Sakhephi “Shoes” Cele is unable to walk unassisted but has made a career out of helping others do so comfortably.

The 51-year-old is one of KwaDukuza town’s most popular and trusted craftsmen, repairing all manner of footwear from his perch on Hulett Street. Now a father of six and husband to two wives, Shoes’ outlook did not always look so positive.

Originally from Hlimbithi in Maphumulo, he was born with a disability that left him unable to use his legs. There was little medical help available in rural Maphumulo at the time and he learnt to get around by crawling.

“My parents would carry me to school on their backs. There I would do my best but I struggled at the start,” said Shoes.

A breakthrough came when he was 14 and still in Grade 4, when his brother helped him enrol at Thembeni School in Inchanga, which catered to children with disabilities. While there, he received physiotherapy and later a life-changing operation that allowed him partial use of his legs and the ability to walk while supported by crutches.

“I was in Grade 7 at the time and life suddenly seemed full of possibilities. It was like my life had meaning again. I owe my brother my life,” he said.

The next blow came when Shoes did not pass matric.

“I knew I was not academically gifted, but I was good with my hands, which led me to my business. It is important to understand each child’s abilities.”

The road to establishing his own business has been difficult, and Shoes admits there were times he felt helpless and struggled with alcohol addiction. A decision to retake control of his life in 2014 saw him learn the cobbler trade, and he opened his business in 2018. Since then he has trained two apprentices who now run their own stalls.

Shoes is now looking for permanent premises to operate from, as well as casting and sewing machines.

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