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Pictured during the IsAbility sponsors’ evening at the Soutpansberg Golf Club last Friday are (from left to right) Ntando Mahlangu (double amputee and silver medallist at the Rio Paralympics in 2016), local star para-athlete Sheryl James (World Para-Athletics Championships bronze medallist in Dubai in 2019), Sandy James (one of the driving forces behind the IsAbility Sport Club Limpopo) and Gavin Johnson (ex-Springbok rugby player who, among other tests, represented South Africa in the famous 1995 rugby World Cup that South Africa won).

IsAbility working hard to better many lives

 

Over the last couple of years, the IsAbility Sports Club Limpopo has made great strides in bettering the lives of both local athletes and people with physical impairments. With the aim of bringing everyone up to date with the club’s various projects, the club hosted a sponsors’ evening at the Soutpansberg Golf Club last Friday.

The club’s projects include enrolling a young double amputee, Vhutuhawe Nemutandani, in mainstream education this year. Two-and-a-half years ago, Vhutuhawe, who was then a scholar at a special school in Thohoyandou, became the recipient of a prosthetic limb, courtesy of IsAbility, the Jumping Kids project and Harcourts. He has now been enrolled at one of the top schools in Limpopo, the Emmanuel Christian School outside Louis Trichardt. The club is also in the process of securing and issuing more standing frames to Fit-to-Fly candidates (children with mobility impairments), while at their Vuwani disabled community agricultural and skills development project, a donation of maize seeds last year produced a successful harvest this year on land given to them by the council.

Other projects also include the annual IsAbility Golf Day and the development of para-sport in the Limpopo Province. “We could also provide feedback that we are now officially registered as a Non-Profit Organisation, with reg. nr 256-850 NPO,” said one of the driving forces behind the club, Louis Trichardt resident Sandy James.  

Sandy said that they were really privileged to have three speakers on Friday who each gave important insight into the journey of a sportsman or -woman, inspiring aspects or events in their careers and encouragement to those present to embrace and create opportunities. “We were told that it is within each individual's power to make a difference in our province and country in terms of development,” said Sandy.

The speakers included Gavin Johnson (ex-Springbok rugby player who, among other tests, represented South Africa in the famous 1995 rugby World Cup that South Africa won), Ntando Mahlangu (double amputee and silver medallist at the Rio Paralympics in 2016) and local star para-athlete Sheryl James (World Para-Athletics Championships bronze medallist in Dubai in 2019).

In his speech, Gavin said that the highlight for him was not the win [1995] but the unity that the moment and the victory brought in our nation across all racial and cultural and other barriers at a time in our country's history when this was really needed. He also highlighted the importance of being thankful.

Ntando spoke of the importance of creating opportunities. He shared his journey from a chubby 10-year-old boy who had spent his first 10 years in a wheelchair, to a 19-year-old who is finishing his Grade 12 year at Affies (Afrikaans High School for boys in Pretoria). He has a successful athletics career with world records, because of the opportunities he was afforded when Jumping Kids stepped into his life.  Ntando highlighted the importance of education and emphasized and confirmed what Sandy had mentioned earlier in the evening - the fact that most children with disabilities in our country are not afforded the opportunity to attend high school and achieve a Grade 12 certificate.  “This is a serious problem that we as society can play a role in changing if we activate the necessary structures to stop marginalising people with disabilities,” said Sandy. 

Sheryl, Sandy’ daughter, shared her thoughts on recognising that everyone has been made with a purpose and people need to see the potential in others and reach out to them to encourage and motivate them to live out their purpose. “Basically, we cannot do it alone,” said Sheryl. She highlighted one of the Comrades marathon experiences she had where she nearly gave up just before the end, only to be encouraged by a fellow runner who was a complete stranger to her and who insisted on finishing the race with her to make sure she got to the finish line before the cut-off time. Sheryl and Ntando are medal contenders for the Tokyo Paralympics, which is scheduled to take place at the end of August 2021.

The IsAbility Sports Club is officially registered with LIMA (Limpopo Athletics) and can issue Athletics South Africa running licences to athletes. They also cater for able-bodied athletes. Those interested are welcome to contact the club for more details on membership and affiliation (084 506 3333 or [email protected]).  The club also has a website www.http://isability.co.za.

 

News - Date: 17 April 2021

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Andries van Zyl

Andries joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in April 1993 as a darkroom assistant. Within a couple of months he moved over to the production side of the newspaper and eventually doubled as a reporter. In 1995 he left the newspaper group and travelled overseas for a couple of months. In 1996, Andries rejoined the Zoutpansberger as a reporter. In August 2002, he was appointed as News Editor of the Zoutpansberger, a position he holds until today.

Email: [email protected]

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