The National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) recently held their 2019 awards event at the Transnet School of Rail at Esselenpark Campus.<\/p>\n
The event featured a variety of reasons for celebration.<\/p>
In his keynote address, NCPD national chairperson Mahmood Mia pointed out to the most recent cause for celebration in the sector, which was President Cyril Ramaphosa committing the government and private sector to full inclusion of persons with disabilities.<\/p>\n
NCPD milestones for 2019 included commemorating its 80th year of successful service delivery and advocacy and Casual Day celebrating 25 years of making a positive impact in the social and economic inclusion of persons with disabilities.<\/p>
Casual Day, which was conceptualised in tandem with South Africa\u2019s new democracy, continues to support more than 500 schools and organisations of and for persons with disabilities.<\/p>\n
ALSO READ:\u00a0Emperors Palace hosts prestigious awards<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWe are proud of Casual Day\u2019s ongoing success and growth these past two-and-a-half decades,\u201d said Mahmood.<\/p>\n \u201cThe project started with a total income of R443 000 in 1995, and in 2018 we reached R31.5-million.\u201d<\/p>\n High on the day\u2019s agenda and the NCPD\u2019s list of priorities, was an inspiring reflection on Casual Day 2018 under the theme \u2018Everyday Heroes\u2019, which showcased some of the Casual Day impact stories.<\/p>\n \u201cI am completely in awe of what the Casual Day funds have made possible in all nine provinces,\u201d said Zukiswa Nzo, spokesperson of the NCPD and Casual Day \u2018Ambassador with Disability\u2019.<\/p>\n Zukiswa, who was also the master of ceremonies at the event, went on to explain the extent of the programmes\u2019 achievements.<\/p>\n \u201cWe now have skills development centres where there were none before,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have people with disabilities who now have the assistive devices they need to engage in broader society.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are seeing more and more buildings that are accessible and workplaces that are inclusive, all thanks to the money raised by the Casual Day project.\u201d<\/p>\n This review was followed by the announcement of the 2019 theme, \u2018Time to Shine with Persons with Disabilities\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cThe theme is the NCPD\u2019s invitation to the whole country,\u201d said Therina Wentzel-Du Toit, national director at NCPD.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are inviting South Africans to go with their glow on Casual Day 2019, as persons with disabilities are finally getting an equitable dispensation.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is an invitation to all to shine together as one people.\u201d<\/p>\n ALSO READ:\u00a0Evergreens bowl to fight cancer<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The entertainment programme kept the momentum going and was cause for great excitement.<\/p>\n The highlight was the breath-taking and inspiring dance performance by Musa Motha.<\/p>\n Musa, who lost one leg due to bone cancer, now mixes street, cultural and classical dance, not only to delight audiences, but to give hope to those who need it most.<\/p>\n He is also a football fanatic and a part-time DJ.<\/p>\n He has worked with local and international artists and he is the mastermind behind two SABC 2 documentaries Talk SA and the award-winning Each One Teach One.<\/p>\n The best-for-last slot of the morning was reserved for the awards ceremony, rewarding and commending the Casual Day contributions of a wide variety of individuals, organisations, schools, companies and government departments in 2018.<\/p>\n Special tribute was paid to Edcon, the NCPD\u2019s main sponsor for the past seven years.<\/p>\n Mahmood thanked the organisation for raising R3.4 million through sticker sales in 2018, over and above their sponsorship amount in excess of R1, 3 million.<\/p>\n He pointed out that while the sponsorship concluded, it\u2019s not the end of the NCPD-Edcon relationship.<\/p>\n Thanks to the many impact programmes ahead, and the ongoing marketing Casual Day stickers in their stores, Edcon will still be part of this initiative.<\/p>\n As project owner and manager of Casual Day, the NCPD is happy to share the funds raised with the following National Beneficiary Organisations in the coming year:<\/p>\n \u2022 The South African National Council for the Blind.<\/p>\n \u2022 The South African Federation for Mental Health.<\/p>\n \u2022 Deaf Federation of South Africa (DeafSA).<\/p>\n \u2022 Autism South Africa.<\/p>\n \u2022 The National Association for Persons with Cerebral Palsy.<\/p>\n \u2022 The National Institute for the Deaf (NID).<\/p>\n \u2022 Alzheimer\u2019s South Africa.<\/p>\n \u2022 Blind SA.<\/p>\n \u2022 South African Disability Alliance (SADA).<\/p>\n \u2022 Associations for Persons with Disabilities (APDs).<\/p>\n ALSO READ:\u00a0A spot of colour in support of Cansa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n This year NCPD welcomes the following organisations to their list of beneficiaries:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Cheshire Homes SA.<\/p>\n \u2022 Muscular Dystrophy Foundation of South Africa (MDFSA).<\/p>\n \u2022 Transoranje Institute for Special Education.<\/p>\n \u2022 Grey Power.<\/p>\n \u2022 SANASE.<\/p>\n This year, Casual Day will be on Friday, September 6.<\/p>\n The public can buy stickers at the following retailors, any Edcon Group store (Edgars, Edgars Active, Jet, Boardmans, CNA, and JetMart), Game and Dion Wired stores, Toys R Us and Babies R Us Stores, AlphaPharm pharmacies, Express Stores, National and local NGO\u2019s whom are beneficiaries as well as schools, and at The Casual Day National office, Edenvale, Gauteng.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n