As I stood outside my friend’s house in Maitland on Ou Labarang aand last week, listening to a group of youngsters who came out to taqbeer, I could not help, but feel a sense of sadness.
The teenagers recited Al-Widaa, bidding farewell to the holy month of Ramadaan.
Their melodious voices and beautiful harmonies had me in tears and I have a newfound love for poedjies, similar to Pentecostal k oortjies, in my heart now.
The sadness I felt was because we had such a beautiful month of Ramadaan this year.
I feel that as a community of South Africans, we outdid ourselves this year by helping the poor and needy; spreading love, joy and tolerance; having a sense of inclusivity, and generally, as Muslims, upholding the religion of Islam as it is meant to be.
INSPIRATION: Mass boekas bring community together
Cape Town is one of the most diverse cities in the world, and our mass boekas brought together people of all races, religions and creeds.
I think if it was Ramadaan all year around, there would never be a hungry or cold person in this country ever again.
Despite all the crime we hear about every day, it is clear to me that there are many more good people in our country than bad.
It’s just that we don’t get to hear about it on the news or social media.
A case in point is the petrol attendant whose life changed dramatically, simply after he helped a customer in need.
A young woman from Gordon’s Bay, Monet van Deventer, stopped at the Shell garage on the N2, but realised she had forgotten her purse at home and couldn’t put in petrol.
Nkosikho Mbele, 28, from Khayelitsha, felt he couldn’t send her off with a car that might run out of fuel, getting her stuck God knows where, and gave her R100 petrol to get her home.
He said she could repay him when she came that way again, which she did.
But she went one step further and started a crowdfunding campaign for him, and now Nkosikho is R500k richer.
It has also led to his company donating R500 000 to a charity of his choice, and made us as South Africans proud, and gave us hope for our country.
I love how this story just keeps on giving.
I believe that this guy is a true reflection of who we all are and can be.
Now that the pwasa is finished, we can turn our attention to our newly elected president who seems so far to be doing a good job, at least weeding out vrot ministers.
Cyril Ramaphosa is a breath of fresh air after the Jacob Zuma era, which was characterised by allegations of corruption and graft of unprecedented levels in this country.
Cyril was also elected during Ramadaan, he is basically our pwasa baby, so there must be some barakah coming with our new commander in chief.
But even if he disappoints us, I know that our people will survive and live to fight another day.
Capetonians love to make others feel good.
Every year there are competitions for the most beautiful tourist destinations, design capitals of the world and so on, but I think we deserve to be nominated for being the kindest and most compassionate city in the world.
Let us not forget about the mense that were affected by the recent floods.
We thank the Almighty for the rain. It is a blessing because it is filling our dams, but there are also blessings in disaster, because this gives us another chance to do good for others.
Many people in Manenberg, and also those living in informal settlements, had their homes flooded and furniture damaged.
Let’s keep paying it forward, and lend a helping hand to those most in need.