GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - Gift of the Givers, without a doubt Africa's largest and most successful disaster agency, has built up a reputation over the years for speedy responses to disaster: war, floods, kidnapping, earthquakes and severe drought, amongst others.
Even smaller interventions, such as animals in distress or passengers with small kids, stranded late at night after their travelling bus broke down in the middle of nowhere, get a helping hand.
They act fast, with total commitment, efficiency and enthusiasm one would expect from the powers to be, whether it be the ruling government or local authorities.
Think again. When active citizenship is needed and the importance of Ubuntu is underlined, call on Gift of the Givers.
That's exactly what happened in Graaff-Reinet recently.
Firstly, a bus carrying passengers from the Eastern Cape to Gauteng broke down 20km outside Graaff-Reinet on the road to Middelburg just after 22:00. Stranded, without ablution facilities, any food or something to drink for the rest of the night.
Corene Conradie of Gift of the Givers making sure that stranded passengers get something to eat.
Provincial traffic officer Mbuyiselo Skota, another good Samaritan who does not shy away from people in need, drove out to the stranded bus to assess the situation and see what he can do to help. Realising the 43 passengers were left on their own while waiting for a replacement bus to pick them up, he approached Give of the Givers.
Gift of the Givers sprang into action and organised food, water and cold drinks the next morning while Skota and some of his colleagues from provincial traffic were in support.
A new bus arrived just after 14:00 on Friday afternoon to pick up the stranded passengers and transport them to their destination.
Corene Conradie of Gift of the Givers and her righthand man, Kwanele Damané, on the scene of the stranded bus. They handed out food, water and cold drinks to the 43 passengers. Photos: Neco Bokwe
'We bring you the latest Graaff-Reinet, Karoo news'
