FS Community Safety, Roads and Transport Department Launch Hand Signs Initiative for the Deaf
BLOEMFONTEIN – On Thursday 06 June, 2025 The Free State Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport launched the Transport Hand Signs Initiative at Rose Hall, Bram Fischer Building, a groundbreaking campaign aimed at helping Deaf commuters to communicate their destinations effectively and more easily in the minibus taxi system. The initiative included the Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Public Safety and Security at Mangaung Metro Municipality Cllr. Sibongile Tsoleli.
Speaking at the launch, MEC Jabu Mbalula described the campaign as a step toward dignity, inclusion, and constitutional justice. “This is not charity but it’s the fulfilment of a right. In the Free State, no one is left behind,” the MEC said. The initiative provides standardized hand signs to bridge communication gaps between Deaf passengers and taxi drivers.
It aligns with the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, calling for universal access and equal participation. The MEC honoured Black South Africans with disabilities who have shaped society — including Lebohang Monyatsi, Mpumelelo Mhlongo, and the late Hugh Masekela.
“We need to restore the confidence of our people by making everyone feel that they matter.” The department calls on all transport stakeholders to support the campaign and ensure a transport system that works and communicate for everyone, added MEC Mbalula.
#Hands4InclusionFS
