Your disability does not define you – hearing-impaired candidate attorney
A former West Rand community member wants to raise awareness around the hearing impaired after sign language was added to South Africa's official languages.
It was a milestone achievement for the country when sign language was recognised as South Africa’s 12th official language. Something that made former West Rand community member Jacobus Myburgh proud to be a South African.
“This significant achievement is a great step towards promoting the rights of the deaf and hard of hearing individuals. It allows their communication form to be recognised as an official language and provides them with greater access to information and services,” he said.
But why would this 35-year-old be overjoyed? He’s had hearing problems since he was three years old, and he wants to raise awareness about it. To become a successful person, he had to overcome several obstacles.
“Doctors were baffled by my ear infections, which at times included 26 different bacterial infections that were usually only found in severe burn wounds.”
As a child, he underwent three major ear operations to try and clear the infections and fluid build-up in his eustachian tube, but despite receiving grommets on many occasions, they were not successful.
This did not keep him from working hard for what he wanted. He failed Grade One after being in the hospital for most of the year, but teachers gave him a second chance and let him through to Grade Two. He was then placed into a special needs class for six months, but it was closed shortly thereafter.
He had to return to normal classes to see if he could progress. He finished his matric in 2006 with his peers of the same age group.
After school, he obtained three tertiary qualifications including a journalism qualification and a Bachelor of Laws degree – Cum Laude. He currently works as a candidate attorney and is working towards his second law qualification. He said he wants to create awareness around people like himself, who society may perceive to be intellectually challenged because of their disability. He wants to change their mindset and show that individuals with hearing impairments are just as capable as anyone else.
“My disability does not define who I am. It does not define what I am capable of and what I can achieve. I have already proved society wrong and I will continue in doing so. My achievements alone are a testament to what I can overcome as a hearing-impaired individual.
“I do not wear any visible hearing aids at the moment because my dog, unfortunately, chewed my hearing aid about 10 years ago. Since then, I have had to make the difficult decision between getting a new hearing aid or furthering my studies, and I chose to focus on my education. Additionally, it was quite difficult for me to wear hearing aids as a child because I was constantly bullied and made fun of for being ‘different’. In 2018, when I did a hearing test, it was found that I now actually need a cochlear implant.”
Jacobus will be hosting a fundraiser at Silverstar’s Barnyard Theatre on August 16. If you would like to support this initiative, contact him on 084 412 6644 or email him at jacobus@jacobusmyburgh.co.za.
