Dear Editor
A comprehensive DA oversight of the MyCiti Bus system in Cape Town has revealed that the City’s busses are fully accessible for guide dogs, who assist the visually impaired to travel each day. (photo here )
I conducted this oversight with Councillor Rob Quintas, MMC for Transport in the City of Cape Town, to assess accessibility for people with visual impairments who rely on guide dogs.
We were joined by professional guide dog trainers and their assistance animals for this oversight inspection.
This oversight informs the DA’s preparations of a Private Member’s Bill focused on improving public access for people who use assistance animals across all of South Africa.
During the oversight, our delegation tested critical accessibility points, including navigating turnstiles, locating correct platforms, and boarding procedures. The exercise provided valuable training opportunities for guide dogs in development, exposing them to the unique sounds and vibrations of public transport.
The experience of Cape Town’s bus system shows what should be happening across the country, but this will only be possible with comprehensive legislation that ensures consistent accessibility standards across all of South Africa’s public transport networks.
Significant work remains to make South Africa truly accessible for all people with disabilities. My Private Member’s Bill before Parliament aims to establish consistent national standards for assistance animal access across public spaces and transport systems. This is a matter of realising the Constitutional rights of our fellow disabled South Africans, and it is a fight which I take up with great care and compassion.
I firmly believe that accessibility cannot be a matter of goodwill alone – it must be enforced in legislation that provides clear rights and consistent standards nationwide.
Regards
Wendy Alexander MP
DA Member of Parliament