He may have been born without hands, but every day this father of two takes to the streets in the hopes of making some money to feed his children.
Sadly, heartless skollies have been targeting Kudakkwashe “Kuda“ Chapwana, robbing him of whatever money he made that day.
With his wide smile and optimistic demeanour, Kuda is a well-known face at a robots in Okavango Road where he begs to feed his two little daughters, aged 4 and 3.
Kuda travels to the spot every day from his home in Crossroads, Khayelitsha, and says he is desperate to find a proper job.
He says: “I take a taxi to my ‘job’ every day, it costs me R100.
“I was born in Zimbabwe and lived in Johannesburg for five years before moving to Cape Town last year.”
Kuda does not have hands, and both of his arms end just under his elbows.
He adds: “I was born without hands but I don’t let it hold me back.
“I studied engineering in Zimbabwe and I can fix things like Eskom’s electrical boxes.
“I can do everything with my arms, even work on a computer,” he says and demonstrates by taking his cellphone out of his pocket and dialling a number.
“I can’t apply for a Sassa grant because I don’t have a South African ID, that’s why I now have to beg here at the robots.
“On some days I can make up to R400. I just need a job so that I don’t have to skarrel and get robbed,” he adds with a hopeful smile.
He says his life would have been much worse without the help of his friend, Trust Zambuko, who sells various items at the same robots.
Trust, from Kraaifontein, regularly checks on his friend to make sure he is safe.
The friend explains: “There are skollie laaities here that rob him almost every day. They wait until late in the afternoon before they strike, and he can’t fight back. We have complained to the police but they could not help us.
Robert Bisset from Kraaifontein Community Policing Forum (CPF) says street children attacking people are a problem.
Bisset adds: “We have complained to Law Enforcement many times in the CPF meetings regarding street kids. They clear them out, the next few days they’re back again.”
He says the CPF monitor the robots and Kudu is new to the area: “Disabled people working like this need a friend to be with them in risky areas if they cannot defend themselves.
“We request that he moves back to the area he was in, if this is going to threaten his safety.”
If you’d like to assist Kuda in any way you can reach him at 068 806 6619 or Trust at 0681311594.