NOT even hurtful remarks, overflowing sewage drains or violence could chase mlungu Casper away from the kasi.
He left the white suburbs of the Free State 15 years ago. And when he got to Lethabong in Mamelodi East, Tshwane, he knew he had found what he was looking for.
Today he is a popular man in his kasi and they have even given him a special name... Casper Badenhorst (52) is now known ekasi as "Matome"!
And Matome has even learned to speak Sotho and Zulu over the years.
He said he was rejected by many people years ago when he was searching for happiness and employment - but the people of Lethabong welcomed him with open arms!
They offered him a place to stay and now he is waiting to move to his new stand.
He said he could focus on his work as a recycler because the people of Lethabong do not judge him.
“I am happy living in a shack. It is not expensive and the groceries are cheaper in the kasi,” he said.
There were also many beautiful women: “I hope one day I will find myself a wife,” Matome said.
Resident Samson Timhisi said he first saw Matome wandering around a farm.
“I offered to take him home because I saw he had no one to help him,” said Samson. He said the community had decided to give Matome a stand of his own.
“He is one of us and we do not want to sideline him,” Samson said.
