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Accessibility

Vela should work for everyone.

Last updated: May 2026

1. Our Commitment

Vela is built for South African learners — including those with disabilities. We are committed to making our website and guidance service as accessible as possible, and to meeting our obligations under the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 4 of 2000 (PEPUDA) and South Africa's obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (ratified 2007).

2. Website Accessibility

We target conformance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA for velaguide.co.za. Our current measures include:

  • Semantic HTML structure with correct heading hierarchy
  • All images have descriptive alternative text
  • Interactive elements are keyboard-navigable
  • Colour contrast ratios meet WCAG AA minimums for text
  • Forms have associated labels
  • The site is operable without JavaScript for basic content access
  • The viewport meta tag does not disable user zoom

3. WhatsApp Service Accessibility

The Vela guidance product is delivered via WhatsApp. Accessibility of the WhatsApp application itself is governed by Meta Platforms — WhatsApp supports screen readers on Android (TalkBack) and iOS (VoiceOver), and supports system-level font size adjustments.

Within our WhatsApp flow, we design for accessibility by:

  • Using plain language at approximately Grade 8 reading level
  • Structuring all choices as numbered or lettered options — no open-text where avoidable
  • Sending information in short, digestible messages rather than long blocks
  • Providing all critical information in text form (no image-only delivery of essential content)

4. Known Limitations

We acknowledge the following current limitations:

  • WhatsApp dependency: Our primary guidance channel requires a WhatsApp account and a smartphone. Learners without smartphone access cannot currently use the WhatsApp product. We are exploring alternative access channels for future seasons.
  • Summary card images: The shareable summary card is an image file. We provide all the information on the card in text form within the WhatsApp conversation as well.
  • PDF reports: Paid-tier PDF reports are generated using standard PDF tools. These may not be fully accessible to screen reader users. We will provide a text alternative on request.
  • Full WCAG 2.1 AA audit: A formal independent accessibility audit has not yet been completed. We intend to commission one before January 2027.

5. Requesting Accessible Assistance

If you cannot access the Vela service due to a disability or technical limitation, or if you need the guidance content in an alternative format, contact us:

We will respond within 5 working days and will make reasonable adjustments to provide equivalent access.

6. Feedback

We welcome feedback on the accessibility of our website and service. If you encounter a barrier or find that something doesn't work with your assistive technology, please tell us. We treat accessibility issues with the same priority as other technical bugs.

7. Formal Complaints

If you believe that Vela has discriminated against you on the basis of disability in a manner that contravenes PEPUDA, you may refer a complaint to the South African Human Rights Commission:

8. Review

We review this statement annually and update it to reflect progress on identified limitations. The most recent update is shown above.