Pholani Makalima is a determined man who is not easily daunted by trifling challenges.
When he attended a wheelchair-repair course in 2023 the workshop table was too high for him to actively participate in the stripping and rebuilding of a sample wheelchair as he is in a wheelchair himself, but Makalima was determined to participate and requested work that he could do on his lap.
He has become so proficient at this that he recently received a certificate of appreciation as an Overstrand voluntary wheelchair repair champion from the Department of Health and the Church of the Latter-Day Saints Charities.
Dr Jannie Mouton, clinical manager at Hermanus Hospital, and Louise Meyer, clinical programme coordinator of rehabilitation and assistive devices and disability, as well as a church representative presented the certificate to Makalima recently.
Working mainly from home, once a month he sets up a satellite workstation at the Association for People with Disabilities in Hawston, where he unselfishly gives of his time, imparting his acquired skills assisting in the repairs of all wheelchairs presented at Hermanus Hospital.
At the hospital Makalima works closely with both the physiotherapists and occupational therapists, especially when people come in to have their wheelchairs fitted to their specific needs. International day of People with Disabilities is celebrated annually on 3 December to promote the rights and well-being of disabled people at every level and raise awareness of their situations.
