South Africa: Constitutional Assembly Resources

7 February 1995

Dear Sir

I was born in 1951 1 therefore I'm 44 years old. I was born disabled (problem with my hip). In 1986 I applied for the government disability compensation. I had a lot of difficulty getting it, they did not want to give it to me. I managed to get it eventually, but for the first six months I did not receive the full amounts I was supposed to get. Now I am getting full amounts.

I was in and out Livingstone Hospital for operations and I had the final one in 1989. They inserted the heavy iron legs. When I have to go to hospital, I have to hire a car which costs me R20, and when I have to go into town for check-ups I pay R40.

The main issue for me is why do I have to do these check ups every year. I was born like this and won't be able to change. I am disabled and that's it.

The other issue is, when will our compensation be equal to that of other people. Even children are getting more money than the disabled. Children are getting R450 and the disabled are getting R390.

The disabled suffer the most. We have to pay for transportation to hospitals and to doctors and also pay the hospitals. I am presently owing the hospital a lot of money for my treatment.

Now what Ifm asking for is:


Stop these assessments.

Make our compensation equal.

When increasing the compensation, please mention the disabled, because when you just say pension money it only means pensioners and not the disabled.

I hope this letter will receive your attention.
Yours sincerely
Thank you
Ms Nomawethu Mavis Ngcayisa