Fanie 59 years old and moved to Includid in 1998. He was admitted to hospital in 1967. He attended Princess Alice and Lentegeur Hospitals prior to moving to Includid. He lives in Sunshine House. He spends the weekdays working in the garden. He helps to grow the vegetables and to grow the lavender. Fanie uses a wheelchair and he can use one of the motorised scooters.

He is a member of the Steering committee of the Special Needs Housing Forum where he represents Includid. He presented at the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IASSID) conference in 2008. He has also presented at the Western Cape Forum on Intellectual Disability.

He enjoys watching tv and he can operate both the television and the DVD player.

Fanie tells his story...
Fanie is originally from Somerset West. When he was 12 years old, the welfare took him from his parents. He was placed in a hospital near Pollsmoor prison. His father drank too much so he couldn't stay at home. His mother died when he was 13. He was last visited by a family member in 1989.

This is where he met Alvin, Gert, Dennis Green, Annie and Peter Williams as well as Ronnie Paul. The whole group was later transferred to Lentegeur Hospital. In 1987 the group then came to Includid (then known as Friends of Alexandra). He first lived in Forest house then moved to Broadway. Fanie did not enjoy living at Broadway very much. After Broadway he moved to Sunshine and thereafter to Rainbow.

Fanie has a sister named Maria; she is married and younger than Fanie. He also has a brother named James. James didn't want to sleep at home; he would rather sleep in the bush. When Fanie's parents were not there he would come home to eat and leave when their parents came back. He often got beatings, but ran away as soon as his wounds were healed.

Life at Lentegeur was fine but not always nice, I did not like being there, the people were not nice to me. We had to be up early and go to bed early. Staff didn't communicate with us, only when they needed to know something. Patients weren't allowed to go anywhere and they didn't get any money to buy them what they wanted.

I was pleased to move to Includid. My life is better now than it was. I can go places I want to see. I was naughty years before, I drank but that is in the past. During the week is fine, because work keeps him busy. Over weekends he is bored, because no one visits him and he goes nowhere.

Maria did visit him a few times at Lentegeur but they don't visit him anymore. He wonders where they are. His sisters used to call him at Lentegeur. Now he doesn't know where she is and she doesn't know where he is. They say my mother is dead, but I don't think so. I think she and my father had a fight. My mother told me she is going to run away because my dad hits her too much. I didn't want to tell my brother and sister. I woke up at the time that suits me. I go to bed when I want to. When it's cold I go to bed earlier. During winter I get up at 8h00 a.m. That is enough time for me to prepare for whom. I bath or shower myself. I run my own water and adjust the water myself then I get in and out of my chair on my own.

I participate in planning the menu in my home. I also decide for myself what I would like to do for my birthday. I make the plan then the Support worker book Dial-A-Ride. Last time we booked Dial-A-Ride Maggie and I paid for ourselves to use DAR. It is very nice to go out. I also brush my teeth and shave myself.

At work I go to the toilet myself. Sometimes I just need help over pipes. I get on and off my wheelchair myself. Over the weekend I come to the garden and pick bananas. When they are not ripe I put them into a plastic and put them away until I can eat them.

I make my own tea. I plant vegetables in the garden. I have always worked in the garden but I do not work in the garden in winter. In winter I help with paper making and beading. I get paid every Friday and I save money. I want to save for a hand broom and scoop so I can sweep my own room.

I like watching t.v. My favourite programme is 7 de Laan. I also like movies that have a lot of action but I don't have a favourite.