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Komani-born disabled praise-singer and goal singer, Sivuyile Qeqe, said that being disabled is not a challenge to any disabled person for realising their dreams.
Qeqe, who lives in Motherwell, revealed that he was hit by a car in KwaMagxaki in 1990, when he was six years old. He said that he was completely disabled, insomuch that he was wheelchair-ridden for many years.
“My left hand and my left leg were critically injured, but I told myself that there was nothing impossible to God. I had sessions with the physiotherapists so that I should be able to walk on my own. I attended school at Lonwabo Special School in Missionvale. With time, I started to walk for short distances as I could feel that my left leg was gradually becoming stronger. My mother also played a very important role to rescue my situation,” said Qeqe.
Qeqe also said that he told himself he would not treat himself as a person living with disability.
“My friend was a pantsula dancer and a praise singer, when I was 12 years old. My friend impressed me and I told myself that I will do rehearsals in praise-singing. In 1997, I wrote a poem about Nelson Mandela. Still in 1997, when Motherwell Shopping Centre was opened, I rendered my first poem which was listened to by many shoppers.”
In 2011, Qeqe wrote his first anthology, titled Umthombo Wengqiqo (meaning Source of Logic), and his second anthology called Ukwetyisa Kwengqondo (meaning Mental Digestion).
The Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture played a significant role in publishing these books.
In 2018 Qeqe wrote his third book of poems called Setyisa EzakwaNtu (We Listen to Xhosa poems). In 2020, Qeqe wrote his fourth book of poems, called Umbulalazwe (World Pandemic) about COVID-19.
“My publisher of my fourth book was Warren Fana who died of COVID-19 in 2022, after it attacked him for the second time. Then, my book was published in October 2023.”
Qeqe, who is also a gospel kwaito music artist, appealed to all disabled people to not depend on a government disability grant for their sustenance, but should venture into all possible opportunities available. Qeqe, who is permanently employed at Greenacres Hospital, would like to have his books used at schools.
