Daveyton man highlights struggles, strengths of having a disability
“Having a disability doesn’t define us. People need to look beyond that.”
December 3 marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Mandla Khumalo (55) of Daveyton shares with the Benoni City Times his journey and the realities of living with a disability.
Khumalo became wheelchair-dependent in 2020 after experiencing health complications and said the transition from able-bodied to living with a disability affected him psychologically.
“I began experiencing severe pain and weakness in my whole body, which gradually confined me to a wheelchair. It took time to adjust, but through prayer and listening to spiritual programmes on the radio, I accepted my condition.”
He spends most of his time in bed because he has no one to push him to the clinic or anywhere else.
Khumalo’s primary caregivers are his 80-year-old grandmother and his 21-year-old daughter.
He explained that his mother had to leave her village to care for him after his wife left him upon discovering his condition.
“Life became hard, but my mother and daughter have been very supportive,” he said.
Overcoming stigma
Khumalo said he faces societal stigmatisation.
“People don’t take you seriously if you are disabled. They think we lack mental capacity, so they feel it’s better for them to make choices for us. Having a disability doesn’t define us. People need to look beyond that.”
He said public perceptions often oversimplify the diverse experiences of people with disabilities.
“Disabilities vary from person to person, but society puts us under one blanket.”
Inadequate facilities for wheelchair users add to his difficulties. He said clinics, churches and government buildings in his area are not wheelchair-friendly, creating further barriers.
However, he finds solace and strength through his involvement in a support group at the Zamokuhle Disability Development Care Centre and his church.
He also called for more campaigns to raise awareness and provide counselling for individuals with disabilities and their families.
“Our family members often don’t understand our situation and sometimes get tired. That affects us because we see ourselves as burdens. To people living with disabilities, I urge you not to give up. Seek people who can help and understand disabilities.”
A wish for independence
Khumalo said an electric wheelchair would significantly improve his life because his hands no longer work.
Anyone who can help fulfil his wish for an electric wheelchair can call him on 081 866 4111.
Also Read: ‘Disability not end of the world’
Also Read: #IBDChamps: Bowler urges communities and corporates to rally behind disability sports
