In 2008, aged thirteen, his life took an unexpected 360 degree turn. One day he was still hearing 100%, the next, he woke up completely deaf. Initially, doctors were stunned by his condition, but eventually linked it to Meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes (meninges) surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Out of necessity, the energetic teenager had to drop out of the Hlabelela Secondary School in Bronkhorstspruit, where he was a Grade 8 learner at the time. A year later, he enrolled at the Filadelfia Secondary School for Learners with Special Educative Needs (LSEN) in Soshanguve. “It was a huge adjustment,” he recalls. He had to learn Sign Language and work extra hard to make his grades.

Luckily, there was also an angel in his midst, Nicolette Koukeas, his Speech Therapy teacher. She played an instrumental role in giving Wisdom the gift of sound through The Beautiful Noise Cochlear Implant Project, initiated by the Steve Biko Academic Hospital Board (SBAHB).

The SBAHB-Robert Kerr Trust Health Programme established The Beautiful Noise Cochlear implant Project in 2009 to financially support and facilitate procedures currently not funded by the Government. Since 2009, the gift of sound was given to more than 15 previously profoundly deaf and hearing impaired individuals.

In 2010, there were enough funds for Wisdom to undergo a Cochlear Implant (CI). A CI is a surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing in both ears. It was switched on in January 2011. “It was amazing. I could hear again! I still remember my mom,

Siphiwe, calling my name over and over again. “I had to learn to hear all over again.” Currently, Wisdom’s hearing is 75%.

After completing Grade 12 in 2013, he enrolled for an internship at Hollard Insurance, and joined TUT the next year. “I always had a dream of becoming a Human Rights Lawyer for disabled people,” he says. He wants to enrol for an LLB degree next year.

Being a deaf student comes with its own challenges. He is extremely sensitive to higher pitches, and if fellow students make noise in corridors, for instance, he would hear that, rather than what the lecturer says.

Luckily, the Disability Unit on the Campus provides him with assistive devices that aid his studies. It’s going well on the academic front. The go-getter has managed to get seven distinctions in his eighteen modules thus far.

Wisdom Hleza (24), a Legal Assistance student who had a Cochlear Implant as a teenager, excels in his studies.

"It was amazing. I could hear again! I still remember my mom calling my name over and over again."

BORN AND BRED: Elim (between Polokwane and Makhado, formerly known as Louis Trichardt) in the Limpopo Province.

YOUR STORY: I was born with a rare skin condition which also affects my bone structure. As a result, I had to use a wheelchair from a very young age. I completed my primary schooling at the Champions Academy and secondary schooling at the Emmanuel Christian High School (both in Makhado).

WHY TUT: Initially, I wanted to talk for a living and therefore applied for Journalism. Unfortunately, I was not accepted and then opted for my second choice, Logistics. I’m currently in my second-year and enjoy my studies. However, I still hope to present one day.

CHALLENGES: TUT still lacks a bit in assisting disabled students in terms of accessibility, transportation, and some academic issues. Overall, abled-bodied students are treating us well.

AIMS OF THIS-ABILITY: To make the lives of students with disabilities worthwhile at the University, by advocating for their rights; To make studying and learning conducive for them; To be their voice; To meet their diverse needs; To host disability awareness campaigns; To reach out to schools for the physically disabled and “abled” youth, to educate them about and assist them with applying at a university; and To help disabled students with access to bursaries.

HOPES AND DREAMS: I want become financially independent and care for my mother, Patience, and little brother, Ndima (15).

ROLE MODELS: Nicholas James Vujicic, a Serbian-Australian Christian evangelist and motivational speaker born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare disorder characterised by the absence of arms and legs. I also look up to Rhulani Baloyi, co-presenter of the educational programme Shift on SABC1 and a trustee of the SA Mobility for the Blind Trust.

CONTACT US: Myself at 076 532 1605 or Thabang Mankaba (Secretary) at 078 486 9472. You can also follow us on Facebook.

This-Ability, a TUT structure representing disabled students, celebrates its first birthday this year. We chatted to its new Chairperson, Misho Muhlava (22), who says This-Ability is not a political party, but that the structure wants to make changes that will impact current and future disabled students.

Misho Muhlava (22)

MACHAKA
SELLO (20)

Sport and Exercise Technology

“They do get opportunities, but not as much as abled people. Some institutions specify in their employment requirements the kind of people that they are looking for; and that may exclude disabled people.”

KAGISO
MAUPA (19)

Crop Production

“There are disabled people at some of the workplaces that I have visited; and that shows that they are also considered and given opportunities to apply for different jobs.”

TINOL
JANSE VAN RENSBURG (19)

Chemical Engineering

“No, they are disadvantaged. They often struggle because there is no suitable equipment and transport to accommodate them. Many people also look down on them.”

GERHARD
FOURIE (21)

Mechatronics

“No, because there are job opportunities that restrict them. Whenever they get opportunities, people always look down on them and criticise their work.”

RIVO
MASHALA (20)

International Communication

“They do get the same opportunities. In most instances, they actually get first preference when it comes to getting jobs and they receive better salaries.”