[blindza] Article: Blind man, dog mistreated

From: "Jacob Kruger" <jacob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "BlindZA" <blindza@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "NAPSA Blind" <blind@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2012 18:44:57 +0200
---article content---
Blind man, dog mistreated
August 29 2012 at 01:30pm 
By Hlengiwe Kweyama 

Wiseman Ndwandwe standing outside the eThekwini municipality electricity 
department with his guide dog, Tosca. Picture: Marilyn Bernard

Durban - A blind man and his guide dog were kicked out of the municipality's 
electricity department offices on KE Masinga Road (Old Fort) this week after 
officials refused to believe he was disabled. 

Wiseman Ndwandwe, 36, who lives in KwaMashu and works as a public education 
officer for the KZN Blind and Deaf Society, had taken time off to go to the 
department's offices to deal with a query over his prepaid electricity account. 

Before he could enter the building, a security guard stopped him and told him 
that dogs were not allowed inside. 

Ndwandwe pleaded with the man and explained that the dog, Tosca, acted as his 
guide because he was blind. 

"When the security guard refused me entry, I asked for the manager and a lady 
came to me. She again told me that dogs were not allowed in the building, but I 
tried to explain that this was my guide dog. She was cheeky and did not even 
listen to me," said Ndwandwe. 

Despite his protests, he was physically removed from the building and pushed 
outside as the door was closed behind him. 

Outraged and embarrassed, he rejoined the queue. 

Later, a senior manager approached Ndwandwe and apologised for the officials' 
actions. 

"The manager was apologetic and offered to bump me up to the front of the 
queue, but I refused because I did not want to jump the queue. 

"That's why I am standing here now," he said. 

When a team from the Daily News arrived at the Old Fort offices, Ndwandwe was 
surrounded by symphatetic onlookers. 

"I am very angry [about] the type of treatment I received today. Durban 
electricity is for everyone, whether you are disable or not," said Ndwandwe. 

Ndwandwe became blind after being struck on the head with a rock when he was 
three years old. 

He has relied on guide dogs since 1999 and three-year-old Tosca, which has been 
with him since June, is his third dog. 

Council spokesman Thabo Mofokeng has not responded to queries sent to him on 
Monday. 

Di Turner, the KZN representative of the SA Guide Dog Association, said 
Ndwandwe's case was not unique. Some businesses were ignorant of the needs of 
blind people and their guide dogs. 

"There is still so much room for education and awareness when it comes to 
teaching the public about blindness and guide dogs.. When you are blind, it is 
your constitutional right to travel with the guide dog," she said. - Daily News 

source page:
http://tinyurl.com/ccbsa6a
[blindza] Article: Blind man, dog mistreated

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