BOUNCING BACK
With attitude like this who needs legs?
NINE years ago, Ranetsi Manyoni was pushed under an oncoming train by school bullies.
Miraculously, Manyoni, who was nine years old, survived.
But the train crushed his legs, which were amputated immediately up to his pelvis.
Although he uses a wheelchair, Manyoni, 19, from Umlazi, south of Durban, has not allowed the accident to confine him into a life of self-pity.
Instead, his condition has made him determined to live life to the full and today he is a budding musician, a DJ and a globetrotting basketball player.
The former pupil of the Open Air School in Durban is a sports enthusiast who has achieved many accolades and has represented South Africa in wheelchair basketball.
Last month he travelled to France and on Thursday flew to Nigeria to play for the national junior South African wheelchair basketball team.
He has tried para-cycling and took part in the Amashova Durban Classic race, riding 106km in six and a half hours.
But his big break came in 2014 when he took part with a handcycle in the Hillcrest Marathon, winning with a time of two hours five minutes. He followed it with a triumph in the Pietermaritzburg Marathon two weeks later.
Manyoni draws inspiration from Natalie du Toit, the South African swimming champion who won gold medals at the 2004 Paralympics as well as at the Commonwealth Games.
He has used Du Toit’s picture as his profile picture on Facebook alongside her famous quote: “I have always had a dream to take part in an Olympic Games, and losing my leg didn’t change anything.”
Now Manyoni has discovered a new talent: singing and dancing on stage, with the help of Durban healer and musician Zamokwakhe “Bhaka” Nzama, known for his flashy lifestyle.
Manyoni accompanies the herbalist to his prayer engagements and performs before Nzama takes to the stage.
This week, to the sounds of popular kwaito tunes, the double amputee, known as DJ Rah, mesmerised crowds at The Workshop in Durban with his dance moves, which include spinning his body around while balancing on his hands.
“I dance every single day and this is my way of living. I like entertaining people and they are very happy for me. That’s what makes me happy and it encourages me,” Manyoni said.
His ambition was to “succeed in life and become famous”.
Manyoni’s father, Thabani Mazibuko, 54, said he was grateful to God for not allowing his son’s accident to derail his ambitions.
Before the accident Manyoni was “very bright, especially in sport as he was doing running and swimming at school. He was very active.
“He is now singing and dancing and playing basketball. I thank God that he did not allow the accident to stop him from doing what he was always passionate about.”
I thank God that he did not allow the accident to stop him from doing what he was always passionate about