Last week, an 11-year-old boy named Lifalethu Mbasana undertook a remarkable and arduous journey.
After losing his bus ticket, Lifalethu, a Grade 6 learner from Simon’s Town, was forced to walk the 35km distance to his home in Khayelitsha.
His extraordinary trek has since prompted a wave of support and kindness from his community and beyond.
Also read: Simon’s Town learner walks 35km home after losing bus ticket
On that Monday, Lifalethu set out for home on foot after being denied boarding on a Golden Arrow bus due to the missing ticket.
Normally, he would arrive home by 5pm, but on this day, he didn’t reach his family’s doorstep until around 10pm.
His safe arrival was thanks to a group of law enforcement officers who spotted him in Harare, just a few minutes from his house, and escorted him the rest of the way.
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Xolelwa Siba Mbasana, Lifalethu’s mother, expressed her immense gratitude for the collective efforts to ensure her son’s safe return.
‘The way people responded in this situation, I almost feel like they were the parents. It felt like they were responsible for my son. Everybody was so hurt, everybody was so scared, and everybody’s so thankful,’ she told the Daily Voice.
She also mentioned receiving heartfelt messages from well-wishers in Zambia and Lesotho, demonstrating the wide-reaching impact of her son’s story.
The community’s response has been overwhelmingly positive.
Lifalethu’s family received new school shoes and free bus rides for the boy, ensuring he won’t face a similar predicament in the future.
Teachers from his school in Simon’s Town also joined the search efforts, driving along potential routes to find him.
Furthermore, a generous local from Muizenberg offered the family a weekend stay at her guest house to help them recover from the ordeal.
Despite the outpouring of support, Lifalethu’s family remains concerned about his well-being. They noted that he has lost weight and, though he tries to appear strong, they fear he may not be fully okay.
This heartwarming story highlights the power of community and the kindness of strangers in times of need.
As Lifalethu and his family navigate the aftermath of his incredible journey, they do so with the knowledge that they are supported by a caring and compassionate community.
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Picture: ER Lombard / Gallo Images