"There was a festive atmosphere in our neighbourhood with people shooting off fireworks all around us to welcome in the New Year," Van der Merwe says, remembering the night of the incident. "We were worried about the effect of the loud noise on the animals and wanted to check if they were all right." However, on their way they were confronted by three armed robbers who fired one shot in the air and aimed another gun at Strydom's head. Van der Merwe bravely tried to push the gun away from Strydom when the shot went off, taking a bullet that punctured his lungs and got lodged in his spine.
Hearing about the heroic and selfless incident that left one of their school friends paralysed from the chest down, the local communities of Hartebeespoort Dam and Brits started collecting breadtags made from high impact polystyrene in order to purchase a much-needed wheelchair for Luday.
"Over 3000 kilograms of breadtags were collected in less than 12 months," explains Adri Spangenberg of the PSPC. This was more than enough bread closures to purchase a state-of-the-art, custom-made wheelchair which was recommended for Van der Merwe's specific needs by CE Mobility.
This chair was handed over during a special ceremony held at the Doxa Deo School in Hartebeespoort Dam recently.
Representatives of Groplast and MFI Mouldings - two of the companies that pay for these breadtags in order to recycle them into seedling trays, cornices, skirtings, outdoor furniture, coat hangers, poles and decking - were present at the handover, along with community leaders and Deaf TV who filmed the handover.
"I am very grateful to everybody who worked together to collect the breadtags for my wheelchair," Van der Merwe says. "A special chair such as the one that they bought for me makes it easier for me to continue with my rehabilitation programme and learning how to cope with my disability. I am grateful that something good and positive could come out of this tragedy."
For more information on the Breadtags for Wheelchairs programme, go to www.polystyrenepackaging.co.za.
