I’m just overwhelmed at the kindness of other people, said wheelchair-bound Mr Cedric Mhlongo when he was surprised with a new electric wheelchair on Wednesday, 18 November 2015.
Mr David Ramathavha, a small enterprise owner and one of the graduates from the Supplier and Enterprise Development Programme at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) donated an electrical wheelchair worth R35 000 to Mr Mhlongo, who has worked at the University’s Protection Services since 1998. Mr Mhlongo was left paraplegic after being diagnosed with muscle.
“I see Cedric when I bring tenders to UJ. I wanted to do something about Cedric’s debilitated wheelchair,” said Ramathavha who owns Ramathavha Electricals, in Florida, Johannesburg. “UJ has done so much for me, and I wanted to give back.”
The surprise is too much, said a visibly shocked Mhlongo when the new wheelchair was presented to him. “You know sometimes you pray for a long time and God answers it unexpectedly.”
Mr Ramathavha is one of the 37 Exempted Micro Enterprises (EMEs) owner and a current supplier at the University who enrolled in the first Supplier and Enterprise Development Programme launched by the UJ Finance Expenditure Department under the Supplier & Enterprise Division section, in August 2015. The programme comprises of 12 business modules which equip Black Owned Suppliers to take their businesses further.
“We are proud to know people like Mr Ramathavha, who can still find from the goodness of their heart to give back to people,” said Mr Trevor van Noord, Senior Manager: Procurement Services, UJ.
The next set of students of the Development Programme will start on the Tuesday, 24 November 2015 with a joint graduation of the first students scheduled for March 2016.