Gwanda PWDs decry absence of designated parking in CBD

By Jonah B Moyo

GWANDA – Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Gwanda have raised concerns over lack of recognition in town parking lots by Municipality of Gwanda (MoG).

PWDs in Gwanda Town face challenges with availability of designated parking spaces, leading to feelings of exclusion.

One person with disability who chose to withhold her name said they are having challenges when it comes to parking spaces around town.

“As the country pushes for equal human rights, we face a significant challenge in our town, we get fined for parking in regular spaces because they are not designated for PWDs.”

“Some of us have disabilities that make it difficult to park in standard lots. We understand Gwanda is growing, and we hope the municipality will consider our needs in their bylaws, allowing us to enjoy our rights too,” she said.

She also added that they wish for MoG to include the parking lots in every street.

“‘When the Municipality of Gwanda marks parking spaces, we request that they include designated spaces for people with disabilities on every street, They should also enforce these spaces strictly, issuing tickets to non-disabled individuals who park there.

“If this happens, our rights will be respected and we will be treated equally. We would like to dispel the misconception that people with disabilities do not own vehicles, we do, and it depends on the type of disability that will lead to not owning a vehicle but we own vehicles like other non disabled,” she said.

In an interview with Nkomwa Foundation Trust Director, Mr Pick Nkomwa, he said accessible parking is a crucial component of ensuring equal access for people with disabilities.

“If PWDs have equal access to public spaces like those without disabilities, It enables individuals with disabilities to have the same level of mobility and independence as those without disabilities. Allowing them to participate in activities and access services that may not have been available to them otherwise,” he said.

He also highlighted that there are barriers that can arise if PWDs cannot access parking spaces.

“Without accessible parking, people with disabilities may face barriers to accessing essential services, such as medical facilities, government buildings, and shopping centres,” he said, further adding that accessible parking promotes inclusivity and allows people with disabilities to fully participate in the community.

According to United Nations Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities ( UNCRDP) article 9 on Accessibility provides that: To enable persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, States Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, to transportation, to information and communications, including information and communications technologies and systems, and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public, both in urban and in rural areas.

Municipality of Gwanda Town Engineer Phakamile Ndebele said as the MoG they are working on addressing issues to do with parking spaces for PWDs.

“‘We acknowledge that people with disabilities in our community face challenges when parking their vehicles, often resulting in fines from our council police, Currently, we have a limited number of parking spaces designated for people with disabilities, marked with yellow lines to indicate their reserved status, he said.

He also revealed that they are working on re-marking Gwanda Town in an inclusive way.

“In the next two months, we plan to re-mark our parking spaces, including those designated for people with disabilities, to ensure they can enjoy their rights equally, our goal is to make our town an inclusive place where everyone’s rights are respected and protected,” Eng Ndebele said.

Eng Ndebele also addressed the issue of accountability to buildings in town by PWDs.

“PWDs in Gwanda town also face significant challenges accessing buildings, particularly those with multiple stories and no elevators. To address this, we are enforcing the installation of ramps in every building with steps, improving accessibility and promoting inclusivity for individuals with physical disabilities

“This change aims to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities, aligning with global efforts to create more accessible environments. By installing ramps, buildings become more navigatable, allowing individuals with mobility impairments to access essential services and participate fully in community life,” Eng said.