She has been wanting to get breast reduction surgery for the past 15 years but could not afford it at the time. Nurse and entertainer Nonhlanhla "Skolopad" Qwabe is currently recovering from home after reducing her breasts from 36 DD to a B cup. "I am so happy, you have no idea," she tells Zimoja. "I have wanted to have my breasts done for years but I could not afford it and I have been saving up all this time."

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HOW LARGER BREATS AFFECTED HER LIFE

 Skolopad says the large cup was affecting many areas of her life. "I couldn't work out the way I wanted to. If I try to jog, the boobs would be in the way or be very painful. It was a serious hassle." She says finding the right bra was always a problem. "Underwear is expensive, and I was constantly struggling to find the right bra. When I did, it cost me an arm and a leg," she adds. "I won't even mention when it comes to intimacy, I struggled with doing the woman on top position because the breasts were always heavy and on the way. They think you are lazy, but do not understand that sometimes breasts are heavy."

LIFE AFTER THE BREAST REDUCTION

The Umzimba singer says the reduction has boosted her confidence. "I know it is still early days. I did the procedure in November. I have just taken out the drains a few days ago and I am still in the recovery process, but I feel the difference. My back no longer hurts and it's a serious confidence booster for me," she says. "Now, I can wear the clothes I want and shop at regular stores for bras. I just look forward to enjoying my body."

A TOUGH COUPLE OF YEARS

Having the procedure has also cheered her up, after a tough couple of years. In 2018, Skolopad was involved in a serious car accident that killed one man and seriously injured her. This year the courts found her not guilty after five years of going in and out of court following the head-on collision. "The accident happened at Mampoyi Road in Qwaqwa around 8pm after police stopped me while I was disciplining my 17-year-old child. They insisted that I go to the police station with them. Two officers drove in the car with me and my daughter and one in the van. On the way, the female officer sitting at the back said she did not like my driving and took the steering wheel and the car swerved, hitting an on-coming car." This happened while going over a speed hump. The QwaQwa born star was badly injured and hospitalised for weeks." I broke my hip, thigh, and both knees and I had a concussion. I had amnesia and struggled with a severe case of memory loss for a while. Even now, I don't think I will ever be the same again. I live off painkillers," she says. Skolopad was unable to receive money from the Road Accident Fund as the case took a long. "I can't even claim. I would have to live like this for the rest of my life," she says. Before the accident, Skolopad was admitted to hospital after overdosing on anti-anxiety pills. "I have been through a lot and getting this breast reduction means I have something to be happy about, something to cheer me up and make me feel good," she says.