A Twitter campaign by a disabled University of Fort Hare student to canvass for a new wheelchair has received more than 1000 retweets since Monday.
Siyaxola Komanisi, 23, said he had resorted to social media to try and get help when his electric wheelchair broke down, leaving him unable to regularly attend classes.
The law student said he had been born with an unknown medical condition which left his legs uneven lengths. Komanisi has not walked since birth.
Not willing to give up on his dreams of being a lawyer, Komanisi said he applied at the university and, upon acceptance, managed to organise an electric wheelchair which was bought by his family at a cost of just over R19000.
This was his only mode of transport to and from university from his Quigney student residence.
When the wheelchair broke down in November last year, Komanisi said he received a donation of a manual wheelchair. The wheelchair is not fit for outside travel, however, which has resulted in him being unable to regularly attend all his classes.
He said although his tweet has been shared 1200 times, an offer of help is yet to be made.
“The wheelchair has been a great help because now I can at least get around but it’s broken so I struggle to push it on my own and I have to organise people to help me,” he said.
“One of the wheels is not working properly so it doesn’t move as smoothly as it should and the footrest is broken.
“My feet drag on the ground as I go along and this leaves them blistered and swollen.
“Because of the broken wheel my arms are not strong enough to push it along, so I need someone to push it for me. This is university, and there isn’t always someone around to help. Students are always rushing for class or to get assignments in.
“It’s not fair on them to have to keep dragging me around.
“The other wheelchair at least left me mobile and independent so I could come and go as I please.”
Komanisi said the idea for the Twitter campaign had come from a fellow student who had earlier this year tweeted a plea for fees.
“I don’t know if she ever got help but her tweet was shared many times. Bonang Matheba responded to her but I don’t know if she ever got any assistance,” he said.
Komanisi’s closest relative is his mother, who has been wheelchair-bound since 2013 after an unknown condition left her immobile.
He said he had decided to pursue a law degree in an effort to give a voice to the voiceless.
“I want to help people like me because I don’t think doctors properly explained what condition I had to my family.
“Like my mother for instance.
“She’s also in a wheelchair but doctors didn’t explain properly what was happening to her, they used medical terminology which we didn’t understand,” he said. — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
Disabled UFH student turns to Twitter in bid for a wheelchair
Siyaxola Komanisi, 23, said he had resorted to social media to try and get help when his electric wheelchair broke down, leaving him unable to regularly attend classes.
The law student said he had been born with an unknown medical condition which left his legs uneven lengths. Komanisi has not walked since birth.
Not willing to give up on his dreams of being a lawyer, Komanisi said he applied at the university and, upon acceptance, managed to organise an electric wheelchair which was bought by his family at a cost of just over R19000.
This was his only mode of transport to and from university from his Quigney student residence.
When the wheelchair broke down in November last year, Komanisi said he received a donation of a manual wheelchair. The wheelchair is not fit for outside travel, however, which has resulted in him being unable to regularly attend all his classes.
He said although his tweet has been shared 1200 times, an offer of help is yet to be made.
“The wheelchair has been a great help because now I can at least get around but it’s broken so I struggle to push it on my own and I have to organise people to help me,” he said.
“One of the wheels is not working properly so it doesn’t move as smoothly as it should and the footrest is broken.
“My feet drag on the ground as I go along and this leaves them blistered and swollen.
“Because of the broken wheel my arms are not strong enough to push it along, so I need someone to push it for me. This is university, and there isn’t always someone around to help. Students are always rushing for class or to get assignments in.
“It’s not fair on them to have to keep dragging me around.
“The other wheelchair at least left me mobile and independent so I could come and go as I please.”
Komanisi said the idea for the Twitter campaign had come from a fellow student who had earlier this year tweeted a plea for fees.
“I don’t know if she ever got help but her tweet was shared many times. Bonang Matheba responded to her but I don’t know if she ever got any assistance,” he said.
Komanisi’s closest relative is his mother, who has been wheelchair-bound since 2013 after an unknown condition left her immobile.
He said he had decided to pursue a law degree in an effort to give a voice to the voiceless.
“I want to help people like me because I don’t think doctors properly explained what condition I had to my family.
“Like my mother for instance.
“She’s also in a wheelchair but doctors didn’t explain properly what was happening to her, they used medical terminology which we didn’t understand,” he said. — zisandan@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos