Better Edenvale volunteer helps reunite cyclist with lost bike

In a world where we often hear stories about what is going wrong, a Better Edenvale volunteer shared a story about what went right.

Director of the non-profit organisation Better Edenvale, Marc de Sousa, said Ruben Shiviti, who lives in Orlando, Soweto, drives their truck to work in Edenvale and also uses it to return home.

On August 12, Shiviti came across a bicycle in the middle of the road. He realised the bike was still in good condition; he also knew it wasn’t his bike and wanted the owner to get it back.

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A name was written on the bicycle. It looked like the bicycle had fallen off the back of a car, as the broken bike rack pieces were still attached.

De Sousa said it took a couple of hours to track down the bicycle owner, and this was done by posting in a stolen-bicycle group.

The Better Edenvale director said Martin Hoyi, who collected the bike on August 13, was extremely relieved as the bicycle had been given to Bongani Mapanga, who could not afford a new one.

De Sousa said, “He (Martin Hoyi) rewarded my guy (Ruben Shiviti), and we will also give him a reward. I would like all people to know how great this country and its people are.”

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Hoyi, who is a mentor and guardian to Mapanga, recounted how a crushed and hurt Mapanga had phoned him on August 8 to let him know the bicycle had been lost.

“That Saturday morning, Mapanga, the owner of the TIME Road bike and his two teammates, Butiki and Dane, were driving to a race in the early hours of the morning.

“Bongani had just been picked up in Naledi, Soweto, and they were driving past Orlando. They stopped at the traffic lights, and this was when they realised the bike was missing, as only one bike was left on the carrier. This moment set in motion a series of events leading up to finding the bike a few days later,” narrated Hoyi.

The mentor posted pictures of the bicycle in various cycling groups. Hoyi was hopeful of finding the bike through the cycling community, as it is a unique bike and difficult to sell.

On the evening of the 12th, he received a text message informing him to reach out to Marc de Sousa, as he had a bike similar to the one he had posted in the groups.

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When Hoyi spoke to De Sousa, he said they had an assuring conversation.

“I quickly called Bongani and informed him we had found the bike. He was on cloud nine and screamed and cried over the phone.”

Hoyi described Mapanga as an aspiring young cyclist who has dreams of representing South Africa on the big stage and becoming a South African champion.

He added that since Mapanga started cycling, he had never owned a bicycle that he could call his own. Early this year, however, Mapanga’s talent was noticed by a youth cycling development organisation, Pelotone Academy.

Hoyi added, “The cycling community continues to notice his potential and this year he received a donation of the TIME Road bike. This meant a lot for him as he could now finally spend a lot of training miles on the bicycle and, most importantly, an asset he can claim to be his own.”

The mentor said they were incredibly fortunate that a Good Samaritan found the bicycle and returned it to its rightful owner — without asking for anything in return. No expectation. Just a simple act of honesty, kindness and doing the right thing.

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Hoyi thanked Shiviti and the people at Better Edenvale for being very kind and welcoming. He encouraged them to keep the same energy and spirit, as the country needs more such people.

“Amidst the rise in crime and dishonesty, there are people out there who are honest and will always choose the right path. This provides a glimmer of hope that as a country we can get things right when it comes to crime.”

For Hoyi, this was also a little reminder that good people still exist. He noted how acts like these may seem small, yet mean so much.

He added, “They restore our faith in people and remind us that our communities are still filled with good-hearted people who will do the right thing simply because it is the right thing to do.

“To the person who found and returned the bike — thank you. You may not realise it, but your actions have created a ripple of positivity far beyond the return of one bicycle.

“Let’s celebrate people like this and continue to look out for one another. Be the person who restores someone’s faith in humanity.”