Vendor's early Christmas gift
Receives donated bike after becoming victim of theft
NEITHER rain nor southeaster, blistering heat or biting cold could stop vendor Sipho Joki, 66, from delivering his batch of Cape Argus newspapers to his loyal clients – not even having his bicycle stolen.
On a delivery run on Tuesday afternoon, Joki had popped into a garage but discovered his bike was missing when he returned .“Everything immediately stopped and I was very angry because I now had to deliver the papers on foot.”
Joki has been delivering newspapers since 1998, and carries around 100 newspapers a day.
After his bicycle was stolen, he had to carry the papers on his head in the rain, delivering the newspapers on foot.
“It was raining and I was soaking wet but I knew I had to do my job. I start delivering the papers at around 4am every day and that day I was extremely tired.”
Andrew Gilbey and Chris Donn, two local businessmen to whom Joki delivers newspapers had heard about his misfortune and posted his story on Facebook. “We asked for donations and within an hour we had many offers nationwide,” Gilbey said. “Sandy Brown, who had been wishing to give away her daughter’s old bicycle but never got around to it, inboxed Chris and within an hour we had a bike ready for Sipho.””I think for me it is all about collaborative work for the greater good,” Brown said. “It is a privilege to help out and I made the choice to use my privilege and help out where I could.
“I have been wanting to give this bicycle away but something just didn’t feel right and I am glad that I didn’t because Sipho needed it more.”
Joki couldn’t stop beaming yesterday, and his new ride has a basket fitted to accommodate the newspapers. Gilbey and Donn have been inspired by his story and have decided to search for more bicycles to donate to the less-fortunate.