In this column, you will have often read about the outreach activities of the Cape car culture, how petrolkop guys and girls get together, bring the kwaai karre, and give of their time, energy and money to help out in the community.
What you have not heard much about are the stories of the beneficiaries, the people who are helped.
Recently Cape Crews Movement did another outreach day, visiting and bringing supplies and hope to two families on the Cape Flats. Here are their stories.
Sade Wilson is a single mother from Lavender Hill. She is unemployed, not from not trying, but as a result of job cuts in the pandemic.
She has had a rough time, expecting another baby and moving with her young daughter, six, between her mother and grandmother’s house.
An anxious Sade says she barely receives any assistance from baby daddy. Sade, desperate and worried, reached out to a friend, who reached out to Vinnie of CCM.
Sade wrote to Vinnie: “Things at home are emotionally broken, I could write a book about that. I have had quite a bumpy road, yet I am no different from any other young lady. If I had to give my last for my kids, I would.”
Being seven months pregnant, she is feeling desperate, adding: “I’m due soon and baby has like two items of clothing. I have yet to see the light in my life, but I trust that there is one. I need to move forward. I hope there is some sort of help that you could assist with.”
Vinnie says his heart went out to Sade immediately, and he contacted his crews to contribute to her welfare. He put the word out, karkoppe collected food, clothing and other necessities, and co-ordinated a convoy to deliver the goods and provide some entertainment on the streets while doing it. Show ’n Shine stars and spinners pulled through.
One cool addition was the participation of Venom Z Worx, which specialises in the 350z, and brought two nicely modded vehicles to draw even more crowds. Toxic Toys and Opel Cartel came out to contribute, as did others.
Sade says: “The compassion from everyone was incredible, I was overwhelmed. This was more than help, it has brought hope.”
At the same time Vinnie had heard about another family in dire need.
Vinnie says: “I was driving along Ottery Road in early March when I saw all the cops. It was only later that I found out a mother had been murdered.”
Miché Samuels was stabbed to death, allegedly by her husband who is now in custody, while her one-year-old was in the back seat.
The motive is unknown, though he has been described as jealous and possessive, and that divorce papers were found in the boot of the car.
But the fall out is that there are now two other children without parents and living with their grandparents. The hearts of the Cape car community went out to the family.
So CCM took a turn past Miché’s mother and stepfather’s in Pelican Park, bringing support, clothing and food to help out just a little as they try to navigate this violent turn in their lives. It will not bring their mother back, but these kids can know that there is a community behind them.
The help and attention is appreciated.
Sade writes to CCM: “I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, I am already thinking of ways to give back. My family is humbled... You are more than making a difference. You are giving hope. You instill that little faith we need ... my daughter is over the moon. Really, ek is dankbaar.”
Behind all the fanfare as those kwaai karre roll up, with the neighbours pouring out onto the street to see what all the geraas is about, are stories of real people in real need, and the response of the big-hearted car community when they hear these stories.