Flippie Engelbrecht, who lost his hands after he fell into a fire during an epileptic fit, is to receive prosthetic hands.
|||Cape Town - Amputee Flippie Engelbrecht, 19, who lost his hands after he fell into a fire during an epileptic fit, is soon to receive prosthetic hands.
In 2008 a wine farmer and a farm manager allegedly beat Flippie, then 15, and his father Flip Engelbrecht, a farm labourer.
Last week, the farmer and manager appeared in
Ashton Magistrate’s Court on two charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
A third man has turned State witness and may receive indemnity from prosecution.
Carina Papenfus, Flippie’s legal adviser, told the Cape Argus on Sunday that the youth would be getting prosthetic hands made by Richard van As.
Van As is a Joburg carpenter who lost four fingers in a circular saw accident in 2011 and now makes prosthetic “Robohands” with the aid of a 3D printer.
Papenfus said Engelbrecht had started practising with two sticks attached to his arms in preparation for his new hands.
She said Van As had volunteered to help after reading about Engelbrecht in a newspaper.
“We are arranging flights for him to come to Cape Town.”
If the hands were to be paid for, each would cost between R20 000 and R25 000, Papenfus said.
On Sunday, Papenfus went to measure Engelbrecht’s brother’s arms.
“We are measuring his brother, because his arms are similar in length to Flippie’s. Today we also tied sticks to his wrists so that Flippie can get used to the extra length once he receives his Robohands.”
Flippie was also receiving counselling, Papenfus added.
“We are taking him for counselling and we have found an occupational therapist who offered her services.”
His father, Flip, said the family was delighted by the development.
“We are very happy that he will receive hands… it will help us a lot.
“At the moment we have to do everything, such as feed him and bath him.
“But once he has hands he just needs to get used to it and then will be able to do things for himself.”
Van As and his US design partner, Ivan Owen, make hands for people unable to afford prosthetic limbs.
natasha.bezuidenhout@inl.co.za
Cape Argus