A stranger’s kindness has turned a gruelling commute into a dignified daily ride.
Peter Ngwenya, 28, from Mamelodi, east of Pretoria, once rode a bicycle patched with pipes instead of wheels to reach his Boschkop pot factory job.
Each morning, the broken frame carried his determination more than his weight.
A difficult commute marked by persistence
His commute was long, slow, and precarious, yet he persisted, adding weekend paint jobs to support himself.
Then came Pretoria East resident Elaine Wise, who noticed his struggle on Graham Road.
For weeks she drove home alongside him, watching him balance on a frame with a twisted pipe for a wheel.
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Unexpected generosity from a stranger
Moved by his resilience, she bought him a brand-new bicycle, basket, lock, reflective vest, sunglasses and even cash – about R4 300 in total.
“I am very happy. I love this bike too much,” Ngwenya said, now cutting his commute to 15 minutes.
Wise recalls: “It was a few rands for us, but it made his daily life so much better. You should always try to be a little light in the dark world for someone.”
The community rallied too, sharing an AI-generated photo to help find the man with the pipe-wheel bicycle.
Today, Ngwenya rides with dignity restored, waving daily as he passes.
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