The recent G20 Global Conference on Financial Inclusion and Women’s Empowerment, opened by Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, has stirred cautious optimism among persons with disabilities and their caregivers in the North West province. Minister Chikunga’s speech included a strong message on equitable access to financial systems for marginalised groups — a message that resonated deeply with those long excluded from South Africa’s mainstream economy.

“For once, it feels like we’re not invisible anymore,” said Mmathapelo Seema, a visually impaired entrepreneur from Mahikeng. “We’ve been asking for support with business training, access to capital and platforms to trade. The minister’s speech is a step in the right direction, but we need action, not just words.”

In her address, Chikunga highlighted the urgent need for women and persons with disabilities to be included in economic planning and decision-making, urging delegates to embrace gender-responsive procurement, fintech innovations, and accessible banking systems tailored to the realities of rural and disabled communities.

“A lot of us take care of children who need around-the-clock attention,” said a caregiver and disability rights advocate in Vryburg. “Financial support or tailored micro-funding could mean the difference between survival and dignity for families like ours.”

Many attendees noted that while policy commitments are welcome, the structural barriers that continue to limit the participation of persons with disabilities in the economy remain deeply entrenched.

“You can talk financial inclusion all day, but how do you open a bank account when the branch is not accessible to a wheelchair?” asked Nomvula Leburu, a young disability activist from Taung. “Our issues are practical — transport, accessible tech, adapted workspaces.”

Minister Chikunga’s call for digital banking platforms designed around the needs of women and persons with disabilities has been welcomed by those working on the ground.

“We’ve been asking for a cooperative bank that understands our world — not just numbers but human circumstances,” said Mr. Letsholo, coordinator of a local disability support group in Ganyesa. “If that’s what the minister is proposing, she’ll have our full support.”

For many, the hope is that this conference will influence real change in procurement systems, public policy, and access to development funding.

“We want to see disabled-owned cooperatives being invited to bid, to manufacture, to grow,” added Mokgadi. “That’s real empowerment. Not charity. Not sympathy.”

The voices coming out of the North West are clear: the disabled community is not asking for special treatment — only equitable opportunity. As South Africa takes the G20 stage, it must ensure that its most marginalised citizens are not left behind in the global push for financial reform.

-The VIP Team

-G20

-Dept of Women, Youth, and People with Disabilities

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