Disabled woman ‘mocked repeatedly’ by social development staffer

A Mpumalanga social development department employee accused of abusing a disabled woman by repeatedly “calling her Oscar Pistorius” because she uses an artificial leg similar to that of the former Paralympian has not been punished for her actions.

Pistorius was an internationally renowned double-amputee athlete who spent more than eight years in prison for shooting to death his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on 14 February, 2013.

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Both his legs were amputated when he was 11 years old and he uses artificial legs. Thandi Mdluli, 41, from Mkhuhlu, Mpumalanga said the department was reluctant to take disciplinary measures against its employee, who has ridiculed her on several occasions.

“This woman has been making me a laughing stock in the community. I reported her to her superiors in January but nothing was done to punish her. It has been about six months since I reported the case.

“What worries me most is that this woman works for the department tasked with protecting disabled people. Who is going to protect us if we are being abused by the people tasked to protect us?”

Mdluli asked. Mdluli alleged that the woman, who cannot be named because she has not been formally charged, started to harass her in December last year.

She said every time they saw each other at the soccer field, the woman made fun of her and ignored her objections.

“On 30 January, I found that she had posted about me on Facebook and shared my picture and that of Pistorius. She mocked my disability.

“The same day I went to the South African Social Security Agency branch in Bushbuckridge to update my details.

“When I got there I saw her and asked her why she had reduced me on social media. She said she did it intentionally. She started pushing me around and I pushed back. She later went to the police station to open a case of assault against me.”

The Citizen has seen screenshots of the posts.

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“Stop fighting with people and concentrate on your steel leg. Maybe that car accident also affected your mind,” one post read. Mdluli’s left leg was amputated as a result of a car crash in 2016 in Mkhukhu near Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga.

Eric Mokonyama, provincial manager of the Human Rights Commission, has confirmed that Mdluli reported it to them. “We have started investigating,” he said.

Department spokesperson Centie Ngubane said the incident has been referred to the department’s labour relations office for investigation and recommendations on actions to be taken.

“The department condemns this incident,” he added.

Patrick Mahlakoane, national chair of Disabled People SA, said: “Abusive remarks should not be tolerated. No-one chooses to be disabled. We, as disabled persons, should be protected. This person should be ashamed.