Despite being hospitalised for a broken leg 10 times and after six operations more than a year later, Jonathan Willemse is at the lowest ever point in his life.
• Also read: ‘In and out of hell’
The Krugersdorp News first reported on Willemse’s struggles in August, following an accident where he broke his leg in March 2024 and his continued battles with, according to him, inadequate public healthcare.
Providing the News with an update, Willemse explained that the pain is unbearable and worse than ever, and requires proper medical assistance.
“It’s so painful I battle to move around or even move my leg when I lie down,” he said.
With all this constant pain and inability to move, Willemse added that his life has come to a standstill.
My life feels like a joke, and as I said before, I lost everything.
“I haven’t started to work and I can’t even stand properly. With the last operation, one leg is shorter than the other, thus I cannot balance myself. Now I can’t even go to the toilet properly because as I stand up, I lose balance and feel like I want to fall all the time,” he added.
Willemse revealed he used to have everything and even lived in an estate; however, with his loss of income, and subsequently his home, he had to resort to living in a Zozo hut at the moment.
“The toilet is in a separate building, and when I want to bathe, there is no warm water. I can only wash myself every couple of days, as I need someone to carry me around and cannot help myself to walk,” he stated.
His only form of income is a government grant, and with expenses like rent and electricity, he struggles to get through the month. Willemse thus needs funds to seek medical attention for his leg or even advice from any local doctors.
“I want my leg and life back – that’s all.”
A friend of Willemse’s has since launched a BackABuddy campaign titled Help save Jonathan’s leg, where any resident can help financially assist him.
