GQEBERHA – It is said that what really matters is invisible to the eyes, and Nelson Mandela Bay receptionist Nolufefe “Nolu” Mgoqi is living proof of the maxim.

The fact that she has been confined to a wheelchair since the age of 10 has not for a single minute stopped her from achieving in life, whether professionally or otherwise.

Aside from being the “face” of local steelmaker Coega Steels, she is a wife, mother and eight-time Eastern Cape representative in the sport of boccia.

The game, which is similar to bowls and popular among athletes with physical disabilities, has taken her across the country.

A journey of determination

A diagnosis of muscular dystrophy at an early age may have felled others, but Mgoqi has proven that the human spirit is capable of overcoming even the biggest of challenges.

The 30-year-old, who grew up in Gqeberha’s Motherwell township, did her entire schooling at Northern Lights, a special education school in Cotswold.

Finding her passion in boccia

She first learnt about boccia in Grade 6 when her designated physiotherapist suggested she give it a try.

Eight provincial caps later, and with a ninth on the horizon, she is glad she did.

The trials for the Eastern Cape team are held annually at Cape Recife School, but it has come to the point where she is almost a shoe-in.

Boccia, pronounced “bot-cha”, involves participants throwing, kicking or rolling leather balls towards a white ball which, as in bowls, is known as a jack.

Players such as Mgoqi who are unable to throw or kick the balls use a ramp to roll them towards the target.

These competitors can call on a ramp assistant to help them position the device for aiming purposes.

A husband, teammate and support system

Mgoqi’s helper just so happens to be her husband, Anele, who is hearing-impaired.

They met just after leaving high school and have been together ever since.

In addition to being teammates on the court and parents to seven-year-old Uyinene, they are also work colleagues.

Both joined Coega Steels four years ago, with Anele plying his trade as a machine operator.

A workplace that goes the extra mile

Mgoqi feels blessed despite having had to overcome so much during her young life, and a large part of her gratitude is reserved for her employer.

Given the severity of her disability, travelling by bus and sleeping in hostels during tournaments are far from ideal.

After sharing her dilemma with a colleague ahead of last year’s interprovincial tournament in the Western Cape, she was advised to approach Anand Susainathan, a director, to see if the company could assist in any way.

Mr Anand, as she calls him, asked for a letter stipulating her needs from her boccia manager.

“They sponsored Anele and I with flights and accommodation and everything that I needed. It is wonderful that my workplace supports me like this,” said Mgoqi.

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