MORE than 50 families of Rolle, Dumphries, Allandale, Hluvukani outside Thulamahashe near Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga were left smiling on Friday, 15 December.
This after they received groceries from a Good Samaritan, local businessman Amjad Malik.
Malik, who's also the chairman of the Pakistani South Africa Association in Mpumalanga, was joined by his cousin Shami Malik as they visited the families who had been affected by a devastating storm last week.
The cousins donated groceries, which included 12,5kg mielie meal, 2kg rice, 2kg sugar, beans, mayonnaise and snacks.
The violent storm damaged some of the blocks in Charley Mbhungele Primary School, shops, houses and electricity poles.
Gogo Linneth Ndlovu (66) of Rolle said she and her nine kids and one grandchild didn't have anything to eat after the violent storm hit their six-roomed house.
ALSO READ: Hubby 'runs' with wife's G-string and stokvel zaka
"I am now very happy and couldn't believe my eyes, seeing Mr Malik arrive with his bakkie full of groceries to donate around. My nine kids and my grandchild will not go to bed with hungry stomach. May God bless him and bring success to his businesses. All our food, clothes and furniture have been destroyed by the storm after it blew off the house roof," she said.
Gogo Rose Shongwe (65) said her five kids and 12 grandchildren had been struggling after the disaster.
"Part of my house roof is damaged, and we're left with nothing after the storm destruction. Malik brought happiness to all of us here," she said.
Community development worker Busisiwe Khoza said: "I really don't know how to thank you, Mr Malik. You listened to us when we knocked at your doors, asking for help for these poor families. Today, they have something to eat and no more tears. But this is a wake-up call to other business people to follow his steps and donate, either with building materials and clothes."
Malik said: "We visited several villages around Thulamahashe. We identified a lot of families who were stranded with no food. Their last foods were swept away by thunderstorms which destroyed their homes, leaving them without food this Christmas season.
"We took a step ahead as businessmen and provided them with some food stuff and some essentials. We're very satisfied after seeing these families happy. They also prayed for us. So we will try to do this again and again, with anything or whatever will assist. I would like to tell all my colleagues to get in touch with communities and help them. By doing so, we'll definitely be winning them," he said.
The Maliks have done a lot of things for the needy communities, including building boreholes in Thulamahashe and Buffelshoek to supply water to the indigent families for free as well as food parcels during Covid-19 pandemic.
