The event in Gugulethu marked the start of Disability Rights Awareness Month which runs until 3 December

Over a hundred learners with disabilities from schools in and around Gugulethu, Cape Town, participated in a day of sports and fun in the sun on Wednesday. The event, hosted by the Gugulethu Sports Council, also marked the start of Disability Rights Awareness Month which runs until 3 December.

Learners participated in a range of activities and sports including table tennis, soccer, netball, chess, and indigenous games. Organisers also used the day to raise awareness and break the stigma often placed on learners with physical and intellectual disabilities.

Thamsanqa Vukanye from Nompumelelo Special School in NY5 said he enjoyed playing with some able-bodied learners who had an opportunity to "see things from our perspective".

"The games are fun but competitive. When I was playing, I was on a mission to score as many goals as possible," he said.

Gugulethu Sports Council chairperson Nceba Tshandana told GroundUp the plan is to extend the event to other township schools across the city and to include adults with disabilities.

"Nothing must be done for people living with disabilities without them. This is a platform for them to show their skills and to know that they are as important as everyone else," said Tshandana. He said it was critical that the government highlights disability rights.