The young mom, who is a self-taught backyard mechanic, is now following her dream by studying motor mechanics, thanks to the Daily Voice.
Chantal Ruiter, 22, made headlines in March this year when the Daily Voice told the story of the Hanover Park woman and her mentors - dad Shane Daniels, 53, a trained auto electrician, and her brother, Wageed Ruiter, 36, who is also a mechanic.
Chantal is well-known in her community where she spends most of her time under the bonnets of broken-down cars, covered in grease.
When the Daily Voice first spoke to Chantal, she could fix starters and engines under the watchful eye of her dad, and she was keen to learn more.
Her family fixes cars and runs a huiswinkel to make ends meet and there was no money to send Chantal to college.
After reading Chantal’s story, Sandra Raubenheimer of Northlink College in Bellville contacted the Daily Voice with a fantastic offer for the “remarkable” young mom.
They offered her a bursary and a grateful Chantal says she’s been studying motor mechanics for the past three months.
“This means the world to me,” the excited young woman says.
“I am busy with phase one and will move to phase two. I want to say thank you again to everyone.”
Self-taught mechanic Chantal Ruiter, with dad Shane, is now studying at Northlink College
But last week she was hit by a tragedy when heartless skollies opened fire on her dog Sheba, who was trying to protect the family at their Lansur Road home.
Sheba is now recovering at the Animal Welfare Society of South Africa in Philippi where she had undergone surgery.
Chantal says she was getting ready to leave for college when her dog was shot.
“It was just after 5am and Sheba always barks when there is suspicious behaviour. She must have heard something and was protecting us,” Chantal says.
“She has been shot twice. She was in the yard at the time and now we have heard the gangsters are boasting because they shot her. We do not know who they were targeting.”
Chantal’s dog, Sheba, was shot by thugs. Picture suppied
Sheba is being treated by staff at the AWS, and spokesman, Allan Perrins says she is in a stable condition.
“Based on the gaping hole in her chest (the size of a R5 coin), we are of the opinion that the weapon used was most likely a 9mm of something equally deadly,” said Perrins.
“The bullet entered the right side of her chest and tunnelled its way through her frame exiting just above her right leg.”
He says unfortunately the cost of Sheba’s treatment is running into “thousands of rands” and have called on mense to donate money to help Chantal foot the bill.
Donations can be made at:
Animal Welfare Society of South Africa Philippi
NPO 003-037
Nedbank cheque account
Account number 114 8222588
Branch code 198765.