Innovative Entrepreneurs is a registered South African Non-Profit Company founded to increase the momentum of socio-economic development in South Africa by bringing together like-minded representatives from the Private Sector, Government, Civil-Society and Communities.

We promote market access opportunities for South African products and services in support of Job Creation and Economic Growth.

Background:

 7.5% of people in South Africa have reported living with a disability. This consists of over 4.5 million people. It is estimated that around 43% of these people are male, where the other 57% are female. According to these statistics, youth are classed as individuals between the ages of 18 and 35. In total, over 2 million youth live with a disability. This consists of just over 3% of the population. (Source: StatsSA)

Unemployment is one of the major challenges affecting the majority of Persons with Disabilities and their families. Persons with Disabilities are often excluded from employment. This is due to a number of factors such as discriminatory attitudes and practices, past ineffective labour legislations, inaccessible and unsupportive work environments, inadequate access to information, inaccessible public transport, and lack of skills.

It is important to promote the participation of Persons with Disabilities in the South African mainstream economy by implementing initiatives that help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The DE&I Disability Indaba focuses on the promotion of the inclusion of persons with disabilities in South Africa’s mainstream economy. The Indaba is aimed at creating awareness and showcasing the expertise of persons with disabilities and how they are able to add value to the workplace or as suppliers to the Private Sector, Government, and Civil Society.  

The activities and demonstrations during the event will focus on sensitization and education around the importance of sign language, universal accessibility, the creation of enabling environments in the workplace, and artificial intelligence available in the market place for persons with disabilities to utilize in the workplace.

Event Details:

Venue:               Wheelchair Basketball SA,

Mandeville Sports Centre,

Bezuidenhout Valley, Johannesburg

Setup Date:      5 November 2025

Event Date:      6 & 7 November 2025

Time:                  8 am to 5 pm

Registration:    R1000 per person (R500 per day)

Exhibition:        R5000 per exhibition space (includes 1 table and 2 chairs)

Sponsorship Opportunities:

For more information relating to sponsorship packages please contact arlene@innovative.org.za

Who should attend:

Managing Directors, CEO’s & Executives, Human Resources and Recruitment Executives and Team Members, B-BBEE and Compliance Executives, Procurement and Buying Department Executives, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Executives, Corporate Social Responsibility Executives

Key Objectives of the DE&I DISABILITY INDABA:

a)      To promote the importance of income generating activities for persons with disabilities.

b)      To promote market access for products and services offered by persons with disabilities.

c)      To create awareness of how persons with disabilities can participate in economic activities at a mainstream level.

d)      To create platforms that promote awareness of the possibilities that exist for persons with disabilities across all sectors of Industry (Both Private Sector and Government).

e)      To promote the importance of Persons with Disabilities owning their products and services in order to generate income in a sustainable manner.

f)       To promote universal accessibility and enabling work environments.

g)      To promote the opportunities that exist within South Africa’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act targeted at Persons with Disabilities.

h)      To promote the opportunities that exist within the Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting targeted at Persons with Disabilities.

i)        To promote universal accessibility and enabling work environments that allow persons with disabilities to be included in the mainstream economy.

j)        To promote the use of artificial intelligence in the workplace that is well placed to provide the necessary support towards an enabling environment for persons with disabilities to be enabled.

k)      To promote the monitoring and evaluation of the above objectives through the Private Sector and Government to ensure that we mainstream the participation of Persons with Disabilities in the Mainstream Economy (GEYODI – Framework).

l)        To ensure the promotion of sign language and mainstreaming it within organisation policies, both Private Sector and Government.