Student correctional official has a heart of gold

What started as a day in the life of a student correctional official on a learnership programme practical resulted in an exemplary goodwill gesture and tears of joy.

Recently a group of student correctional officials doing practicals at Boksburg Community Corrections bore witness to how an elderly man, Cesar Atanaseo Cumbe from Zonke Izizwe informal settlement, benefited from the good heart and selfless actions of one of the learners, Aubrey Baloyi.

Cumbe is originally from Mozambique but is now officially a South African citizen.

While doing their monitoring of parolees and probationers under the mentorship of Sibongile Gumede, Baloyi, who hails from Ngobe village in Giyani, noticed the disabled man struggling to move around.

He was spotted using his hands and home-made knee pads (made from vehicle tyres).

The man’s condition touched Baloyi (28), who works as a dog handler in the Boksburg Correctional Services Management Area.

The little money Baloyi receives as a stipend didn’t deter him from taking the initiative to do something meaningful.

He started to save money to buy a wheelchair for the disabled man.

After months of saving, Baloyi finally purchased a wheelchair to the value of R2 000.

Along with Sibongile Gumede and Klaas Mokgethwa from Correctional Services, he visited Cumbe’s home to deliver the much needed gift.

They also gave Cumbe groceries from the Boksburg Community Corrections office.

“What I saw that day made me decide never to undermine and value the life we have today. I never found inner peace ever since, as I felt I needed to do something to help this poor man,” said Baloyi.

“When handing over the wheelchair to him, I could not hide my excitement, knowing I had made a difference and positive change in someone’s life.

“We are not related at all but I felt I had an obligation as a public servant and a citizen of this country to bring change and improve the lives of my fellow Africans.

“Goodwill and humility should be every public servant’s everyday attitude,” added Baloyi.

Cumbe is married to Sandra and they have four sons and six grandchildren. He has been living with this disability since he was two years old, after being diagnosed with polio.

Cumbe survives through his pensioner’s social grant and his small shoe-making business.

“I wish God can bless this young man and those who helped him with this project,” said Cumbe.

“Baloyi deserves to be recognised as he stands way beyond and above the rest of his peers from his actions. He shows maturity and a good heart. He is my adopted son now,” said Cumbe.

Correctional Services have expressed how pleased they are with Baloyi’s actions and stressed that all correctional officials should follow in his footsteps to become model officials.