Disability is not the end of the road

Musa Zulu

At the age of 23, Musa Zulu was involved in a tragic car accident that left him paralysed from the waist down. At 27, he became the director of KwaZulu-Natal Asiphephe (Let us be safe) Road Safety Project, a sub-directorate within the Department of Transport. “Our task was to reduce the number of road crashes that have led to so many deaths and cases of disability,” he says.

Zulu took time out of this busy schedule of being a motivational speaker and being involved in road safety campaigns to speak to me. The father of two daughters, Swazi (8) and Ziyanda (5) says the disability has changed his life in a sense that it’s difficult to never walk again.” Then he jokes: “The nice part is that my shoes never go old.” 

He says he remembers the night of the accident clearly. “I was young and careless. I hit a wall as a result of speeding. Now I tell people never to speed. They should only speed in their minds.”

At the time of the accident, he was working for Tongaat Mushrooms as senior personnel manager. A week before the accident, his employer informed him that he was earmarked for a promotion at head office in Johannesburg. Things were going very well for him as he was also talking to his partner about getting married.

But then his whole life changed and things were very hard after the paralysis. He lost his job (early retirement) and his girlfriend of two-and-a-half years left him. “Suddenly, all was gone and tears formed a veil through which I viewed life. I did not want to believe that it happened to me.

“After a full year of pain and wishing for a miracle, I realised that my family and close friends were beginning to lose hope that I would ever find a reason to smile again. My sorrow was affecting them as well, especially my father. I pulled myself together and vowed never to bow to failure again.”

Zulu says that listening to music gave him strength. Seeing other disabled people striving to live full lives made him want to achieve the same.

Zulu has always had great enthusiasm and energy for life. In 1989 at the age of 17, he started his university studies in social science.

“I have always been attracted to community development initiatives and issues. Social science offered me the opportunity to study my society and understand its dynamics. My wish was to make a difference, particularly to the marginalised black population whose lives have been disrupted by years of political oppression,” says Zulu.

He left the university towards the end of 1994 to join Tongaat Mushrooms. During his brief stay there, he initiated many changes that uplifted workers. “I was paralysed shortly after completing the job descriptions of all employees ­– an exercise that saw many employees receiving improved salaries because of a well-defined job grading system. Then came the accident,” he says.

In 1998, he visited the State of Victoria in Australia to see how they dealt with road crashes. “Apparently the state has one of the lowest road death/crash records in the world”, he says. While there, he met people from various disability organisations to learn from them how they assisted their government to meet the needs of the disabled.

Zulu says: “Before the end of 1998, I was part of the Department of Transport’s team that launched the first buses for the disabled – fully equipped with hydraulic lifts to provide easy access. Three of these buses are in operation in KwaZulu-Natal.”

He has since joined forces with his disabled friends and formed a support group. “Happiness revisited me. I found myself wanting to win back my sense of independence and control.” He bought himself a car and started visiting newly disabled people in hospitals.

 “While I was in hospital my father told me that everything happens for a purpose. I did not know what he meant then, but today I have found my purpose in life – to show the world that there is always a bright sky after a storm if we believe,” concludes Zulu.

Zulu says today he is happy to say that: “I have found a ‘home’ in my situation of disability. There is nothing that I cannot do. I have grown and matured as a result of the accident. I am truly blessed. I don’t live with regrets and my advice to people is to love life and be safe. 

A print version of this piece was published in Vuk'uzenzele January 2012. 

 

Some safe partying tips from DJ Zinhle

The parties and celebrations of the festive season is something of the past and most of us are back at work with a list of New Year’s resolutions. For some, the festive season was a wake-up call to be more cautious in future of things like drinking too much, driving under the influence of alcohol, unsafe sex an overspending.

Someone who has been observing people’s party behaviour and witnessed first-hand how people lose their sense of responsibility at parties, is DJ Zinhle.

Zinhle Jiyane, aka DJ Zinhle, stepped onto the South African DJ scene at a time when it was still very much a man’s world. But this talented lady quickly managed to turn some heads with her crazy skills on the turntables. She even grabbed the attention of some of Mzansi’s most respected DJs, such as DJ Oskido, and has today become one of the best female house DJs in South Africa.

I spoke to DJ Zinhle about some safe partying tips.

DJ Zinhle suggests:

The do’s:

·      Always let someone know where you are going and who you are with when you go out at night.

·      Have a party budget, so that you don't end up overspending.

·      Choose a designated driver who will not drink and drive.

·      Take a condom if you think you are going to be intimate and use it when the time comes. 

·      Keep your cellphone with you in case you need to make an emergency call.

The don'ts:

·      Don't drink anything anyone offers you, especially if it’s already open.

·      Never leave a party with a stranger, especially if you have been drinking.

·      Don't drive if you have been drinking, rather take a taxi to the venue and back if you plan to drink.

·      Don't use your cellphone while driving, except if it’s an emergency call.

·      Lock all your car doors when driving, especially at night.

·      Abstain from sex with strangers, especially if you have been drinking, as alcohol weakens your sense of responsibility

·      Don’t experiment with drugs.

·      If you are underage don’t go to places that have an age restriction

What to carry when going out:

·      Always have extra cash for emergencies.

·      I always carry pepper spray as a safety precaution.

·      Have your driver's licence with you if you are driving.

·      Have your ID with you.

What to avoid:

·      Avoid going to places you have never been to with someone you have just met.

·      Avoid travelling alone at night.

·      If you have to travel alone, make sure you have enough petrol and that your car is roadworthy.

Save for a rainy day

Ok, so there you have it folks. Remember, too much of anything is not good and that alcohol and drugs make you do irresponsible things.

Keep in mind to not spend more than you can afford; save some money for necessities to kickstart the New Year.

Make sure that you have enough saved up for school uniforms, stationery, travelling expenses and so on. 

A print version of this piece was published in Vuk'uzenzele January 2012

I am a child by Ayomide Akinleye

This is 3-year-old Ayo. 

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Kids planting

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Barren land

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It's the final countdown for the Class of 2011

Ntombikayise Tshabangu

 

More than 600 000 matric pupils across South Africa are presently buried in their books studying for their final examinations. For some, who started studying at the last minute, it is a very stressful time, but for those who started preparing well in advance, it is much easier.

One learner who did her homework well, is 18-year old Pretoria matriculant, Ntombikayise Tshabangu. For her, it is an honour to be in matric after all the years of hard work and studying late into the night. She said sitting for examinations is an indication that she has finally reached a major milestone in her life. 

It’s an honour

"It's amazing how time flies. Not so long ago I was in pre-school, but today this is me sitting for my matric examinations, so there's nothing more I can say other than that I am indeed honoured," she said.

"It has been a fun year even though it was difficult, but I managed to overcome the challenges and learned from them. I really enjoyed it as this is my very last year in high school."

Like Ntombikayise, most other matrics have had hurdles to overcome during their final school year. These included having too much to do and too little time, which was stressful, she said.

Leisure activities

However, Ntombikayise believes that it's important to make time for leisure activities and develop other talents such as sport.

"I managed to balance my school work and netball and still passed. Playing for the school's first netball team really made me proud; getting a bronze medal for being one of the best players just added the cherry on top," she said. Eyeing a dream career as an Information Technology (IT) specialist, Ntombikayise plans to further her studies in this field.

"I am extremely lucky because I come from a very supportive family. They put my education first and understand that I need to be focused and dedicated. I urge other families to do same."

Advice

Asked what advice she would give future matriculants, Ntombikayise said those writing examinations must not try to study everything in one night.

"Your brain cannot take in all the information at once; rather study a little bit each and every day. You can study with a friend, or join an after-school homework club for help from a teacher or a friend from the same class."

"Many young people think studying is 'lame' or 'boring'. But it can be fun. You can make up a board game to make studying fun and easy, or you can just type up your notes if it makes it easier to read. Do as much as possible to make sure you know the material, but make time to relax in-between," Ntombikayise said.

Time management

"Matric is not as difficult as one would think; it just requires a lot of studying, concentrating in class and good time management," quips Ntombikayise.

The final exams started on 17 October and the last papers will be written on 1 December. The results will be made public on 7 January 2012.

It's the holidays again!

Take a break, Take a Sho't Left 

It’s that time of the year again. If you are planning that well deserved and probably long overdue holiday, do not look too far – South Africa has everything that one needs this holiday season.

This is where the South African Tourism’s Sho’t Left Campaign comes in.

Sho’t Left, a streetwise term coined by mini bus taxi passengers and drivers, has been adopted by South African Tourism. It was launched as our domestic travel campaign in 2004. Six years later, the term has come to mean a short trip or quick getaway.

The South African Tourism is the national tourism agency responsible for marketing South Africa as a destination internationally and domestically.

Regional Director of South Africa Tourism, Mr Phumi Dlomo says:  “While our job as South African Tourism is to market the country to South Africans, it is still important that they ensure that our people are able to easily book an affordable holiday in the country,” he says.

“There is interest from South Africans in travelling their country and they are already travelling in one form or another. South Africans realise the fun to be had travelling Mzansi and they want in on the action. Sho’t Left helps in making it more affordable and accessible,” he continues. “What we also try to do and is what South Africans need is to provide them with information on where to go and what activities are enjoyable. They also really appreciate the travel deals as they ensure they travel the country with-out having to spend the same amount of money as international travellers.

The Tourism Growth Strategy aims to make tourism the leading economic sector in South Africa, and so promote sustainable economic and social empowerment of all South Africans. South Africa is marketed as an integral part of Africa and particularly the subcontinent of southern Africa.

To accomplish these goals, South African Tourism commits to meaningfully contribute to the government’s objectives of increased gross domestic product growth, sustainable job creation and redistribution and transformation through: increasing tourist volume; increasing the geographic spread, length of stay and tourist spend of all visitors; improving seasonality arrivals patterns; and working to transform the industry so that historically disadvantaged South Africans may benefit from the sector.

“The long-term objective of South African Tourism’s domestic strategy, through the Sho’t Left campaign, is to create a culture of travel amongst South africans. Short-term object is to get South Africans to take shorter breaks in Mzansi more often,” he says. 

When you travel in South Africa, you create jobs for fellow South Africans, invest in our economy and nationally growth, as well as support a vibrant South African industry that’s rapidly becoming a benchmark for international excellence.

Mr Phumi Dlomo admits that there have been challenges. “The market is still emerging and there is a huge opportunity to grow holiday travel. Getting South Africans to spend on a holiday versus purchasing a new accessory, be it a TV, a new mobile phone is the biggest challenge.

“Another challenge is ensuring that South Africans understand that when travelling to a different province to see friends and family they need to engage in tourist behaviour (i.e. participating in lesiure activities and visiting leisure attractions,” he says. 

South African Tourism celebrated the Tourism Month, September with a focus being on the Freestate – “the heart of Mzansi”.

The Sho’t Left experiences include: bus retreats, coastal getaways, city breaks, mountain escapes, countryside meanders, day trips, cultural discoveries as well as sport, adventure and events.

When calling the Sho’t Left call centre, a lady explained that; “Travel packages are broken down into nine provinces. The Backpacking Package is suitable for youngsters who usually travel with their packs on their backs, not looking for luxury accommodation and usually staying in chalets.

“The budget package is for those looking to stay for affordable two to three star accommodation within their means.  The family package is family-friendly, tailor-made for families with children. Then we have luxury, which are you five-star and boutique hotels, self catering and affordable packages – which are usually anything between one to three stars accommodation,” said the lady, who was reluctant to be named.

The new Sho't Left campaign – Tell us More – launched in March this year features a selection of seven of Mzansi’s hottest and most relevant trendsetters. The main aim of this new campaign is to show South Africans that travelling the country is quite fun. It is then the job of Sho't Left and the tourism industry as a whole to ensure that travelling the country is in fact accessible and affordable. This campaign has gotten Sho't Lefters excited, evidenced by the increase in social media activity on Sho’t Left platforms.

Mr Phumi concludes that it is enriching, surprising, delightful, fun and easy to travel locally. “It also introduces you to new ideas, new people and new places.” He says.

For more information on domestic travel and tours, more packages and experiences that one can have right here at home, visit: www.southafrica.net/shotleft.

Love for no Reason

Love for No Reason by Marci Shimoff

Rating: 5/5

Reviewer: Refilwe Thobega

If there’s one thing that can cure the world of hate, racism, poverty, sickness, crime, violence, abuse, greed and corruption, the list is endless. That one cure would not be music or sport, it would be “love”.

In her book Love for no Reason, Marci Shimoff – a celebrated transformational leader and a number one New York Times bestselling author – shares the Seven Steps to Creating a Life of Unconditional Love.

As living beings, we are created to receive and give love.

 I once heard that there are only two forces in life: fear and love. We do something because we either love it or we are afraid (of something) – if we don’t do it. A student studies because she either loves her subject or she is afraid that if he/she doesn’t, she will fail. We go to work every day because we either love what we do or that we are afraid if we don’t, we will starve.

Whatever that one does, let the force behind be “love” and not “fear”.  Because as I imagine, the reward will be greater as it will have a lasting effect.

Love for No Reason is “dedicated to those who hear the call of their heart to live in unconditional love”.  Loving oneself is something that we take for granted. And what the author “prescribes” for that is love, sweet love – which usually comes from within. 

With this book, may you be reminded of what the love and its ripple effect can bring into your life. This book is a love guru that comes in a form of a book. It is very well crafted. I definitely give it a “yes”.