Empowering the disabled: Kevin Naidoo's call for change in employment

Phoenix resident, Kevin Naidoo, 49, is a passionate ambassador for the employment of people with physical disabilities in the mainstream workplace. His advocacy stems from his own experience navigating a professional career while living with bilateral hearing loss, complete deafness in his right ear and 15% natural hearing in his left.

Despite this significant challenge, Naidoo excels professionally as a training officer for a major supermarket retailer in South Africa. He also dedicates his time to giving regular motivational talks and is an accomplished five-time Comrades marathon runner."People think it is strange that I am in training, and that too at one of the major retailers in the country, because I am partially deaf," Naidoo said. "As a training officer, you are in the education and communication field, so communication, hearing and listening are paramount.

But I saw this as a challenge, and I always rise to the challenge of making sure no one would recognise my disability until I informed them about it."Naidoo notes a gradual shift in societal perceptions, with people becoming more "mindful and understanding" about disability. He believes businesses and government entities that employ disabled individuals often praise them as 'more efficient workers.'"Businesses, companies, corporations, and governments can benefit by seeing disabled workers not as charity cases but also employees with uncommon qualities that can enhance profits," he stated.

However, a major obstacle remains: securing employment. Naidoo highlighted a "shocking and shameful" statistic regarding the employment of people with disabilities in South Africa. While the government’s target is 3%, the current employment rate stands at a mere 0.8% (less than 1%). He argues that most businesses, companies, corporations, and even some government departments are failing in this legislated area by neglecting to employ, train, and offer skills programs.

Naidoo’s core message is that employers should focus on a person’s ability rather than disability, or even how a disability can enhance employability. "Many disabled workers are so grateful for a job that they work harder," he explained, citing industries like software and data testing that prefer workers with certain disabilities, such as autism, for their intense focus on detail."Disabled people simply want to be treated for the best they can offer, which might just be better than what a potential employer presumes," Naidoo concluded.

He emphasised that promoting true diversity is a shared responsibility of businesses, government, and society at large, including the media. "Remember, diversity without including people with disability is not diversity at all.”

Post Plus