Mbabane – A physically challenged Auto Electrical student at BSA Training Centre, Sifiso Maseko, has redesigned and modified a wheelchair to improve safety for users, marking the first phase of an innovation project supported by the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office.
The development was presented at the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office boardroom, where Maseko explained his work to Acting Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla. He said the installation of a horn, lights and reflectors would help wheelchair users avoid accidents and allow motorists and pedestrians to notice them more easily on the road.
Maseko is among 10 students selected by the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office last year to study at BSA Training Centre through scholarships awarded by the institution. Although he initially wanted to study Motor Mechanics, he later enrolled in Auto Electrical, a move that enabled him to apply his training to improving his own wheelchair.
With guidance from his instructor, Ndumiso Hlophe, the first phase of the project was completed. The next stages are expected to involve fitting a motor to allow wheelchairs to become fully automated, removing the need for manual pushing.
Maseko said his long term goal is to establish a company that specialises in modifying and upgrading wheelchairs, offering solutions that extend the lifespan of older models while improving accessibility for people living with disabilities.
The Acting Prime Minister, together with officials present, welcomed the innovation and noted challenges previously faced by government in acquiring automated wheelchairs.
“Recently we failed to buy auto wheelchairs because they are very expensive. We are happy that through BSA, you have managed to come up with this innovation to change the lives of the disabled positively. I am challenging you to register an Association, hire others, and source funding from the Regional Development Fund and start working,” said the Acting Prime Minister.
She also expressed appreciation to BSA Training Centre for supporting young innovators and called on more partners to be part of efforts aimed at improving the lives of wheelchair users across the Kingdom.
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