By Tanyaradzwa Ntuli
- Officials found many police stations in Gauteng still lack proper ramps, working lifts and trained staff to help people with disabilities.
- Only Eldorado Park station has trained sign language officers while others rely on DeafSA, causing long delays for deaf visitors.
A ramp leads to the entrance of Yeoville Police Station, but for many people with disabilities, getting real help from police remains a struggle.
Officials from the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities visited police stations across Gauteng, including Yeoville, Pretoria, Germiston, Eldorado Park and Bushbuckridge. They also checked clinics and Sassa offices to see if they are accessible to everyone.
Chief Director Praveena Sukhraj-Ely said the visits looked at more than just ramps and lifts. “We wanted to see how staff communicate, how they handle people with disabilities and if there are feedback systems,” she said.
Some stations have talking lifts and Braille signs for blind people. But many others are still missing basic features. Emergency exits are difficult to use, and there are not enough interpreters for deaf visitors.
Sukhraj-Ely said police officers get training but often don’t know how to apply it. “Police on the ground don’t have practical experience,” she said.
She said sign language remains a big problem. “Only Eldorado Park has trained officers. Other stations must call DeafSA for help, which causes delays,” she said.
The department plans to introduce a two-year programme to improve access and check progress every six months.
Pictured above: Yeoville Police Station.
Image source: Tanyaradzwa Ntuli
