The 8th Annual Silent Walk & Run took place on Saturday, 14 September 2024, in Johannesburg. This significant event celebrates the International Month for Deaf People and aims to raise awareness about the challenges faced by the deaf community.
Organized by the City of Joburg’s Social Development Department in partnership with the Neema Foundation for the Deaf, the event featured a 5km silent walk through the streets of Emmarentia, followed by a day of fun activities.
Cllr Ennie Makhafola, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health and Social Development, welcomed participants and emphasised the importance of supporting the deaf community, especially as South African Sign Language has recently been recognised as the country’s 12th official language.
“We are urging the city residence to continue supporting the #Annual #SilentWalk&Run the city hold annually. We appreciate everyone who is here and the support they have been giving to the deaf people. Let us ensure we have deaf interpreters in all the government facilities to ensure they access with ease for all their needs,” said Cllr Makhafola.
Fatima Cele, CEO of the Neema Foundation, expressed her excitement about the event’s success and the support received from African Bank, which offers sign language services to help the deaf community manage their finances. “We still have issues like opening cases at SAPS for Gender Base Violence (GBV), access to community clinics, etc., which comes with barriers relating to the deaf community. We are hopeful government will finally listen to us to find possible solutions to the challenges.”
The Deputy Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Peace Mabe, committed national government support for future events and urged the hearing community to give the needed support to the deaf community. “I can assure you that in the next coming event the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton Mc Kenzie will be here. As the national government we are on board, we will be supporting and participating in the Silent Walk&Run events. I am here to urge the hearing community to give the needed support to the deaf community.”
The event drew support from numerous stakeholders, including the Gauteng Department of Education, the City of Ekurhuleni, and the GBVF Response Fund. It continues to foster unity amongst communities and create awareness about the abilities and rights of the deaf.
Written by Thembelihle Radebe
16/09/2024
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