Quadriplegics call for better treatment and more support

Lat Wiel Home for Quadriplegics is calling on residents for assistance with donations, their time and kindness.

During an exclusive sit-down at Lat Wiel in Mountain View, Rekord caught up with these disabled residents regarding their challenges at home and in society as the elections ramp up.

The home was founded in 1983 and even former President Nelson Mandela donated to the structure of the home. It currently houses 11 quadriplegics and maintaining its living costs is an everyday struggle.

Board member Nelmarie Venter said the residents needed extra help.

“They’re very vulnerable because they cannot do things for themselves and you always find pity in your heart for people that need that help. You’ve got to give something back to the community, you can’t just think about yourself, you have to do some social work just out of the kindness of your heart,” Venter said.

“There’s nothing wrong with their minds, they’re very intelligent and the government gives them a subsidiary every three months but that’s not enough to cover all the costs they go through. Everyone has different health needs, so keeping things going is challenging and that’s not even mentioning the structure of the building.”

Her husband Thinus, who is the caretaker of the home, said they needed help with maintenance costs, including funding solar panels, rewiring and borehole pipes.

“I decided to come help them because I love this work. People think that disabled people can’t think but these people are a lot smarter than most able-bodied people and you just love them when you start working with them,” he said.

The residents expressed scepticism over the upcoming elections, fearing they will once again be ignored.

Princess Sibanda believed the government needed to prioritise the placement of people with disabilities more in the workplace.

“You can find there’s work but the spaces are not accommodating to people with disabilities. Also, the thing of saying social grants are enough must stop because they aren’t. We have to make a living to afford the services we need just like anyone else,” she said.

“Transportation is a major challenge for us. We have buses like A Re Yeng and Tshwane buses but whenever they go on strike, we can’t go anywhere and those buses don’t reach all the spots in Tshwane that one needs to go to.”

Sibanda also said they had to pay extra for accessible transport and recreation areas and facilities in the city weren’t typically accessible for the disabled. She also believed that more education should be prioritised for the disabled.

The residents said that even in this day and age, they still experience social stigma over being disabled whenever they go out in public.

Martin Esterhuizen said every time he went to the mall, he was bombarded with constant stares from people.

“The first thing they do is not greet you, they just think that you are there to beg or be a nuisance. Many of the stores are also not accessible enough so if you need something from the top shelf you have to ask for assistance and some people are not friendly at all.

“I hope that when the new government comes, whoever it is, they will come to visit us at Lat Wiel and see how we are living.

“Don’t only drive past with your fancy BMW, come in and say hello. We’re not only asking for donations, we ask for new friends, we also need friends, people to talk to, we need assistance from everyone.”

Esterhuizen said he just wanted disabled people to be treated fairly and not be excluded from society.

Temba Olifant, a lawyer, said he was not voting because he believed that nothing would change regardless of the outcome of the election.

“When it comes to quadriplegics, the government is paying lip service when it comes to hiring disabled people. They need to walk the talk and put their money where their mouth is,” Olifant said.

Pelelani Mini expressed his hope for the transportation system in the metro to be improved for the disabled.

“The public transport is sometimes not there where you want to go because most of the time they’re on strike.”

Mini said he used the A Re Yeng buses but there were not enough.

“For instance, if you go to Menlyn there aren’t enough stops for the disabled, so you have to ask at least two strangers to help put you down if you are travelling alone. The place is not accessible for people in wheelchairs,” said Mini.

Ward 54 councillor Elma Nel called on solar companies to step up and help the home with donations to help save on electricity costs.

“I feel it’s very important that abled-bodied people must come here and help and make friends. They mustn’t look and just see a wheelchair, they must see the person in the wheelchair, there’s someone there, a human just like you,” Nel said.

“I want to challenge, especially solar companies, to put your hands together and let’s lend a little bit of help and empower these residents more. Whatever they save on the electricity can be spent on groceries and other necessities, I’m not even speaking luxuries. They are people, not wheelchairs,” Nel said.

Lat Wiel looks forward to hosting more fundraisers this year and encouraged residents interested in helping the home in any way to get in contact with them.

For more information visit: www.latwiel.org.za.

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