INSPIRING: Community rallies together to help fruit hawker after police fine him
A small business owner who is known to the community has been hit with a fine and the community came together to help him.
Colette Symanowitz recently shared a story with the GoodThingsGuy and we loved the sense of community in it.
“Outside our Sandown Estate suburb, on the corner of Katherine Drive and Amalinda Road, Sandton, a hawker by the name of Peter Phiri, sells fruit, snacks and drinks to passers-by. Come sunset, he packs up everything and walks home with his wife and two small children.”
Peter has been doing this for around five years now and like many South Africans, he is trying his best to provide for his family. We pick both hands up for people like Peter, and there are so many like him, as he is getting up everyday and making it count.
Then we find out that this past Wednesday, he got raided and consequently fined and closed down by the SAPS. It is mentioned that all this was due to his hawker's licence being expired.
The fine was to the value of R1,700 and all his supplies and equipment were impounded. Wait, it's not a sad kind of story though... it's one where the community unite to help this small business owner.
It is however sad that with the never-ending list of offences and crimes that are swarming our country, that this man, who is merely trying to earn an honest living for his family, gets pinned down for an expired licence that was just over a week old.
“Shirley Katz and Gary Goldberg immediately put out a plea to help Peter on their neighbourhood WhatsApp group. In the space of a few hours, we clubbed together to raise over R5000 (with a gazebo thrown in as well). This should cover Peter’s impounding fee and his permit renewal and replace the supplies and equipment he lost. Hopefully, this will be enough to get Peter and his family back on their feet.” (GoodThingsGuy)
Image Courtesy of iStock
