Taxi conductor hailed for free ride offer to elderly
A MINIBUS taxi conductor motivated by the loss of his mother has partnered with a driver to provide struggling pensioners with free transport‚ a gesture that is being lauded as heartwarming in Cape Town.
Yaseen Abrahams‚ 25‚ was overwhelmed by the positive response to his initiative with driver Ashraf Cassiem‚ 38.
The pair‚ who hail from the gang-ravaged suburb of Bonteheuwel‚ are offering pensioners over 70 free rides after 9am during the week and 10am on weekends.
They have been praised on social media and their generosity has been reported on by the BBC.
Abrahams advertised the service on Facebook earlier this month.
The pair are confident they can pull it off as long as they meet the financial targets set by the taxi owner.
“I can’t believe the response. I never knew that I was going to make such an impact from this‚” Abrahams said.
“For me‚ it was a simple message but I never imagined the impact that I would make.
“A lot of people have been contacting me. I can’t believe it.
“I feel like my dream has actually come true‚ which is to help people – especially poor pensioners‚” he said. Coming close to tears‚ he explained how the loss of his mother two years ago had convinced him to help families who were struggling. “I lost my mother in 2016. It was very hard for me‚ it still is. My mother was one of a kind‚ she was an amazing woman.
“I posted it on Facebook for Bonteheuwel people to see that I am giving back to the community.”
Abrahams has been a taxi conductor, or guard, since he was 18.
“Every night when I would come home with money in my pocket‚ I would give it to my mother,” he said.
“I know what it is like to grow up poor‚ to not have money for basic things like taxi fares. “Pensioners get money once a month and it is not even a lot of money‚ it is so little money that they have to stretch for the entire month.”
Asked if his employer was satisfied with the freeride concept‚ he said: “As long as he gets his money‚ he is happy.” Jesicha Carlson posted her response on Facebook. “How awesome is this? Amid the shootings in Bonteheuwel‚ someone is trying to make a difference. May the almighty bless him.”
Charles Staals posted: “Congrats to this guy in Bonteheuwel Cape Town. Imagine if everyone had a heart like his?”
I feel like my dream has actually come true‚ which is to help people – especially poor pensioners