Simon refuses to let his disability limit him

Disabled cyclist, Simon Shabangu (44), recently cycled 38km in the company of able-bodied cyclists in the name of charity. The route took them from Gravelotte to Letaba Special School. He was part of a delegation that donated wheelchairs to the learners at the school. During the event, he told the learners that they must not limit themselves because of their disability. Shabangu hails from Nkowankowa and lost both his legs from four car accidents and as a result, he is wheelchair bound.

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He told the Herald that he discovered his purpose after losing both his legs. “I believe that through my tragedy, God was showing me that my purpose in life is to uplift and empower other disabled people. I used to enjoy playing with disabled children growing up, not knowing at the time that God was training me to become like them,” he said. He has founded Ability Beyond Dis-ability Foundation, which advocates for the rights of people living with disabilities with two friends, Lawrence Zitha and Allie Thopole. On Friday, December 3, he was at the Mpumalanga provincial legislature where he promoted the rights of disabled people. He is also a pastor and an actor. Photo by Mr Dynamix.