The Migrants Disabled Rights Movement has been formed with the blessing of prominent human rights activist Bishop Paul Verryn of the Central Methodist Church, who is its patron, and has elected Zimbabwean activist, Brian Muziringa as its interim chairman.
MDRM’s formation follows the furore surrounding the Oscar Pistorius saga, which sees the disabled athlete facing murder charges after the fatal shooting of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day.
“This initiative was influenced by some negative media coverage of Pistorius’s case generalising disability and persecuting disabled people. This report is in response to sarcastic comments by some individuals on the social networks, a front page advertisement by an insurance giant as well as newspapers and radio station prior to the athlete’s court hearing,” said Muziringa.