Unisa graduate Ntshavheni Khangale overcame all obstacles to obtain his bachelor of commerce (BCom) degree, including writing two exams in an ambulance, losing his supportive mother and numerous hospitalisations while living with a disability.
Khangale, 32, grew up in Nzhelele in Limpopo and joined the South African National Defence Force, where he worked as technical support for the navy in Cape Town.
He was not born with a disability and found himself wheelchair-bound after being involved in a tragic accident.
Back in December 2014, Khangale, then aged 22, took leave to go home and see his family. He asked around for anyone travelling to Limpopo from Cape Town and was told of another member of the SANDF who would soon be making the trip, he told TimesLIVE Premium.
“The day of the accident was the day that I met him. He was travelling with his brother and the brother’s wife, so it was a whole family which I didn’t know. The accident happened once we entered the Northern Cape,” he said.
He was immediately transported to One Military Hospital in Pretoria but eventually learnt the devastating news that his spinal injury had left him paralysed.
Finding it hard to accept his new disability, he said he became difficult to treat and often complained to doctors while refusing to accept treatment and help.
But five months into his recovery, he learnt that he was the only one who survived the accident that landed him in a wheelchair.
“After I heard that, I realised I must stop complaining to the doctors. I realised I had a second chance at life, and I started working on my rehabilitation. I was so negative at first, even negative towards physiotherapy, but from that day, I started making the effort.”
Ten months later in September 2015, Khangale was finally discharged from hospital and was deployed to the Makhado Air Force Base as his doctors recommended that he work closer to his family for support.
At home, they made it as if walking is overrated. My cousin would often ask: 'Where do you want to walk to? You can drive. What more do you want?' I realised they are right.
— Ntshavheni Khangale, Unisa graduate
He was deployed to the hospital centre as the premises needed to be upgraded to be more disability-friendly. Khangale said he felt he needed to stand out from his colleagues to get a promotion.
During another hospital admission in January 2018, he registered online for a Higher Certificate in Quantitative Management at Unisa. This made him the first family member to gain a tertiary qualification.
Despite being in hospital, he was excited to proceed with the new academic year but was hit by more tragic news. Six days into his hospital stay, he received the shattering news that his mother had passed away.
Being the breadwinner in his family, he pleaded with doctors to discharge him so he could bury his mother.
“After that, I wanted to drop out and quit because it was stressful since I had just lost one of my pillars while I was studying. But I decided to go ahead.”
In 2020, he proceeded to register for a BCom but continued to face health issues, especially in his final year.
One of them happened in the middle of an exam when he experienced severe pain while sitting for an online exam during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Two days before the exam, I was telling my study partner, who complained that the module was difficult, that I would get 90% for the exam. On the exam day, I experienced pain in my spine. I couldn’t finish writing it. I got 38% and had to repeat it. Once I did, I got about 96% because all was well with me.”
Another incident in his final year was when he needed to undergo a procedure at One Military Hospital on a day that he was to sit for an exam.
“I went there, and the doctor started with me. I managed to finish early and got an ambulance to transport me back to Makhado. I told the paramedics that I needed to write an exam and I couldn’t postpone it to the following year because I really wanted to complete my studies. So they said I should let them know when my exam starts, and they would drive nicely. I managed to download my exam paper and write the exam, and we stopped at a petrol station for me to connect to the internet so I could submit my exam.”
But a week later, Khangale had to return to Pretoria for another procedure, again on an exam day. For the second time, he used the hours in the ambulance to complete his exam.
A resilient Khangale finally achieved his goal and graduated on May 3 2024. What helped him overcome his challenges and defy all odds was the support from his family and his partner.
“They say that when you have the right people by your side, that is enough to motivate you. Like my partner. She was part of my studies, she helped me, even though she was not studying. She motivated me.”
“My family are the best. They really helped me throughout this journey. Not only studying but the transformation to being so-called disabled. At home, they made it as if walking is overrated. My cousin would often ask: ‘Where do you want to walk to? You can drive. What more do you want?’ I realised they are right. The rehabilitation at the hospital wasn’t as beneficial as the support I got from my family.”
The father of one said he plans to register for his honours degree next year and is grateful to his employer for not giving up on his health.
“I think this year is my gap year and digesting my journey and preparing myself. I want to take all five modules next year and aim for a cum laude. I also feel I owe the military for looking after me given the time I spent in the hospital. I want to use my degree to better the SANDF somehow,” he said.
