LETTER: This is not ubuntu, ‘brother’

Nangamso Tshiqi writes:

Having recently celebrated Africa Day, I wondered whether I should write this. But, in showing the other side of the coin, we can create insightful dialogue about the obstacles that block us.

In mid-April I was in Benoni town, having taken my daughter to the clinic and intended to buy a power bank.

I am a part-time student, and with load-shedding, I considered it a necessity. I had seen one in a local shopping centre but found myself in the vicinity of Spar on Prince’s Avenue at the spur of the moment, so I decided to support a black-owned business by a brother who is a foreigner.

He sells various goods at the entrance to Spar.

The price difference between his and the one in the shop was R20. Granted, he gave me a used one I didn’t mind as it was the same brand name as my phone (or so I presumed),

I would charge the power bank for four hours and it would be depleted within 30 minutes.

When I returned it, he said he had to give me another one to try out before he could refund me – the same story.

Upon returning the second one, the owner was not there and his employee gave me only R40, just by the grace that I had my daughter with me.

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When I did eventually find him on a different date, he already had an excuse for not wanting to refund me (electrical products don’t have a warranty .. .as if).

All in all, I only received R70 of my money minus the transport costs and I’m just supposed to take it on the chin.

What hurts is that money was from my daughter’s grant and in trying to advance myself and support a fellow African, I was severely disappointed.

Let us all be mindful that in them seeking better opportunities so are we, but that cannot happen to the detriment of another.

Only if we truly unite on an honest and equal level can we achieve genuine unity.

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