Wheels of love, hours of delight
A South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) Commissioner in the city, Joe Malatji, on Friday, 31 August donated a wheelchair to a 13-year-old learner living with disability.
POLOKWANE – Malatji decided to help the learner at Komape-Molapo Primary School in Ga-Moletji as he himself has been living with a disability for his whole life since he was born blind. He knows the struggles faced daily by people living with disabilities.
Despite his disability, Malatji has overcome many obstacles and qualified as an advocate. He is well-known for promoting the plight of the disabled as well as the aged. He made history by being the first black, blind student to be admitted at the University of the North in 1971 and then the first black, blind person to be admitted as an advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa in 1977.
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Malatji completed a B Iuris Degree at the University of the North with two awards from the Transvaal Law Society for the best law student during 1972 and 1973. He then went on to complete his LLB degree with Latin III as an additional course in 1976.
During his first seven-year term as a SAHRC Commissioner, one of his focus areas was disability rights. At international, regional and domestic level, he has participated in numerous platforms and in 2014, he was invited to be part of the United Nations Working Group on the Promotion of the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNPRPD).
He started his legal career as a legal advisor in the Department of Justice from 1977 until 1995, then moved on to being the head of provincial legal services for the South African Police Services in Limpopo from 1995 to 2001.
Malatji, whose passion is the promotion and the protection of the rights of people living with disabilities, served as a member of the School Governing Body for Siloe School for the Blind from 2001 to 2007 and has been a member of Disabled People South Africa (DPSA) from 1991 to date.
The beneficiary, Kamogelo Madibane (13), was carried to school by his mother and when she was not available, he struggled to go to school by himself. He had to rest more than five times on his way to school to build up his strength for the next part of his journey. He stays about a kilometre from the school.
Kamogelo was injured in a hit-and-run accident when he was eight years old.
“I know how it feels to struggle and I wanted to help him and make his life a little better,” Malatji said.
On Monday, Malatji told BONUS one of the teachers at the school phoned him to tell him his fellow learners were pushing Kamogelo around in his wheelchair and assisting him wherever they could. “It has really changed his life for the better and I am so glad I could make a difference in this child’s life,” Malatji smiled.
Kamogelo’s mother, Seboko, said the donation is greatly appreciated as it makes their lives a lot easier since she no longer has to carry Kamogelo to school on her back anymore. She added Kamogelo was over the moon with his new wheelchair. “He could not play with his friends and used to spend his time on the sofa or on his bed; now he can go and play with his friends. The wheelchair makes his life so much easier. He is very happy,” she said.
