A R1.1 million 26-seater bus has been donated to Lenasia-based TIBA Services for the Blind by the South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT). The new vehicle will enable the organisation to reduce its daily transport trips, saving time and fuel while making its operations more efficient. TIBA had been relying on an ageing 16-seater vehicle, forcing its driver to make multiple trips each day to transport pupils and clients.
The larger bus will allow TIBA to make one trip in the morning and one in the afternoon, instead of multiple trips. This will significantly improve the organisation's daily operations and services to vulnerable children and adults with disabilities. TIBA chairman, Boeti Eshak, expressed gratitude for the donation, highlighting its impact on the organisation and its beneficiaries.
TIBA provides a range of services to vulnerable children and adults with disabilities, including an Early Childhood Development Stimulation and Rehabilitation Centre. The centre caters to children with profound disabilities, such as autism, cerebral palsy, and Down Syndrome. The organisation also runs protective workshops for vulnerable adults with disabilities from disadvantaged communities in and around Lenasia.
The organisation's services extend to community primary healthcare, including an eye clinic and a free cataract surgery programme for indigent and vulnerable people. Reliable transport is essential for organisations like TIBA, as mobility directly affects the ability of people with disabilities to participate in education, healthcare, work, sport, and community life.
SAMCT representative, Gaff Osman, emphasised that disability-inclusive transport is a fundamental part of creating accessible communities. He stated that accessibility should be viewed as a human right, rather than an optional improvement. The SAMCT was established in 2008 through a partnership between Old Mutual Unit Trusts and Al Baraka Bank.
The SAMCT provides funding, services, and resources to public benefit organisations working in healthcare, social development, poverty alleviation, and education. The organisation assists vulnerable communities across South Africa. The donation to TIBA aligns with SAMCT's mission to support organisations that serve people with disabilities.
The new bus arrives as TIBA prepares to mark nearly five decades of transporting vulnerable people in the community. The vehicle provides a practical solution to a daily operational challenge while strengthening TIBA's ability to transport pupils and clients who depend on its services. The donation will make a significant difference to the organisation and its beneficiaries.
Key points
- The donation of a R1.1 million 26-seater bus will improve access to education, rehabilitation, and healthcare for TIBA's beneficiaries.
- The new bus will enable TIBA to reduce its daily transport trips, saving time and fuel while making its operations more efficient.
- Disability-inclusive transport is a fundamental part of creating accessible communities and should be viewed as a human right.
