As a result, for disabled people, the provision of public services and the design of the built environment can be a decisive determinant of participation (Kitchin & Law. They challenge the 'naturalness' of the built environment and the idea that it is simply an objective reality that disabled people must negotiate (Ungar, 2002: 5).
The Main Arguments Advocated in this Research
Problems related to an inaccessible built environment cannot be successfully solved if disabled people themselves are not part of the planning process - the process that determines where they will live, where they will buy bread, how they will cross busy roads, which route they will take, etc. Many barriers, especially those related to extensive land use, cannot be overcome by retrofitting.
Positioning the Researcher
Related to this is the researcher's knowledge of the area, which cannot be rejected in this connection. All three of these aspects informed the researcher's study of the 'disabling bamers in the built environment: and how they actually contribute to the exclusion of disabled people from mainstream society.
Secondary Sources
The following authors' works provided the researcher with the theoretical platform for the research. By virtue of the hiatus existing in the current legislation, the US (ADA), UK and Australian legislation was consulted.
Primary Sources .1 Interviews
Because the majority of the disabled were 'uneducated' - the survey was conducted in the form of an interview. Knowledge of the field of study: disabled people who have general knowledge of the field.
BACKGROUND: Brief history of views on 'Disability'
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, disabled people in America and Britain were able to politicize disability. Thus, 'emancipatory research' goes beyond involving disabled people in research over which they have no control.
THEORIES AND/OR CONCEPTS OF DISABILITY .1 Medical Model of Disability
Social Mod.el of Disability
- A critique of Social Model
Early accounts of the social model have been challenged for ignoring the differences experienced by different people with disabilities due to gender, sexuality, 'race', culture or other distinctions (Marks, 1999, supra; Morris, 1991; Vemon, 1996) . 34;The effect of taking personal experiences and limitations into account is to dilute the effectiveness of the social model.
Modernism
Post- Modemism
This must be understood in the context of the historical tendency to explain the experiences of disabled people by referring to impairment and the tradition of sympathetic biography." In the context of disability and the built environment, postmodernism was therefore a reaction against the uniformity and social abstraction of modernism, which wanted to re-emphasize difference and complexity in the human life.
DESIGN PRINCIPLES .1 Universal Design
A critique of Universal Design
However, it also recognizes that it is understood that "universal design" does not attempt to achieve a single "one size fits all" solution - and that it is often necessary to provide a range of alternatives to meet the wants and needs of a wide range of users. The concept is clear because it accepts the principle of "flexibility" and allows for specialized solutions only when necessary and unavoidable (Aslaksen et a4 1997 above).
Universal Design and Planning
The thinking and principles of Universal Design have so far hardly been used in planning. A solution that adheres to the principles of universal design should be usable by all groups of the population.
Terminology
The central idea of universal design is not fully understood until the perspective of equal status is emphasized. Universal design and inclusive design have become terms often used interchangeably in the United States to refer to a design approach that incorporates equity and social justice by design (Preiser & Ostroff, 2003).
Universal Design in South Africa
Normative concerns
Below you will find the basic presentation of the planning concept(s) considered relevant in this work: a) The street pattern, as a structuring element, has important implications for accessibility. Public facilities are generally located along more intensive movement routes where public transport takes place (Behrens and Watson, 1996).
Appropriate planning system for the location of facilities
This chapter recognizes that people with disabilities are often excluded from mainstream society and denied their human rights. Despite some progress in legislation over the past decade, such violations of the human rights of persons with disabilities have not been systematically addressed in society. It also emphasizes that "even in times of severe resource constraints... the vulnerable members of society can and must be protected by adopting relatively inexpensive targeted programs"6.
The Intemational Convention on Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities
The Charter of the United Nations3 affirms the essence of "universal respect and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction...". The rights of persons with disabilities are based on the human rights framework based on the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights4 and international human rights covenants and related human rights instruments. In order to protect the rights of persons with disabilities, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights imposes certain obligations on States that have significant implications for South Africa.
Mrican Decade
Among the highlights in this regard was the declaration by the United Nations of 1981 as the International Year of the Disabled. This momentum led to the adoption by the UN General Assembly, on December 1981, of the World Program of Action concerning Disabled Persons (WPA). The United Nations Decade of Persons in Stockholm in August 1987 placed the highest priority on the need for equalization of opportunities of disabled persons where accessibility of the built environment was one of the most basic requirements.9 As a response to the WPA concept of "equalizing opportunities".
The UN Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities
South Africa, as a member of the United Nations, is a signatory to the United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for People with Disabilities. The South African Human Rights Commission, South African legislation, policy makers and organizations of people with disabilities are guided by these rules which set out the minimum requirements that United Nations member states must meet in order to fulfill their responsibilities towards disabled persons (SAMRC report, supra : 18). The Standard Rules, which became one of the main guides for the INDS, therefore identify four conditions (supra) for equal participation of people with disabilities.
The Constitution of the Republic of South Mrica (Act No. 108/1996)
The inclusion of disability in the constitution's equality clause is a result of the restless struggle that people with disabilities waged under the oppressive apartheid regime. Another goal of INDS is to develop an accessible, affordable multimodal public transportation system that will meet the needs of the greatest number of people at the lowest cost, while planning for the higher costs essential to people with disabilities. with greater mobility needs. People with disabilities should be able to travel, regardless of the purpose of the journey (INDS, 1997, supra).
The Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (2000)
One of the key policy objectives of the INDS, which is responsible for this work, is to create a barrier-free society that meets the diversity of needs and allows the entire population to move freely and unhindered in the environment. In conclusion, Chapter 5 of the law, which deals with the promotion of equality, takes note of the 'loopholes' that exist, or could exist in the implementation or compliance of the law, by holding that it is the general obligation of the law. state to promote equality. The stated purpose of the law is: "to promote uniformity in legislation relating to the erection of buildings in the jurisdictional areas of local governments; for the.
National Building Regulations
Costs are often cited as the reason why a barrier-free environment has not been created.
SABS 0400 Code of Practice
A loophole for property developers and building professionals to evade or ignore accessibility requirements) because the non-statutory guidelines in the SABS Code of Practice are not legally enforceable. Regulations from Building Control throughout the country) with the result that the majority of public buildings in South Africa are inaccessible. Failure to cross-reference Part S with other sections of the National Building Regulations), resulting in further loopholes) anomalies and misunderstandings in the application of the Regulations.
A comparative view - American, British and Australian building regulations and standards
In order to understand the complexity of Umlazi today, it makes sense that the chapter also deals with the historical background of the area. The chapter also discusses the existing situation – this will ultimately contribute to the analysis of the case study. In fact, most of the later proclaimed Umlazi District fell on land that was formally part of the Umlazi Mission Reserve (fownsend, 1991: 23).
The New Township
The Role of Capital
Development Approach
Social and Economic Infrastructure
The low-density sprawling nature of the township together with its lack of hierarchical structure limited the potential to channel energy and economic opportunities to key points in the area. The location of telephone kiosks in wild and unsafe surroundings exposed some of the facilities to vandalism. The majority of the people of Umlazi do not have private cars and depend on taxis and buses for transport.
Environmental Aspects
Disability and the history ofUmlazi
Due to the fact that the sources are few and unreliable (supra: 5.1), there is no evidence about the nature and prevalence of disability in Umlazi. However, the reasonable assumption is that most disabled people are 'African', and they stay in African areas, of which Umlazi is one of them. The existence of four centers for persons with disabilities in Umlazi attests to the fact that there is a reasonably 'high' number of persons with disabilities.
Disability and the Status quo «('Umlazi Today")
The findings of the study are a composite assessment of the 'disabling built environment', in that they reflect the views and perceptions of Umlazi's disabled people. The data collected through the use of the 'key informant' method, the focus group method and the researcher's (informal) observation, in addition to the findings of the study, will further consolidate the views of the disabled people of Umlazi. However, reasonable attempts have been made to counter the 'observational dictatorship' of researchers, thus avoiding any bias towards the views of the disabled of Umlazi.
Key Informant interviews
- Disabled Women Development Programme (WDP) Chairperson [KZN Provincial Executive Committee (PEC)
Her opinion was that there is ignorance among planners in terms of the special needs of the disabled. In practice, the guidelines are for 'general planning', and they do not go into detail in terms of the needs of disabled people. What can possibly be learned from the interview with the planner is that there was not a great deal of consideration of the needs of disabled people in planning.
In-depth Interviews (Umlazi)
There are cases where planners can influence the degree of barriers in the built environment. Poor lighting in the streets: wheelchairs do not have lights: they are heavily dependent on public lighting. They pointed out that public transport does not encroach on residential routes: it is limited on main routes.
Focus Group Infonnation Collection
- Public Transport
- Problems associated with the use of public transport
- Local facilities (a) Corner shops
Sample size 80 people with disabilities, consisting of 30 wheelchair users; 30 visually impaired and 20 blind. Not all of the interviewed disabled people also have regular personal cars. a) SUKUMA (Buses specially designed for the mobility needs of disabled people). Almost all of the 'barriers' identified in the above-mentioned sections of Umlazi affect 75% of disabled people surveyed.
Analysis in terms of Urban Form elements This section is dealt with in Chapter 5 (see 5.4.1.5)
The findings of the study show that the disabled people of Umlazi experience physical barriers in the built environment. The disabilities of the disabled people per se are not 'disability', but the barriers in the built environment become a 'disability'. The question that therefore arises is how society should accommodate the needs of disabled people in the built environment.
An application of Universal Design and Planning Principles in Umlazi The important question that arises is how these important ideas apply in the
The location decision and inadequacy of facilities
- Clinics
- Public telephones
- Transport facilities
For disabled people (including 'able-bodied' people), the lack of physical connections has some cost implications in terms of transport, i.e., however, it is not possible to be located in every corner of Umlazi. It is also problematic for women when they have to walk long distances with heavy food.
The location decision of facilities and the Sprawl phenomenon
The location decision and the centralisation of facilities
- Accessibility in the road and pedestrian environment (a) Footpaths and Footways (pavements)
- Locations of facilities and planning guidelines
- Long-term integrated transport planning
- Universal design principles 9
- Universal design and planning principles
- Teaching of Universal Design
- Legislation
- Strategic access planning
- Planners and equity
- Traffic Lights
- Bus stops-shelters and bus routes
Street furniture must be placed in such a way that it does not cause problems for wheelchair users, the blind or visually impaired. To fully accommodate disabled people in the built environment, the principles of Universal Design must be adhered to in South Africa (see Appendix 1). Where public telephones are provided, there must be tactile surfaces leading to the telephone booths.
Activity nodes / corridors
Some of the disabled are trapped somewhere in the 'ghettos' of poverty and they don't even appear on the 'map'. Because of the cost implications in the design of certain facilities (or products), universal design must be matched with the realities of our economy. However, reasonable attempts have been made to investigate some of the vexing ailments affecting disabled people in the built environment.
Low physical effort
Size and space for approach and use
Paper prepared for the Derbyshire Coalition of Disabled People: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/ disability-studies.archiveukl davis-social%20barriers.pdf. This research project was approved by the Queens University Behavioral and Social Sciences Ethical Review Board. http://www.apsa2000.anu.edu.au/confpapersIsherry.rtf. Urban Futures Program, The Reason Foundation, Los Angeles, California, June Planners and social equity: Lessons from the disability. http://www.cproundtable.org/cprwww/docs/equity/09disab.htm.
Context
Umlazi Map
Movement Systems
Health facilities
Proposed Internal Linkages
Bus Routes within I Units
Education Facilities
