Disabled athletes inspire during fun event

Physically disabled athletes from different schools around Vhembe participated in an Isability athletics event for athletes with disabilities at the Louis Trichardt High School Stadium on Saturday.

Athletes participated in various sporting codes, such as shotput, javelin, running and various other items.

The chairperson of the Isability Sports Club, Ms Sandy James, said that the aim of the event was to have fun athletics, courtesy of the Isability Sports Club. She said that volunteers from various organisations in the community had worked hard to ensure that the day’s events ran smoothly.

She said that children with disabilities must be given the opportunity to develop their potential. James added that sport could build unity among people and that she was impressed by the way the competition was run. She also indicated that they would continue to organise the event in coming years. “The support from schools was amazing and also the talent of the athletes, which is something that needs to be nurtured,” she said. “We realize that the tournament is growing, and we are willing to take more teams on board every year,” she added.

She urged the community not to push disabled people away. “We have this kind of event because we want to show disabled and challenged people that we love and accept them in our houses and community.”

She also urged parents to stop abusing the disabled and to “stop using them as sources of income”. She said that disability grants should be used in the way they were intended. She added that people with disabilities were as human and productive as everyone else in society.

She said that AFB Makhado had provided a fire-prevention demonstration, which was a great hit with the children and the moment was made even more exciting by a Gripen aircraft doing a flyover.

Masala Makatu, who spoke on behalf of the children with disabilities, appealed to parents not to hide them “just because we are disabled. Some parents do not even want to take us to church, because their friends will laugh at them”.

Date:30 August 2019

By: Kaizer Nengovhela

Kaizer Nengovhela started writing stories for Limpopo Mirror in 2000. Prior to that he had a five year stint at Phala-Phala FM as sports presenter. In 2005 Kaizer received an award from the province's premier as Best Sports Presenter. The same year he was also nominated as Best Sports Reporter by the Makhado Municipality. Kaizer was awarded the Mathatha Tsedu award in 2014.

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