A local businessman has come to the rescue of a woman who lost both her arms in a taxi accident in 2005. The Solly and Zohra Noor Foundation provided the additional R47 000 needed for a special prosthetic arm for Merriam Mabuza.

Merriam (38) lost both her arms in February 2005 when the taxi she was travelling in from Soshanguve overturned on the Mabopane Highway. Her three-year-old son, Nyiko, almost lost an arm in the accident as well, but surgeons at the Pretoria Academic Hospital were able to reattach it.

Nyiko has since been receiving treatment at the hospital for his wounds. Merriam, who comes from Bushbuckridge, had to move closer to Pretoria to be with her child. They have since moved into a shack which they share with a friend in Soshanguve.

The Pretoria News newspaper picked up on the story and decided to try and help the destitute family. The newspaper donated R10 000 towards a special fund to assist Merriam and invited readers to do the same. The plan was to collect the R160 000 needed for a special prosthetic arm

Within three months the readers contributed just over R100 000 towards the project. Two weeks ago, Mr Solly Noor and his wife, Zohra, were on a visit in Pretoria and read about the plight of the Mabuza family. They phoned the newspaper to find out exactly what was still needed and immediately offered to donate the R47 000 shortfall.

When the Pretoria News visited Merriam in Soshanguve last week, she was without words. "I don´t know what to say except thank you to the people who helped," she said.

Mr Noor, amongst others owner of the Solly’s Discount World Group, says they are very glad to be able to assist. "This mother will hopefully now, for the first time in more than two years, be able to hug her child," he said.