The team at Sonder Cafe in Observatory couldn’t get to work yesterday due to striking so three helpful customers threw on some aprons and helped cover the shift.
Cape Town, South Africa (08 August 2023) – Being a small business owner in South Africa is both incredibly rewarding and downright tough! Facing the ever-changing loadshedding schedules, rises in expenses and a customer base that is struggling to stretch a rand is tough. The rewarding part is seeing families supported because you have created jobs or having the chance to touch your customers lives with your services. For Chase Dell and Michelle Fredman from Sonder Cafe in Observatory, they highlighted just how the good recently outweighed the tough.
In the wake of the ongoing strike they found themselves without any waiters due to lack of transport. The pair pondered if closing up for the day would be the best option when three of their customers stepped in to help.
Motheo Moleko, Rafael Bloch and Juvae “Jay” Sewpersad decided they would help their favourite cafe, by becoming waiters for the day… They threw on some aprons and got to helping Chase and Michelle serve the lunch crowd.
The pair shared just how the kind deed uplifted their spirits and turned a really tough day, into one they will never forget! Take a read,
“There are certain days, as a small business owner in South Africa when you really do question why you do what you do.
Days when your entire staff can’t get to work because of taxi strikes and loadshedding runs for 2 hours in the middle of your lunch rush, days when you decide to still keep your cafe open because you can’t afford to close and somehow continue to operate with just the two of you spinning frantically as you toast bagels on gas and churn out endless flat whites.
Days when you really do wonder what is the point of it all.
But then three of your legendary customers rock up, immediately roll up their sleeves and start waitering, making smoothies and doing the dishes. For no reason other than that’s what friends do.
Then you remember that if you hadn’t opened your small business you wouldn’t have friends like this, you wouldn’t feel the community’s love so intensely in the moments when it all feels like it’s falling apart.
A huge shout out to these legends Motheo Moleko, Rafael Bloch and Jay
And to all our customers for your patience and support during these testing times!” – Michelle
It is safe to say that these three men saved the day and restored our faith in humanity. It takes one small act of kindness to turn everything around. And like we always share, in times of trouble, always look for the helpers!
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