On Friday, 2 September 2022, the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) will celebrate the 28th annual Casual Day, with the theme #CelebrateSA with Persons with Disabilities.

September is celebrated as Heritage month in South Africa, and in keeping with the ethos of botho/ubuntu, the NCPD will once again raise awareness about the need for people with disabilities to have access to equal opportunities and rights as it has been doing for the past 81 years.“The NCPD epitomises the spirit of Ubuntu and embraces our nation’s heritage in support of those with disabilities. Our aim is to demonstrate how to care for and treat people living with disabilities with the same care, respect, and dignity as we treat our able-bodied counterparts, as the saying goes “umuntu, ngumuntu, ngabantu” (I am because we are),” says Ms Therina Wentzel, NCPD’s National Director.

Ms Wentzel says Casual Day supports more than 600 special schools, community-based organizations and national programs, as well as offering learnerships or jobs. She says the NCDP works in partnership with several non-profit organisations (NPOs) in the disability sector, as well as other state organs such as the South African Police Service (SAPS), and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).

All donations to the NCPD are used to fund special education programs for children with disabilities and their use of assistive technology in the classroom. These funds are also used to create job opportunities for learners with disabilities, thereby encouraging their participation in the economy.

Ms Wentzel says, “We are grateful to all our devoted supporters who have helped us over the years to raise more than R411 million for people with disabilities.  Our sincere gratitude to all our donors, large and small, who took part in last year’s Casual Day and enabled us to improve the lives of people with disabilities through some of the most trying times. This year’s theme is about the people, places, and character of South Africa. We invite our supporters to join the discussion, wave the flag and share those things that celebrate our country and themselves.”

 

For more information how this noble initiative has impacted communities over the years, please visit www.casualday.co.za as well as the NCDP’s website www.ncdp.org.za.

 

You can celebrate this day by wearing your Casual Day sticker and merchandise such as t-shirts, caps, and bucket hats. Please be sure to pick up your sticker or supporter item from one of NCDP’s participating NPOs, the casual day website (www.casualday.co.za), government agencies, businesses, or schools. All proceeds from the stickers and supporter sales go directly to organisations for persons with disabilities across South Africa.

Stickers are available for a donation of R20 from participating retailers including Alpha Pharm, Jet, Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Loot.co.za, Jam Clothing, The Hub and participating Spar stores. You can also get your personalised digital Casual Day stickers online at https://casualday.co.za/digital%20sticker/

 

Participants are encouraged to send their pictures or tag the event on its social media channels:

Twitter: @CasualDay_SA

Facebook: www.facebook.com/CasualDaySA

Instagram: @casualday_sa

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/casualday-sa/

 

Ms Wentzel is urging all South Africans to stand behind this year’s noble initiative like they have done before. “Let is remind ourselves that ubuntu is a collective effort, and cannot be done in solitude, as former Archbishop Desmond Tutu highlighted. Together we can achieve more and thereby impact more lives,” she says.

 

ENDS//

Issued on behalf of NCPD by Meropa Communications.