As South Africa celebrates Mandela Day in July, Wheels of Change (WoC) is not only honouring Madiba’s legacy but also living it — through practical action, inclusion, and upliftment.
Founded in 2016 by Thami Mankenkeza, the Vosloorus-based organisation has become a bea-con of hope for people living with disabilities and unemployed youth, turning personal tragedy into a powerful force for socio-economic change.
Mankenkeza’s story is central to the organisation’s mission. 
In 2007, while working as a manager in the retail sector, he sustained a life-altering gunshot wound that left him with a disability.
"Before my injury, I was driving a manual car. I obviously could not do that after the injury. I needed hand controls and had to learn to drive from scratch. I didn’t have anyone to assist me and endured a lot of abuse from other motorists,” he recalls.
Nine years later, in 2016, Mankenkeza, a business management graduate with a passion for en-trepreneurship, formally launched WoC.
“I had always wanted to pursue business, but my path turned toward socio-entrepreneurship after the injury. I realised there was a huge gap in opportunities for people like me.”
The programmes provided by WoC are rooted in work placements and practical empowerment.
In 2017, Mankenkeza took voluntary severance to dedicate himself fully to the initiative. Today, WoC offers a wide array of services and training, including venture training, agriculture, catering, sewing, and even a specialised driving school for people living with disabilities.
The venture training focuses on equipping individuals with essential business skills. “We have an agricultural component that started with crop farming. We are now expanding to include cattle farming.”
The organisation operates on a 3 000-square-metre plot, used for tunnel and open-land farm-ing.
The centre is also accredited to offer sewing training and provides daily baking and catering ser-vices.
A standout feature of WoC is its driving school, launched five years ago specifically for people with disabilities. The programme was inspired by Mankenkeza’s own experiences and received support from the National Lotteries Commission, which provided a fully equipped vehicle. “We come to you wherever you are in Gauteng to give you lessons,” he says proudly.
Employment created
WoC currently employs 38 staff members, 31 of whom receive stipends from the Unemploy-ment Insurance Fund. The National Development Agency (NDA) has been instrumental in funding and scaling up operations.
“The NDA funding has helped us implement programmes like the Agricultural Planting Pro-gramme and the Volunteer Programme, both aimed at creating food security and job opportuni-ties.”
Initially, the NDA provided R212 000 to manage 18 volunteers.
Following the success of that initiative, a further R310 800 was approved in 2023 under the Pres-idential Employment Stimulus Package. This brings the total NDA support to R522 800.
Additional assistance has come from the Department of Social Development (DSD), the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD), and the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE), con-tributing resources such as garden tools, compost, and skills development support.
This Mandela Month, WoC is turning its focus outward through a sensitisation campaign target-ing corporate environments.
“Previously, we used to visit organisations to paint or garden on Mandela Day. But now, we fo-cus on sensitising workplaces about flexible and accessible environments.
“We visit companies, play physical games with staff – ‘spend a day in a wheelchair’-type initia-tives. We move around their building so they can see how accessible they are to people living with disabilities.”
WoC’s reach extends beyond training and awareness. It engages its community through events like the “Challenge the Challenged” race, sports challenges, road safety education, and Casual Day campaigns. Through these platforms, it not only raises awareness but also attracts donors and garners support for sustainability initiatives.
Mandela Month holds deep significance for Mankenkeza. “For us, Mandela Day isn’t just a day of service; it’s a reminder that inclusion and dignity must be daily practices. Our work is about restoring that dignity, creating pathways, and reminding every disabled and unemployed person that they too belong in the economy.”
Did you know?
Mandela Day, celebrated on 18 July each year, honours the legacy of the late President Nelson Mandela by encouraging people to spend 67 minutes doing something posi-tive for their communities.
For more information about WoC, visit www.wheelsofchange.co.za The NDA can be reached at www.nda.org.za
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