Phillip Livhuwani Mphohoni of Musina is a prisoner in his own body.

Born healthy and full of dreams 33 years ago, his life was shattered when he lost both arms after he was involved in a road accident on November 14, 2007. The former taxi driver is now unemployed, desperate and cannot do anything on his own. He only survives on a dis-ability grant, which is also not enough to cover all his needs.

Phillip pleads: “All I need is artificial arms, so that life can get back to normal again, but I don’t have the money to cover the medical expenses. I hope that a Good Samaritan will come out of nowhere and assist me. Imagine what happens when I want to relieve myself? What about when I’m hungry or when I want to bath? I don’t have any privacy, because I cannot do anything.”

According to a report from a Johannesburg orthotist and prosthetist, Christopher Harper, Mphohoni needs two functional prosthetic arms at a cost of R83 972, 40. He says the prosthetic arms are custom made and the components used are imported from overseas. He added that the arms are attached to the body with the use of a harness, which also controls the operations of the arms. This includes opening and closing the hand and bending and locking the elbow in the case of the transhumerus prosthesis.

The prostheses take approximately two weeks to make and fit; however, occupational therapy will need to be arranged after the arms are fitted for training on the prostheses.

Phillip’s wife, Tshililo Tshivhidzo (31), had to leave her job at Mapungubwe World Heritage site to look after her husband. “There was nothing I could do, because he needs my attention every minute. Our main challenge is that we do not have a house of our own. His disability grant is just a drop in the ocean, because we pay rent and buy some basic needs for the family. Please, can someone out there help my husband? He is definitely suffering.”

A father of two, Phillip explains what happened on the fateful day of the accident. “I was driving a taxi with 14 passengers from Musina towards Louis Trichardt. Just a few kilometers from Musina, I saw a security company vehicle coming straight at me from the opposite lane. I tried to avoid it, but my taxi went off the road and rolled several times. I don’t know what happened thereafter, but the next moment, I found myself in bed in the Musina Hospital, where I spent two months.”

Luckily, none of the 14 passengers died but they had minor injuries.

Phillip says he has engaged the services of a lawyer to claim from the road accident fund on his behalf. “I just keep on waiting, but the fund never pays me.”

Community members who would like to donate funds for Phillip to acquire prosthetic arms can call him at 071 117 9323 or visit him at Musina, Matswale, House No 3550.