Good Morning Angels: Martha lost her leg and partner in a shooting

BACKGROUND: Martha Lebakeng and her sister, Susan, both work at the Speel Speel Pre-school in Pretoria. Susan is a teacher in the baby class and Martha is her assistant. They both love their jobs and the babies and parents of the babies, love them. "She is much more than just an assistant. She loves and cares for each child as if they are her own”. Several of these parents reached out to Good Morning Angels after a nightmare became reality for Martha.

On the 23rd of October, Martha and her partner were shot during an apparent robbery in Mamelodi. Martha’s partner tragically died from his injuries. Martha was struck by bullets in both her legs. She was rushed to the State Hospital and pulled through. However, her left leg had to be amputated, just above the knee.

Martha has been discharged from hospital and is currently staying with Susan. She is determined to recover and go back to the job she loves. However, this would not be possible on crutches. Martha does not even want to consider using a wheelchair as she wants to walk again, with the assistance of a prosthetic leg.

The head of the school, Nicola Marais, is committed to paying Martha her full salary while she is recovering and will take her back to work as soon as she is able to - with or without the prosthetic limb.  

One of the parents, Annelie Burger, who is an Occupational Therapist, has committed to assisting Martha with her recovery and her mission to walk again.

The cost of the limb alone is estimated at around R160,000 - and that’s without any therapy or other treatment, renovations at home, therapy for the shock and trauma she endured and the loss of her partner. That’s why the parents reached out to Good Morning Angels for assistance.

REQUEST FOR: Martha Lebakeng from Mamelodi 

REQUEST FROM: Various parents including Annelie Burger and Speel Speel school head, Nicola Maree 

ANGEL 1: Annelie Burger and Fritz Neethling from Meintjies and Neethling Orthopeadics 

SPONSORING: Annelie will waive all rehab therapy costs to assist Martha - estimated at around R80,000, and Fritz Neethling will make her new limb free of charge. An anonymous donor has also sponsored the costs of the parts used to make the leg - so she will not have to pay at all for the limb - which is valued at R160,000!

ANGEL 2: Sybrand Bezuidenhout from Goldwagen 

SPONSORING: Goldwagen will assist Martha on her road to recovery with a donation of R25,000 towards treatment and rehabilitation.

ANGEL 3: The Good Morning Angels Fund NPC 

SPONSORING: The GMA Fund will add another R25,000 towards Martha’s rehabilitation and other needs.

ORIGINAL REQUESTS:

Good day

Trust you are well 

As you have read the terrible news of the allegedly shooting in Mamelodi where Martha Lebakeng lost her one leg and sustained injuries in her other leg and lost her boyfriend tragically Saturday (23rd Oct). 

I am a mom at Speel Speel skool where Martha is an assistant in the baby class. She is much more than just an assistant. She loves and cares for each child as if they are her own. 

We desperately want her to come back to the school after her rehabilitation. She has a long way to recovery and the school will help her emotionally and financially but the expenses are going to be huge. 

As a mom of the school I want to ask for your help to help Martha get prosthesis for the leg she lost and also physiotherapy or whatever will be needing to get her back to work.  

We don't know what the expenses will be at this moment as she is still in hospital recovering from the surgery she undergone to amputate her leg. 

If you need any other information please contact me or the Head of Speel Speel skool, Nicola Maré.

We all love and care for Martha and we as a school are taking hands in prayer to pray for her to get better soon. 

Thanks for everything you do. 

Kind regards
Mariana van Heerden 

Goeie more Good Morning Angels,

Ek skryf vanmore oor twee sussies waarvoor ons baie lief is.  Susan en Martha Lebakeng.  Susan is 'n Juffrou by 'n kleuterskool in die baba klas en Martha is 'n assistent in dieselfde klas.

Martha is die afgelope naweek in albei haar bene geskiet tydens 'n vermoedelike rooftog.  Haar linker been moes net bo haar knieg geamputeer word en sy het ook haar vriend tydens hierdie rooftog verloor. 

Susan staan haar by en alhoewel die sussies beide baie sterk is weet ek hierdie is 'n lang pad vir hulle albei.  Die skool doen ongelooflik baie moeite om hulle by te staan, emosioneel en finansieel.  

Martha het altyd saam met ons kinders gedans en ons kinders is ongelooflik lief vir haar en sy laat hulle altyd glimlag en dit maak ons as ouers se harte so gerus om ons kinders by hulle af te laai deur die dag.  Susan is ook 'n ongelooflike Juffrou en maak nie saak wat haar omstandighede is nie, ons kinders kom eerste met soveel sorg en liefde. 

Martha sal baie terapie benodig en aangesien sy nie 'n medies het nie sal daar baie privaat uitgawes wees asook 'n prostese in die toekoms.  Ek dink vir Susan is hierdie ook baie traumaties en ek vra vir haar ook bietjie bystand om haar lewe in te rig sodat sy haar sussie kan help.  Ek vra asb vir hulp vir hierdie twee wonderlike sussies.

Die hoof van die skool Nicola Maree kan geskakel word.

Baie groete,

Danielle Henn