Acting Judge Wallis Roux.

The service has been in operation since the early 2000s, serving individuals, including the mentally disabled, visually impaired, and infirm, enabling their access to healthcare, places of worship, work, education, and community activities.

Under the impending changes, the service will be severely limited to only wheelchair-bound individuals and those with severe walking impairments, and exclusively for transport to and from work.

The reduction is expected to affect more than 1000 vulnerable individuals. The City attributes its decision to an “unsustainable” R12 million annual shortfall.

The City intended to discontinue the vital service for residents who are blind, visually impaired, and people with other disabilities, leaving only those who are wheelchair-bound or have severe mobility impairments able to use the service.