South Africa joined the international community in commemorating National Disability Rights Awareness Month from 3 November until 3 December this year’s under the theme, ‘Together Building South Africa Inclusive of Disability Rights’.
But not all those living with disability or, at least, their families are well informed about these commemorations.
For Irene Leshiba and her 17-year-old son, Junior Leshiba from Alexandra who lives with severe disability, this date means nothing as they have to face their struggles to see the next day.
The family lives in a small house with no wheelchair access and enough space for Junior to sit and they have to endure the pain of carrying Junior in and out of the house every day.
Irene recalled vividly the joy and celebration in the family on the day Junior was born, which coincided with Valentine’s Day, not knowing that the same joy will turn into a daily struggle for her and the family.
“Junior was born healthy like any other normal child on 14 February 2002 In Venda, Limpopo Province.
“Everyone in the family was happy that a male child had been born to carry on the clan’s name. When he was three months old, he was diagnosed with TB meningitis which left him disabled.
“We were forced to move to Johannesburg in order for him to get physio treatment.”
The unemployed mother of three added that things have been difficult for her after Junior’s father, who was the breadwinner at home, was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
“Junior’s father was arrested a few years ago and he is serving time in prison. From the day he was arrested and lost his job things became more difficult for us.
“We are depending on his grant and handouts from people like Linda Twala who help us with things like food and nappies for Junior. We have to buy a minimum of 40 adult nappies for him every week and they are expensive,” she said.
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