The minibus taxi that brings joy to struggling Cape Town pensioners

A minibus taxi conductor motivated by the loss of his mother has partnered with a driver to provide struggling pensioners with free transport‚ a gesture that is being lauded as heartwarming in Cape Town.

Yaseen Abrahams‚ 25‚ is overwhelmed at the positive response to the initiative by him and driver Ashraf Cassiem‚ 38.

The pair‚ who hail from the gang-ravaged suburb of Bonteheuwel‚ are offering pensioners aged over 70 free rides after 9am in the week and 10am on weekends.

They have been praised on social media and their generosity has been reported on by the BBC.

Abrahams advertised the service in posts on Facebook earlier this month.

They read: “Attention all ppl of bonteheuwel I just wanna say that I'm typing the message out of my heart for all the old ppl from over 70 n up will not b paying taxi fare money in my van from after 9 in the morning til anytime in the day n weekens from after 10.

“Weather use go to the mall to athlone or to cape town use will not b paying me taxi fare money BT this is only for the old ppl right true the month the reason y I'm doing this is because the old ppl or on thy last of living their life's wit us young ppl.” (sic)

The pair are confident they can pull it it off as long as they meet the financial targets set by the taxi owner.

“I can’t believe the response. I never knew that I was going to make such an impact from this. For me‚ it was a simple message but I never imagined the impact that I would make. A lot of people have been contacting me. I can’t believe it‚” said Abrahams.

“I feel like my dream has actually come true‚ which is to help people - especially poor pensioners‚” he said.

Coming close to tears‚ he explained to TimesLIVE how the loss of his mother two years ago convinced him to help families who were struggling.

“I lost my mother in 2016‚ I was 23 years old at the time. I was very hard for me‚ it still is. My mother was one of a kind‚ she was an amazing woman.

“I posted it on Facebook for Bonteheuwel people to see that I am giving back to the community.

"I have achieved a dream I never thought I would‚ which is helping people.”

Abrahams has been working since he was 16 and has worked as a taxi conductor - or guard - since he was 18.

“Every night when I would come home with money in my pocket‚ I would give it my mother. I know what it is like to grow up poor‚ to not have money for basic things like taxi fares. Pensioners get money once a month and it is not even a lot of money‚ it is so little money . . . that they have to stretch for the entire month.

“If taxi drivers and taxi owners can give free lifts to gangsters‚ then why can’t I do the same for pensioners‚” he asked?

Asking if his employer was satisfied with the free ride concept‚ he said: “As long as he gets his money‚ he is happy.”

Jesicha Carlson posted her response on Facebook. “How awesome is this.....amidst the shootings in Bonteheuwel‚ someone is trying to make a difference....may the almighty bless him.”

Charles Staals posted‚ “Congrats to this guy in Bonteheuwel Cape Town. Imagine if everyone had a heart like his.”