KZN teen takes floatable wheelchair for a dip in the ocean
An Amanzimtoti teen has pushed the boundaries with a floatable wheelchair that will give the disabled a chance to enjoy the sand and surf at the beach.
Eighteen-year-old Reece Smith is a quadriplegic and the co-founder of Wheels On Waves.
He tested the new chair at the Amanzimtoti Beach on Friday.
It's equipped with inflated wheels, allowing him to move with ease across the sand and into the surf.
He says it's difficult to navigate the sand with a normal wheelchair.
"One of the challenges was getting onto the beach. When it comes to me, without the wheelchair, my dad had to carry me down and it heavy for him because I am an adult.
"So with this wheelchair, he could put me in the wheelchair and all you need is two people - one at the front and one at the back just to push me down to the beach. This wheelchair floats in the water with the head above water and you can enjoy the waves crashing into you."
The floatable chair has been donated to the Amanzimtoti Beach for use by other disabled beachgoers.
Reece says the launch is just the beginning of a bigger dream.
"This is just the start. Over time we are going to plan of having every beach in KZN to have a floatable wheelchair for the disable and over time we want it to go to South Africa and internationally."
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