From silent struggles to global autism advocacy and campaign for SA 'Sunflower Lanyard' – Dr Emile Gouws

--:--
From overcoming immense personal challenges to becoming a global autism advocate, Dr. Emile Gouws’ resilience and ‘vatbyt’ is remarkable. Diagnosed at three and largely nonverbal until 15, Gouws with the help of his mother and a determined team defied expectations to earn a PhD and is now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of South Africa. He also secured a role in the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum and helped shape South Africa’s response to the UN on disability rights. Gouws told Biznews in an interview that he also found a sense of belonging in the Special Knead Café in Sandton that also has a Facebook and Instagram page for awareness and support, which recently organised a march for neurodivergent voices on South Africa’s disability bill to the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Now, he’s calling for a Ministry of Disability and the adoption of the Sunflower Lanyard at clinics, airports and supermarkets to support those with hidden disabilities.
2 May 6AM English South Africa Investing · Business News

Other recent episodes

Wayne Sussman : Gayton goes big in the Garden Route and Morero survives

The Patriotic Alliance (PA) has shown huge gains in by-elections at the expense of both the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA). In his latest interview with BizNews, elections analyst Wayne Sussman describes how the DA and the ANC are being affected by the PA’s performances “across…
26 Jun 8AM 17 min

BN Briefing: BEE, or BEE, Starlink's 'equity' reprieve, Mulder's 'Gotcha' moment, Springboks

On today's BizNews Briefing, President Ramaphosa defended BEE in the NCOP, calling it vital for growth and a "national project," dismissing claims it hinders investment. He proposed an "equity equivalent" model for firms like Starlink to invest while prioritising transformation. IRR’s Marius Roodt labelled Ramaphosa’s BEE stance "empty rhetoric," advocating…
26 Jun 6AM 22 min

Toby Chance: Minister Tau caught unawares by Mashatile’s Lotto Licence Links

Trade and Industry Minister Parks Tau was “surprised” by the links of Deputy President Paul Mashatile to the new Lotto licensee appointed by him at the end of May. So says Toby Chance, the Democratic Alliance (DA) spokesperson on Trade, Industry and Competition, after the Minister was questioned today. “Minister…
24 Jun 11AM 9 min