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Pule's a prisoner in his own home!

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Pule Ratselane, who is living with a disability, has sworn to never vote for any political party.     Photo by Joseph Mokoaledi
Pule Ratselane, who is living with a disability, has sworn to never vote for any political party. Photo by Joseph Mokoaledi

HE threw his ANC regalia in running water as a sign of protest against what he calls service delivery house arrest.

And Pule Ratselane has vowed to never vote for any political party.

This is because the 46-year-old amputee from Kudumane Village in QwaQwa, Free State cannot move around in his village because of the bad roads.

Recent heavy rain made things more difficult for him as the roads are even worse and he can't use his wheelchair.

Pule said life has been difficult since his leg was amputated more than 12 years ago after a car accident.

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His village is almost 15km from the main road and according to residents, the roads were last maintained before the democratic government took over.

The village is near a mountain and water from the mountain is also destroying the infrastructure and houses.

This means Pule is a prisoner in his house as he can't move around in his wheelchair because of the bad roads.

He told Daily Sun he has written many letters to the Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality, but never got any help.

"I will never vote for any political party. I’m a prisoner in my own home. I don't have freedom of movement. I have to pay people to fetch my disability grant every month.


"Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality and the provincial government has been rejecting my request to fix the road. Democracy was not designed to help poor people like me," said Pule. 

Maluti-a-Phofung MMC for Infrastructure, Shashapa Motaung, confirmed that the village has a serious challenge with bad roads and uncontrollable water from the mountain.

He said they sent engineers to survey the roads.

"The village is totally not conducive for a person living with a disability. We made a request to relocate Pule from the village but he refused.

"We are looking for a suitable place for him and have engaged the provincial government to help us in terms of the execution," he said.

The provincial chairman for Disable People South Africa, Teboho Monkwe, said he was told by infrastructure officials that the roads are unrepairable.

Monkwe said he is helping Pule find a suitable place.

"We have many questions about why he was dumped under the mountain where there is no service delivery. The business community is willing to help him. It's hazardous for him to stay in that village," said Monkwe.

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