Disabled visitors to the Amanzimtoti beach on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast will be able to get much closer to the water thanks to the donation of a beach sand cruiser.
eThekwini Municipality mayor, Cyril Xaba, this week accepted the donation on behalf of the City, from the Smith family whose son, Reece is a quadriplegic and loves swimming in the ocean.
"The wheelchair is specially made with robust materials for use on sand and in the sea," the City said.
The generosity of the Smith family was praised by Mayor Xaba. He said the donation will go a long way to ensure beach accessibility for those who are disabled.
"The kindness of the Smith family is a shining example of what can be achieved when residents and other stakeholders work together for the betterment of society. The City has committed to purchasing more of these wheelchairs to improve accessibility at all our beaches," Xaba said.
Meanwhile, Smith, whose big heart defies his ability, said he noticed that there were so many people who were unable to go into the ocean and enjoy the surf with their families.
"When we acquired this special Sand Cruiser wheelchair, we decided to donate it to the City for use at Amanzimtoti Beach so that others can also enjoy the ocean," he added.
On Tuesday, the country celebrated International Disability Day. Speaking at an event at the Richmond Sport Complex, Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, remarked that globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) says disability is part of being human. It affects an estimated 1.3 billion people, or about 16% of the global population.
"As Premier I recommit government to work with the sector to create properly resourced and sustainable environments for disability in all our government offices and buildings. It is also our commitment to capacitate those with disabilities to contribute to the economic growth and development of the province by participating in all opportunities in the province," Ntuli said.
IOL