ELLEN MLAMBO
MIRROR REPORTER

MASVINGO – Senator representing Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), Ishmael Zhou is demanding social grants for PWDs in the new Disabled Bill.
He said countries like South Africa have social grants for PWDs. PWDs benefit from such grants whether they are employed or not.
The grants also help in improving standards of living for PWDs and such provisions are more similar to the funds allocated to war veterans.
Senator Zhou said mothers with children who have disabilities also require personal assistants for their children so that they are able to work for their families.
He said this last week Monday during a meeting with PWDs ahead of Parliamentary public consultations on the Persons With Disability Bill.
“The grant will help PWDs manage their varying disabilities as their conditions come with an extra cost,” he said.

The new bill will replace The Disabled Persons Act Chapter 17:01 of 1992 as amended in 1996.
The new bill also seeks to domesticate the United Nations Convention on the rights of Persons with Disabilities. The new bill will have provision for the establishment of an independent Disability Commission and will align with the 2013 Constitution.
“There have been concerns by mothers of children with disabilities that they are not able to go and work for their families as they will be looking after their disabled children. The issue of personal assistants for civil servants with disabilities was addressed,” he said.
Esnath Madambi who is disabled said people who get disabilities at an older age should be considered in terms of getting employment.
Anna Mudeweti said a lot of disabled people face the challenge of getting jobs.
“It is a challenge for PWDs to get employment. In other countries PWDs get unemployment benefits to assist them for survival together with their families,” she said.