Ndidzulafhi Mundalamo (46), a disabled resident from Matsika, was dealt a low blow last week when thieves stole a whole pile of firewood from him that he had gathered from the nearby bushes.
Mundalamo, who has a defective right leg because of polio and gets around on crutches, sells firewood to his community to supplement his meagre disability grant. Despite his physical condition, he has become a living example that not all disabled people are dependent on charity, but that some are able to fend for themselves.
On a normal day, he gets up like everyone else and, armed with an axe, ventures into the dense bushes where he gathers wood for resale. Normally, he needs two to three days to gather enough wood to equal a bakkie load. He sells such a pile of wood cheaply, for around R250.
Besides the firewood business, he also runs a small spaza shop from his home, and he sells snacks to the local Matsika Primary School learners each morning. This financial supplement makes a considerable difference in his life. With it he is also able to take care of his ageing mother, who lives with him.
Last week, however, the rainy weather caught him off guard. He had gathered enough firewood, packed it neatly in a pile and left it in the bushes while he waited for a buyer. But, because of the persistent rain, he could not collect the wood immediately. When the rain finally subsided and he went back to collect it, the whole pile of wood was gone.
"I already had a customer waiting for the load, but I was shocked to find the wood missing. I suspect it was deliberately stolen by somebody who knows my situation. They know that I would never go out when it rains. They are taking advantage of me. These people are heartless; they know I am disabled and trying to make ends meet. All I need is my wood and it ends there. My plea to whoever stole it is to return it," said Mundalamo.
The local community leader, Mr Edwin Makhado, said Mundalamo should have reported the matter to the police or community structures immediately. "We as leaders will sit down and consider how best to help him. If the incident was reported, it would have been easier to catch the culprits," he said.