PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
05 September 2025
Al Jama-ah backs call to halt downscaling of Dial-a-Ride service
Al Jama-ah, as a committed member of the Government of National Unity (GNU), fully supports the Deputy Minister of Social Development in his call for a moratorium on the downscaling of the City of Cape Town’s Dial-a-Ride service for people with disabilities.
This comes after it emerged that the City intends to limit the service — widely recognised as world-class — only to wheelchair users and those with severe walking impairments from 8 September 2025. This decision will leave many persons with disabilities without reliable transport, threatening their independence, access to services, and basic human dignity.
We are deeply concerned by how this decision has been taken. There was no proper public consultation with disability advocacy organisations, and the lack of transparency has only added to the stress now sweeping through the disability sector. It is unacceptable that stakeholders were not meaningfully engaged in decisions that directly affect their daily lives.
In solidarity with the Deputy Minister — who holds the delegated responsibility for developing policy for persons with disabilities — Al Jama-ah has despatched our Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL), Moulana Galil Brinkhuis, to engage with Premier Alan Winde. We are urging the Premier to intervene and support the call to halt the downscaling, so that we can work towards a more inclusive and sustainable solution that truly serves all our people.
This is not just a policy issue — it’s a matter of constitutional rights. Section 9 of our Constitution guarantees the right to equality, and Section 10 guarantees dignity. By limiting this vital service without consultation or compassion, the City of Cape Town is effectively sidelining persons with disabilities from full participation in society.
We urge all spheres of government to work together, in good faith, to ensure that the rights and needs of persons with disabilities are placed front and centre — not just in word, but in action.
Issued by:
Asghar Khan on behalf of Al Jama-ah
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