Disabled man finally gets buggy-chair

After months of waiting, an epileptic man received a custom-made push-cart chair from an anonymous donor.

Cape Town - After years of having to carry her disabled 21-year-old son on her back, a Crossroads mother can now push him in a new buggy (push-cart) chair when she takes him to the clinic – thanks to a good Samaritan.

On Wednesday, her epileptic son, Sibusiso Keyisi, received the R20 000 chair from an anonymous donor, after reading his story in the Cape Argus.

In January, it was reported that Nomahlubi Mbulu had to look after two disabled children – Sibusiso and her 13-year-old autistic daughter Lilitha Keyisi.

Mbulu, who is also suffering from severe depression, said at the time despite promises from social workers and top politicians that they would have her children placed in care facilities, nothing materialised.

Her pleas to get a buggy (push-cart) for Sibusiso, who also has cerebral palsy, had also fallen on deaf ears.

Apart from her social grant and two disability grants for Sibusiso and Lilitha, the unemployed divorcée and mother of four said she didn’t receive much support from family or the authorities.

But on Wednesday Mbulu, 49, was smiling again following the delivery of the custom-made chair.

“For the first time I won’t have to carry Sibusiso on my back anymore. His buggy chair was so old I couldn’t push him around with it anymore. When I go to the clinic I had to put him on my back because I had no way of carrying him around. It used to break my heart when I had to leave him at home when I go shopping as I just had no way of carrying him. But now I won’t leave him behind or carry him around anymore – thanks to the donor.

“I’m so grateful and happy that I don’t have words to describe my feelings,” she said.

The chair, which took four months to customise to Sibusiso’s physique, came with a “lying positioner” – a special bed that will keep his crooked body in a comfortable position.

Megan Giljam, a physiotherapist who was involved in designing Sibusiso’s chair, said although the chair would not correct the damage done by prolonged posture support, it would keep him “comfortable and prevent further damage in his posture going forward”.

“Sibusiso is not able to sit on his own and cannot hold his head without support.

“So the chair will give the necessary support both on his back, head and side.”

sipokazi.fokazi@inl.co.za

Cape Argus