Cape Town - One good deed follows another for Marshal Nelson.
The Mitchells Plain resident decided to pay it forward after receiving a R5 000 voucher from Edgars. Nelson donated the voucher to his old school, Littlewood Primary School in Eastridge.
On Monday, Nelson walked into the chain store in Canal Walk and noticed that there was no one inside and the doors were unlocked.
“Immediately I thought there might be a robbery because it was so quiet and I decided to start taking a video while walking around the store to see if there was anyone,” said Nelson.
He said he found it strange that there was no one in the shop but doors were unlocked and they then decided to call the store management.
Nelson said it did not look as though the store was burgled, but someone might have forgotten to lock the door.
“Store management got back to me a few days later and told me they’re busy investigating what happened but wanted to compensate me for what I did and asked me what I wanted,” he said.
Nelson said he told them he did not want any money but they can adopt a school to donate to and give back, and that will be a way of thanking him.
“The group is going through difficult times so they told me they can’t donate to a school because they would have to donate to others as well,” he said.
He said he had no choice but to accept the voucher which he then donated to his old school.
He said his old school taught him a lot of things and one of them was not to steal, that is why when he saw there was no one at the store he didn’t take anything, his primary school days and teachings crept in.
Nelson said he chose to donate to Littlewood because he knows some pupils come from poor backgrounds and he thought donating the voucher will make a difference in a lot of lives.
“Charity begins at home that is why I chose to donate to my old school,” he said.
Nelson’s old teacher Miriam Pietersen said they are grateful that one of their own has thought about them.
“He was my student and what he has done for the school is more than welcome, we would like to thank him,” she added.
She said a lot of pupils at Littlewood do not have uniforms which makes it difficult for some to go to school.
“An example is a pupil who had been absent for a month and when I went out of my way to find out why I learnt she had no school shoes, this donation will go a long way,” she said.
Weekend Argus