UAT transforms mother’s life with new wheels
A 39-year-old mother was overjoyed to receive a new wheelchair on December 6. Picture: Supplied
THE UNITED Africans Transformation (UAT) movement recently handed over a wheelchair to a 39-year-old Kimberley mother who became permanently disabled due to a spinal injury sustained from a fall in February.
The chairperson of the UAT, Thomas Phuthi, said that the beneficiary, Palesa Oliphant from Vergenoeg, was an unemployed mother of two young children.
“She underwent surgery at Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital in June. She cannot walk, while it was a struggle to transport her to the hospital or clinics for medical check-ups,” said Phuthi.
He added that Oliphant was number 850 on the state waiting list for a wheelchair.
“Learning of her permanent disability, she had to confront the reality that wheelchairs are in short supply and the prospect of getting an assistive device was slim.”
He said the UAT heard of her plight and raised funds to buy her a wheelchair.
“The plight of the poor in South Africa is real, where 30 years into our democracy, thousands of people are still unable to access basic needs. The public health system is overburdened and the poor are fully dependent on the state.
“Our vision is to strengthen and build robust social services that cater to the needs of all citizens. By ensuring access to basic nutritious food parcels, to quality health care and education, investing in trade schools, growing our traditional organic foods and ensuring funding support systems, we can create a more resilient and prosperous society,” Phuti said.
