Johannesburg - South Africans have again demonstrated their love for the underdog after social media users started crowdfunding for a petrol attendant who was left humiliated when a motorist tricked him.
Sphamandla Wiseman Ndabezitha from Elandskop in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, was left shocked and hurt after a motorist arrived at the Hilton BP Quarry and tricked him into pouring R210 worth of petrol into his car. The trickster, however, only paid R20 in two R10 notes.
The joke’s on the motorist because about eight months after the incident, South Africans have opened their hearts and wallets for Ndabezitha. In a video that only went viral this week, he is seen standing next to the motorist’s car door as he is handed R20 by the driver.
The snide motorist claims he requested “two tens” (as in 2 x R10) worth of petrol, instead of the R210 Ndabezitha poured for him.
The 38-year-old father of three spoke to The Star on Wednesday. He said the incident occurred around January 4.
“I felt hurt because on that day I didn’t have money and I was worried because I had to report the matter and I was scared it would come out of my salary,” he said.
Ndabezitha found out later that there was a video of the interaction and shared the video on his Facebook and WhatsApp status to warn other petrol attendants.
“I’m someone who loves to help other people so I don’t want anyone else to go through the humiliation I went through,” he said.
Ndabezitha said he didn’t know how the video ended up on Twitter.
However, social activist lawyer Tumi Sole from non-profit organisation Country Duty saw the video and called on social media users to help him find Ndabezitha.
On Wednesday Sole shared Ndabezitha’s bank account details and the donations quickly started flooding in to his account.
The Star