We Built the Ramps, But Not the Respect: Disability and the Illusion of Inclusion

• This Workers’ Day, South Africans are called to reflect on the real state of disability inclusion
• Workplace inclusion has often been driven by legal obligation rather than meaningful cultural change
• It is time to shift the narrative, challenge assumptions, and create environments where disabled people can lead, contribute, thrive and really be included

Denika Benton is a university lecturer in Industrial, Organisational, and Labour Studies with a decade of experience in the Human Resources field. She is currently pursuing her PhD and is a committed feminist advocate, passionate about promoting equity and inclusion in the world of work. Her areas of expertise include the Fourth Industrial Revolution, globalisation, feminist labour studies, diversity and equity in the workplace, and the social psychology of work. Denika is especially driven by a strong commitment to advocating for the rights and representation of minority groups.

Today, May 1, is Workers’ Day in South Africa, a day when we come together to appreciate, celebrate, and acknowledge the rights that so many before us fought for. However, while we celebrate progress, we must also confront the spaces where equity still falls short. Disability inclusion remains one of the most overlooked, despite the illusion of progress created by wheelchair ramps and accessible bathrooms.

As a university lecturer in Industrial, Organisational and Labour Studies, with a decade of experience in the Human Resources field, I have seen first-hand how the rights of workers with disabilities are too often approached as obligations to fulfil, rather than opportunities to foster genuine inclusion.

While there has been progress in equity and inclusion for workers with disabilities, these so-called triumphs are often limited to quota-filling or legal compliance, rather than reflecting a fundamental shift in mindset or organisational culture. It becomes a procedural necessity, rather than an opportunity to dismantle assumptions, reimagine talent, and challenge outdated models of capability.

Disabled people form a broad, diverse, and often misunderstood group, as disability extends far beyond what is visible. It includes not only physical impairments, but also cognitive, sensory, and mental health conditions. Legislation such as the Employment Equity Act and the Code of Good Practice on the Employment of People with Disabilities has laid essential foundations to ensure that people are not excluded or defined by their disabilities. However, policy alone cannot undo the deeply rooted beliefs that still link disability with being a burden or less capable.

Beyond policy, challenging cultural bias

When inclusion is treated as a mere requirement, it often results in tokenism, where individuals are included in appearance but excluded from genuine influence or belonging. It reinforces the idea that disabled workers are incapable, a burden, and quota-fillers, rather than recognising them as skilled individuals with valuable contributions to make. The result is often a workplace where disabled employees are tolerated but not trusted, accommodated but not truly empowered.

It is time we make strides to move beyond a mindset of compliance. This is not about doing the bare minimum, but about reshaping how we define professionalism, competence, and potential. It requires challenging a workplace culture that continues to frame disability as a limitation, rather than as part of human diversity.

Being tolerated, not included

Siyabonga Mthembu, one of my former students, a current COSATU member and POPCRU leader living with a disability, shared his insights and offered a powerful perspective on the issue:

“Companies make minimal provision for people with disabilities. Employers’ perception is that whatever a person with a disability cannot do or access, a colleague will assist rather than providing access. That limits their independence and increases dependency, meaning a person with disability must always rely on someone else.

This damages their self-esteem, something employers are not bothered to understand. Employers’ perception is that, once they meet the minimum requirements according to the legislation, they are compliant, and it ends there. The personal and emotional well-being of the employee with a disability is not part of their package.”

After hearing Siyabonga’s reflections, which echo the experiences of many other disabled workers, the question becomes: how do we shift from minimum compliance to meaningful inclusion?

Building cultures of capability

Below are practical steps that employers, HR leaders, and colleagues can take to ensure that disability inclusion is embedded in workplace culture, rather than treated as an afterthought. They might look simple or like they wouldn’t make much difference, but the positive impact on all employees, not just those with disabilities, is revolutionary.

Celebrate talent, not just tolerance

Acknowledge the professional strengths and achievements of disabled employees in company communications. Make inclusion part of your culture, not just compliance.

Flip the mentorship model

Allow disabled employees to be mentors. This challenges the idea that they are always the ones being helped and positions them as leaders with valuable expertise.

Create visibility through skills-based roles

Include disabled staff in high-profile projects, facilitation roles, or training spaces where they can demonstrate their capabilities and be recognised for their contributions.

Make flexibility the norm

Design work processes with adaptable hours, tools, and environments from the outset, not as a reactive measure.

Invest in whole-team education

Offer regular, mandatory training that addresses bias, invisible disabilities, and respectful communication for all levels of staff.

Remove stigma around mental health

Embed mental health support in workplace structures. Normalise seeking help and make emotional wellbeing a leadership priority.

Include disabled voices in policy-making

Involve disabled employees in the review and development of workplace policies. Their lived experience brings essential insight.

Move beyond ‘inspiration’ narratives

Avoid portraying disabled colleagues only through stories of struggle or overcoming. Let their expertise and everyday impact speak for itself.

Provide safe channels for feedback

Create confidential spaces where disabled employees can raise concerns or suggest improvements without fear of judgment or retaliation.

Creating inclusive workplaces is essential, but it is not the start or the end. Lasting change begins long before the policies, audits, and training sessions. It starts in our homes, in our classrooms, and in our communities. It begins with the language we use, the assumptions we challenge, and how we teach children and adults alike to see beyond disability. Until inclusion is normalised at a social level, our systems will continue to reflect the same limitations we claim to dismantle.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Briefly News.

Source: Briefly News