Whatshot
Dignity on the Side of the Road
Dignity on the Side of the Road
Date: 2026-08-28
There are moments when compassion means doing something uncomfortable, something difficult and something that cannot wait for someone else to take responsibility.
That was the case when a 72-year-old wheelchair-bound man was found in heartbreaking circumstances near Kingsburgh Mall.
The Elders Voice KZN had received a call asking the organisation to assist a couple sleeping outside the mall. When members arrived, they discovered the elderly man in an extremely poor condition. He was covered in faeces, had wounds and was clearly in need of urgent medical attention.
It was reported that the man had been brought from Durban and was allegedly being used to beg on the streets.
But for the women who found him, the circumstances surrounding his situation were secondary to one simple fact: he deserved dignity.
They returned with clean blankets, a pillow, clothing, nappies, soap, face cloths, sanitiser, water, a bucket and linen savers.
Then, on the side of the road, Luyande Meyer and Alta from Heart of Toti set about caring for him.
They cleaned and bathed the elderly man as best they could, tended to his wounds and dressed him in clean clothing.
Their intention was to ensure that when he eventually reached hospital, he would arrive clean, cared for and with some measure of dignity restored.
Initially, the women waited for a state ambulance. As darkness approached and temperatures dropped, however, it became clear that waiting indefinitely was not an option.
An appeal was made for assistance with a private ambulance. When no private ambulances were immediately available, Konrad from Faithmed stepped in and made a plan.
An ambulance arrived, and the elderly man was safely transported to Prince Mshiyeni Hospital, where he could finally receive the medical care he so desperately needed.
The rescue was made possible by a number of people who refused to look away.
A generous donor covered the cost of the private ambulance, ensuring that the man could be transported safely to hospital.
Alta from Heart of Toti and Luyande Meyer gave their time, energy and compassion when it mattered most. Konrad from Faithmed once again responded when help was urgently needed.
Their actions are a powerful reminder that homelessness and neglect are rarely simple stories. Behind them can be complicated family circumstances, addiction, poverty, exploitation and failures within the systems meant to protect vulnerable people.
But sometimes the immediate need is much simpler. Someone is hurting. Someone needs help. Someone needs to be treated as a human being.
The full circumstances of this elderly man's life may never be known. What matters now is that he is no longer sitting helplessly on the side of a road.
He is in hospital. He has been seen. He has been cared for. And, for one night at least, his dignity was restored.Because sometimes compassion does not require grand gestures. Sometimes it simply requires someone to stop.