A mother is so determined to take care of her disabled son that even the harshness of life do not seem to deter her.

Mavis Malela have birth to her baby boy Ookeditse Malela.

Unlike her other kids, he was born with water in the brain. Severely disabled, the young man is completely paralysed on his left side. Epileptic, he cannot walk, talk, eat or even go to the bathroom by himself.

 

Unable to communicate, the 31-year-old is entirely dependent on his mother for everything, including changing his nappy and being put to bed.

Although she adores her son with the fierce devotion only a mother is capable of, Malela admits it has taken its toll on her life.

Relief came last week in the form of a new wheelchair donated to the family by Specially-elected Councilor, Modiri Jojo Lucas.

Before that, Ookeditse’s relatives – his two siblings and mother – would wheel him around in a tattered old chair given to them by the hospital.

Such acts of kindness make a huge difference to the family, making their lives that little bit easier. However, as The Voice discovered when paying Malela a visit at her Block 7 home on Tuesday, they need more… much, much more.

We arrive to find the old woman sitting in the yard with her daughter and Ookeditse. Malela’s eldest son has since married and left the family home, a run-down three-bedroomed dwelling that houses the three grown-ups as well as four children (two grandkids and two orphans left behind by Malela’s late sister).

Unemployed, the mother-ofthree reveals she used to hustle a living through Ipelegeng but had to give that up as there was no one to stay home to look after Ookeditse.

“I cannot leave his sight because, immediately when I leave and he sees that I am not here, he becomes sad and does not eat. I am forced to be home always as he also needs to be changed sides when he is tired of sleeping or sitting. I am facing a big challenge but God only knows why,” she said.

As well as a new bed, the one she shares with Ookeditse is worn out, they require food, toiletries, diapers, wipes, clothes, cooking gas and, ideally, a water system toilet.