A petrol attendant from Khayelitsha has won the heart of the nation and is over R280 000 richer after a kind gesture to a complete stranger.
Nkosikho Mbele, 28, thought it would be a regular Thursday for him until he met Monet van Deventer.
Monet, 21, from Gordon’s Bay, says she arrived at the Shell garage on the N2 near Macassar and found herself in a tight spot when she realised she’d forgotten her bank card at home.
“While frantically searching for my card, a gentleman started cleaning my windows and I told him I, unfortunately, will not be getting any petrol as I forgot my bank card at home,” Monet explains.
To her surprise, Nkosikho offered to pay for her petrol.
“He told me: ‘Ma’am, you can’t run out of petrol on the N2. I’ll throw in R100 and then you can just bring back my R100 whenever you are near again.’
“Before I could respond, he was filling my car with petrol and paid for it with his card. He didn’t even ask my name, number, he just wished me a safe trip,” Monet says.
She went back to the garage later.
“I asked him why he helped me and why he trusted me to come back and repay him. He responded: ‘Ma’am, I am a believer.’ I want to thank Nkosikho for his heart of gold. He restored my hope for humanity. May God bless you,” Monet says.
She decided to post her “good news story” on Facebook, and it went viral within minutes, and yesterday had over 52 000 shares, 21 000 comments and 135 000 reactions.
Seeing how people loved the story and mense asking how they can reward Nkosikho, Monet launched a crowdfunding page.
“The Back-a-Buddy campaign is to assist him with financial assistance for his two children, brother and mother who live with him; for his education, as he wants to become a boilermaker; and his wish to assist charities and help underprivi-
leged children,” Monet says.
People from around the country as well as South Africans abroad have been opening their hearts and wallets and while the initial goal was R100 000, by Sunday afternoon, just over R280 000 had been raised.
SAFE: Monet van Deventer
Nkosikho was unreachable for comment as he does not have a phone at the moment.
However, a female colleague at the garage who asked not to be named described him as “one of the kindest people I know”.