Over the weekend, the South African Police Service (SAPS) represented by the Bainsvlei Police Station’s Lt. Col. Keamogetse Makobo, the South African Police Union’s (SAPU) Sgt. Mantoetsi Molapo, and Gift of the Givers’ Clifford Mabe, continued their Mandela Month celebrations by donating to community members in need.
Three Bainsvlei community members were identified by SAPS and were gifted wheelchairs. Benjamin Koen (25), Puleng Jao (22) and Keneiloe Ntshioa (40) are part of the community that reside at the Old Police Station premises in Bainsvlei, and are also living with disabilities.
“We visited these families throughout awareness campaigns and saw that they needed wheelchairs,” explained Col. Makobo.
“As a team, we discussed this project with the SAPU and asked them to source a donor,” she added.
SAPU contacted Gift of the Givers, who then assisted in sourcing the three wheelchairs, as well as helping with the handover on Sunday.
The three parties announced that they have also adopted the three recipients of the wheelchairs as well as the small community residing at the Old Police Station, and will continue to care for them.
“We adopted the three of them,” explained Makobo, “from Sunday we will take care of them and give them support and love that they need from us as the SAPS.”
Jao received a specifically modified wheelchair with recliner facility and a table. Families of the recipients were unable to hold back their tears of joy as they passed messages of appreciation to the representatives of the three entities that donated the gifts.
“This is a marriage that will see no end,” said Mabe.
Warren Hawkins
