By Palesa Matlala
A 25-year-old corporate communications graduate from Springbok, Northern Cape is preparing to represent South Africa at the Miss Wheelchair World pageant to be held in Mexico in October 2022.
Tamelyn Bock won the Miss Wheelchair SA 2021 title on December 2 at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town. Her prizes included a plane ticket to Mexico, a new wheelchair from CE Mobility worth R45 000, a cushion worth R11 000 from Smart Solutions Medical, a tablet and smartphone from Vodacom, and life coaching lessons from the Professional and Personal Institute of Excellence.
In an interview with ThisAbility, Bock said a competition like Miss Wheelchair SA can change society’s perceptions of women in wheelchairs and expressed joy and excitement about winning the Miss Wheelchair SA competition.
She said it was a dream come true for her as “I have never travelled out of the country before. I am not just going to Mexico for myself but for the entire country.”
Miss Wheelchair SA’s aim is to change the perception, narrative and image of women with impairments and to create awareness about “beauty without barriers”.
The pageant’sorganiser, Shama Nathoo, said they did not have money for the competition and she went “knocking on doors of ordinary South Africans asking for donations, approaching stakeholders providing reasonable accommodation for the finalists and Artscape Theatre hosting the main event for the crowning of Miss Wheelchair SA 2021” and that made the event a success.
Bock’s responsibilities as Miss Wheelchair 2021 include raising awareness about universal access in public places, promoting inclusivity and giving motivational talks at schools on “not letting your impairment define you and your destiny”.
She says it has been a challenge for her to successfully execute her responsibilities due to a lack of financial support and reliable transport.
Since January she was using her partner’s car for her outreach programmes but in July the car broke down. “I need to get suitable transport and pay for petrol from my own pocket in order to execute my responsibilities,” she says.
Bock was born with spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic condition that affects nerves and makes the muscles increasingly weak.
In 2017 she entered Miss South Africa but says, “I did not feel comfortable and could not identify with the other women because I use a wheelchair and they do not.”
Bock’s partner Edmund Balie is unwavering in his support. “I am feeling very positive about Mexico, even with the fundraising challenges. I know that we will be on that flight and that she will bring back the Miss Wheelchair World title to South Africa.”
Nathoo said that due to the covid pandemic they could not sell tickets to raise enough funds towards Miss Wheelchair SA’s travelling expenses for Mexico in October 2022. Anyone who would like to donate can contact her via email 121.shama@gmail.com
