SMANGELE is blind, but she doesn’t need eyes to take care of her baby.
Smangele Dhladhla (27) from Diepkloof, Soweto has a one-year-old baby girl.
“I’m blind but I’m not stupid. I need hands, ears and a nose to do my work as a mother,” said Smangele.
She named her daughter Katekani, which means blessing.
Smangele said the first day she visited the clinic to confirm her pregnancy, she was asked if she was raped.
“I am human too. I have feelings and I have a boyfriend. He is also blind,” said Smangele.
She is a goalball player for the Western Gauteng team in Roodepoort.
The game was designed specifically for athletes with a vision impairment.
Players compete in teams of three, and try to throw a ball that has bells embedded in it into the opponents’ goal. The ball is thrown by hand and never kicked.
She started playing three years ago as a reserve.
“At first I didn’t take it seriously but then I went for trials where they were looking for players to represent South Africa at the Paraplegic Games.
“I wasn’t selected but coach Phillip Williams noticed my playing skills.
“Now I’m the captain of the team and I play centre,” she said.
Smangele studied office administration at South West Gauteng College and works at UBS in Randburg as an administrator.
She is planning to study sports management and hopes to be a soccer analyst.
“My favourite soccer commentators are Thabo Kofa and Baba Mthethwa.
“They are able to give me a clear picture of what is happening on the pitch.”
