HEDS Disability Unit Hosted Awareness Campaign
HEDS Disability Unit Hosted Awareness Campaign
By Aphiwe Nkutha
Twitter : @Aphiwenkutharh
Email : nkuthaaphiwe@gmail.com
On 12 September 2025, the Higher and Further Education Services (HEDS) Disability Unit hosted a disability awareness event at the South Campus Gymnasium. The event aimed to highlight the challenges faced by students with disabilities and emphasize the importance of supporting them. The theme for the day was , Breaking Barriers, Embracing Diversity.
The event was supported by the HEDS Disability Unit, HR&T: TEED, SDS, the Commission for Gender Equality, Momentum Group, Transoranje School for the Deaf, the TUT Soshanguve Choir, and the Sports & Recreation Department. Organizers wanted students to understand the challenges faced by young people with disabilities and to see how support from institutions and peers can create a more inclusive campus. One highlight was a choir performance by Hands of Harmony from Transoranje School for the Deaf, which encouraged others to see ability beyond disability. Calvin Mogojane, the programme director, emphasized the importance of equal opportunities for all. He said, “Every student and every staff member deserves the same opportunities, regardless of their abilities.” Students also attended interactive workshops where young people with disabilities shared their personal stories. Some spoke about the challenges of navigating campus spaces, while others shared experiences of feeling excluded from certain student activities.
Lungisani Shongwe emphasized the importance of telling the university about your disability so you can get the right support.
There was also a discussion, featuring student leaders, disability advocates, and representatives from the HEDS Unit, explored practical solutions such as improving lecture hall accessibility, running awareness campaigns, and encouraging peer support systems. Students were able to ask questions and share their own ideas. Dr. van Wyk, Executive Dean and Campus Rector, said, “We must work together, as a university community, to remove barriers and create spaces where all students can thrive.” He reminded everyone that supporting students with disabilities is not just about meeting requirements, but about building a culture of care and respect. Lungisani Shongwe from TEED explained the rationale for the Disability Awareness Campaign. He said, “The goal of this campaign is to create an inclusive environment where every student can thrive.
Calvin Mogojane, Programme director said, https://on.soundcloud.com/pYNfFdEQiigTIJskYL
The event created a space for discussions, learning, and building understanding among students. The event ended on a fun and practical note with a goalball friendly match, a sport designed for the visually impaired, organised by Tsoketsi Rakgoale from Sports & Recreation. This allowed students to experience how inclusion can be applied in sports.
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