Cape Town. 130812. Martin Hendricks is one of the oldest disabled persons working at Reable Centre in Athlone. The Non Profit Organisation replies on companies to outsource jobs to them. With wood that has been donated, dog kennels are built. They assemble the hospital tags as well here. Reporter Cobus Coetzee. Picture COURTNEY AFRICA Cape Town. 130812. Martin Hendricks is one of the oldest disabled persons working at Reable Centre in Athlone. The Non Profit Organisation replies on companies to outsource jobs to them. With wood that has been donated, dog kennels are built. They assemble the hospital tags as well here. Reporter Cobus Coetzee. Picture COURTNEY AFRICA
Martin Hendricks, 73, might be the oldest intern to receive a youth wage subsidy in the Western Cape, but he is still young at heart.
The economic development department sometimes disregards its criteria and grants youth subsidies to people who fall out of the 19-to-35-year category.
This is usually in cases of female-headed houses in rural areas or in cases where people don’t have access to networks through which they can get work.
“I will work until I’m 80 years or older,” said Hendricks, who works at the Reable Centre in Athlone.
Hendricks received a youth subsidy in 2009 when the Department of Economic Development and Tourism’s works and skills programme started.
According to government records he was trained as a production assistant and now assembles identification bands used in hospitals.
He also removes leaves from olive branches, from which a company extracts an essence for cosmetics.
Hendricks uses crutches to get around and a wheelchair at work.
He said he had meningitis as a child that left him disabled.
Community development worker Fierosa van Rooi said they had asked Hendricks many times to retire but he refused.
“Sometimes when there is no transport we will find him along the road, trying to hitch a ride with taxis or other motorists,” she said.
Hendricks said it was boring at home, and he couldn’t stop now.
“My hands are still good to do work. I don’t have any ailments and I can’t remember when last I went to the doctor,” he said.
He said his hands were so strong he could still hold his own in a brawl.
Hendricks said he was happy in his work but wanted more money.
“The money is too little, so if you know of a job come tell me,” he said.
In total, 28 interns were trained at the Reable Centre, most of them in 2009.
The centre is part of the NGO Cape Town Association for the Physically Disabled, which provides job opportunities for disabled people.
Tarryn Jones, 21, another worker at the centre, also took part in the programme in 2009.
She did not get a job after the subsidy ended, but was back at the centre through another programme.
She said she learnt administrative skills through the programme but struggled to find work afterwards. - Cape Times