My Life of Disability – a Personal Story

By Musa Zulu, Former Director of KwaZulu-Natal ASIPHEPHE (Let Us Be Safe) Road Safety Project

I WAS involved in a tragic car accident at the age of 23 that left me paralyzed from the waist down. At the time I was working for Tongaat Mushrooms as senior personnel manager. Back in 1989 at the age of 17, I started my 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 (South Africa) and understand its dynamics better. My silent wish was to make a difference, particularly to the marginalized black population – my people whose lives have been disrupted by years of political oppression.

I finished the course in 1991 and proceeded to do an Honours degree in sociology. The university also employed me as a junior lecturer in social studies. I was recruited to champion the establishment of a community infra-structure that assisted in identifying black students who had passed matric but did not have enough points to gain automatic entry into university. This was part of the University of Natal’s affirmative action and equity strategy. The experience marked the beginning of a sense of wanting to do more for more.

I left the university towards the end of 1994 to join Tongaat Mushrooms. During my brief stay there I initiated many changes that helped the upliftment of workers. I was paralyzed shortly after completing the job descriptions of all employees - an exercise that saw many receiving improved salaries because of a well- defined job grading system. Then came the accident.

It was hard at the beginning. I lost my job (early retirement) and soon afterwards my girlfriend of two-and-a-half years exited my life. I was hoping that a Good Samaritan would come and change the situation. I was sad and alone. I did not want to believe it had happened to me. I had done so much as a boy and was just beginning to spread my wings for the better things to come.

A week before the accident my employer informed me that I was earmarked for promotion at head office in Johannesburg, and I was already talking wedding plans with my partner. Suddenly, all was gone and tears formed a veil through which I viewed life. Listening to music gave me strength. And seeing other disabled people striving to live a full life, also made me want to achieve the same.

After a full year of pain and wishing for a miracle, I realized 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. My family had opened their arms to me and only wanted to see me happy. I had to do something to repay them for all their support, prayers and hope. I pulled myself together and vowed never to bow to failure again.

I returned to the university as a sociology tutor. It was a learning and rehabilitation exercise for me. As time went by, I started working on various research projects for different consultants, writing reports and making presentations.

I then joined forces with a few disabled friends and formed a support group for the disabled. Occupational therapy students and lecturers from another local university assisted us. Happiness revisited me and I found myself wanting to win back my sense of independence and control. I bought myself a car and started visiting newly disabled people in hospitals. I would advise them to face their pain and not wait until it was too late to bounce back to life. Every time a patient had doubts about the possibilities of a happy future, I would remind them about the late Friday Mavuso, the "Chariot of Fire" – as I still fondly refer to him.

Friday was wheelchair-bound, yet he was so free. The strength and courage he displayed in his fight for the betterment of the disabled in South Africa made him a hero in the eyes of many. He died two months after my accident. How I wish he was still around – there is so much we could be doing together. He gave meaning to human dignity and made many realize that life is not over until it is all over. All I do and achieve, I quietly dedicate to him. I will always be grateful for the lesson he taught me – stand tall, no matter how big the fall.

At the age of 27, I 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.

I visited the State of Victoria in Australia in July-August 1998 to see how they dealt with road crashes to a point where they had one of the lowest road death/crash records in the world. While there I also met people from various disability organizations to learn how they assisted their government in meeting the needs of the disabled.

Before the end of 1998, I was part of the department’s group 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 and surveys of all races indicate that the disabled are making the best use of this resource.

Today, I am happy to say 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 can proudly sum up my life in one sentence: "I am truly blessed". The first words my father said to me when he saw me in the hospital were: "All things happen 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 the storm if we believe.

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