By Dr Renate Volpe

The morning began like any other - just a lot earlier. I was a faculty member for the Wits Business School and their Executive Development Program. Preferring not to sleep over the evening prior, at the game ranch Kwalata, I left home shortly after five on a dark winters morning in July 07.

Briefcase in one hand, warm heavy winter jacket in the other, I packed the car and went back to collect my phone and some snacks for the drive.

The highway was clear, what a pleasure. I understood why those who worked in Pretoria regularly left home shortly after five am. The trip was uneventful and I relaxed planning for the lecture of the day.

Suddenly an uncomfortable thought struck me. My handbag! Where was it? Had I put it in the boot with my briefcase? With a sinking feeling I knew I had not and that it was sitting at the dining room table with my sunglasses where I had left it the night before.

Did I have money in the car? Sadly not a cent. Not even the usual small change which I gave to the parking monitors. Oh well, I thought, lets think this through, as I continued to drive the dark mostly empty highway to Pietersberg. If the cops stopped me, I could explain. I decided to watch the speed limit more carefully anyway. My lipstick I would miss, but I could live without, I would simply be a pale face for the day. As for money, so far, as I could see, I had no need of it. I would ask a colleague to loan me R100 so that I had some money with me on the return journey. No problem, I thought, and relaxed into the drive.

Suddenly ahead of me a nightmare! An unanticipated, unexpected toll gate. Oh no! What was I to do? I did not have a red penny on me. No petrol card, no credit card, no cheque book. I was by now far from home. I had a way to go yet, and had a whole class of senior managers from Telkom waiting for me to arrive.

The young lady servicing the toll gate, peered at me in the dark and extended her hand for the anticipated payment.
"I have a problem I said, I left my handbag at home, I have no money on me I said."
“What are you going to do she asked?”
“I don’t know, I said, I don’t have a red penny on me, I need your help.”
“Can’t you phone someone to come and help you she asked?”
“I’m far from home, I explained, and I have to get to work.”
I asked whether she could assist me and I promised that I would repay the money on my return journey.

She initially refused, I gave her my business card, and pursued my request. Sensing my desperation she gave me her cell phone number, and dug into her own purse. However she warned me, I still had another toll road ahead of me. Oh no! I thought what now? She explained that there was a garage between the two toll roads perhaps I could get help there. Gratefully I went on my way.

I tried to call my colleagues who had stayed over at the game ranch thinking they could come and assist me. Being early, they were still asleep, and did not answer their phones.

Somewhat stricken and stressed and alone in the dark, in a strange place I went into the shop at the Petro stop and explained my dilemma to the storekeeper. A petrol attendant who heard my story, came forward with thirty rand, asking whether this would help me. The toll road was R12-50 so I gratefully accepted promising to repay him on my return.

I continued on my journey feeling blessed.

The phone rang, it was the young lady from the toll road asking whether I had received help, was I alright? Smiling into the sunrise, and arriving safely at my destination I shared my story with all who cared to listen.

What could have been a stressful unhappy event had turned into a blessing. I had met not one, but two good Samaritans from Hammanskraal. Only in Africa would two people earning subsistence wages help the lady in the blue TT on her way to work.

The blessings did not stop. I sold many copies of my book that day to the course attendees so needless to say on my journey home, I was able to repay the two Samaritans' kindness many time over.
It is my wish that people like Nelly Dibailwane, who supports her mother who is ill, and her younger brother who is at school, and Stephen Skhosana who works nightshift are recognized , blessed and rewarded for the wonderful African people that they are.

Thank you kind Samaritans from Hammanskraal.