Blind SA says the blind and visually impaired in South Africa are currently suffering a book famine as less than 0.5% of published works are available in accessible formats like braille.
Through an online petition, they are calling for the government to urgently deal with this matter.
Jace Nair, CEO of Blind SA, claimed that this suffering is the result of the South African government's refusal to ratify a global agreement that would facilitate the creation and international transfer of books specially designed for those who are blind or visually impaired, despite a Constitutional Court order.
‘’The government initially attributed its failure to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty to South Africa's copyright rules, which forbade the publication of books in braille or other formats usable by people who are blind without the author's or publisher's consent. The Constitutional Court issued a ruling in September 2022 that created an exception to the Copyright Act clause, allowing the government to ratify the Treaty freely,” said Nair.
Nair said despite over a year having passed since the Constitutional Court ruling, the South African government has made little progress toward ratification, choosing instead to leave the country's blind and visually impaired citizens in the dark in ways.
“The time has come to demonstrate to the government the power of the people by pressing it to sign and ratify the Marrakesh Treaty and finally provide braille and other books in accessible formats to people who are blind and visually impaired in South Africa. We have done everything legally possible to pressure the government to treat blind and visually impaired people fairly in that country,” said Nair.
Asked when the department will rectify this matter, Phuti Mabelebele, Chief Director: Advocacy and Mainstreaming Rights at the Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD), said they would coordinate all stakeholders and provide further advice to the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (DTIC) to commence and finalise the process of rectifying the Marrakesh Treaty.
She said the implementation of the Constitutional Court judgment is the sole responsibility of DTIC.
‘’The DWYPD will strengthen the process by making inputs into the presidential minute, rectification instrument, and parliamentary process through the portfolio committees on women, youth, and persons with disabilities, as well as trade, industry, and competition,’’ said Mabelebele.
On why the department has been slow in dealing with the issue, Mabelebele said the DWYPD assisted in the process of obtaining legal opinions from the Department of Justice and Correctional Services, and it is for the Department of Trade and Industry, in line with Section 19D of the Copyright Bill to process the amendments accordingly, following all due processes with all relevant stakeholders.
‘’Accessibility of print material—books, newspapers, etc.—all print material in braille and in all other accessible formats for persons with disabilities is still a challenge, and the DWYPD continues to advocate and mainstream the inclusion of accessibility of information for persons with disabilities in formats that are required. Departments are further advised to source braille printers for small quantities; however, they should source braille service providers for bulk printing. South Africa has private service providers that translate braille books on request,’’ said Mabelebele.