Blind SA taking bookkeepers body to court over alleged discrimination towards blind students

Non-profit organisation (NPO) Blind South Africa is taking the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB) to the Equality Court over what it says is discrimination against visually impaired students.

The case centres on the plight of 50 Blind SA volunteer treasurers who are trying to complete the national certificate in small business and financial management through the ICB.

Blind SA said they’ve been left in the lurch as a result of the ICB’s refusal to adapt its online platform to accommodate them.

Blind SA said they have already completed 60% of their coursework but need to complete portfolios of evidence and examinations through the ICB’s digital platform before they can receive their qualifications, and to this end, they’ve all received laptops with special accessibility software.

Blind SA, however, said the ICB first denied repeated requests from the NPO to test the special software, then ran its own accessibility audit, which found the platform was not accessible and that it was apparently too expensive, technical, and time-consuming to fix right now.

This resulted in the door closed on the students.

There is also now a dispute as to whether or not they were actually registered. The ICB has yet to file papers.

-EWN

In other news – R700 000 needed for gospel singer Solly Moholo’s brain surgery

Hospitalized well-known South African gospel singer Solly Moholo‘s family needs R700,000 for him to undergo brain surgery.

Last week, the artist was moved from a Botswana hospital to a South African one after he fell ill while on tour, and his have family asked for financial assistance, as he is in ICU. This week, the family released a statement that revealed the amount needed for his operation. Read More