A pair of off-duty Kabega petrol attendants, in partnership with the Motherwell Community Police Forum, pumped a bit of ubuntu into the home of a single unemployed Motherwell grandmother on Friday.
The donation of groceries, clothes as well as windows and doors to be installed in the home, was made in honour of Mandela Month and initiated by the Luthando M Foundation, launched in 2020 by Kabega Shell petrol station attendant Luthando Mbolekwana, 32.
With foundation partner and fellow petrol attendant Mxoli Ncapayi, 35, and community police forum representatives, Mbolokwana handed over the goods to Lulama Nciweni, 38, at her house in Shukushukuma NU10.
With the recipient sitting quietly in the corner of her small lounge with her eight children and grandchildren gathered around her, community police forum representatives started by leading the group in a short hymn and prayer.
Everyone then trooped outside and Mbolekwana presented the goods to Nciweni, which included 10kg bags of rice, flour and sugar, a 2l bottle of cooking oil, dry yeast to make bread, coffee and tea, soap and clothes.
Mbolekwana said his foundation was just happy to help.
“She is a single lady, having come down from Johannesburg to take over this house of her late mother.
“She has suffered abuse. She has no husband, no job, just a single child grant and many young ones to take care of.”
In the midst of some of the coldest days in recent memory, the foundation is hoping to make the rest of winter a little more bearable by instituting repairs to the house.
“We will also be helping Mrs Nciweni to repair some of the broken windows in her house and to install some doors.”
Community Police Forum representative Lulamile Dzeya, 62, said he had also given Nciweni some ideas as to how she could help her family.
“I suggested she take out the grass in her yard and I will bring vegetable seedlings which she can plant. I will also bring her some chickens.
“These things will help to ensure she can live sustainably.”
Nciweni said nothing during the ceremony, but listened attentively and at the end said in isiXhosa: “I am very grateful.”
Mbolekwana, who also lives in Motherwell, said he had launched his foundation at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 and through it had started soccer and netball teams.
But he is now focusing on helping the most needy households, using his own money and also co-ordinating donations from the community.
“I saw that crime and joblessness were going up and I wanted to help.
“I am trying to make peace and give people hope,” he said.
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