DURBAN - The Catholic Archdiocese of Durban Refugee Pastoral Care hosted a braai in honour of taxi drivers on Monday.
The foundation honoured the drivers for their peaceful working relationship with the foreign nationals at the Emmanuel Cathedral Church near the market close to their taxi rank.
The foundation was established in 1999 and gained momentum in 2002, when it was allocated a full-time chaplain.
It is responsible for handling all matters affecting all foreign nationals in the area of the archdiocese and beyond.
Among other things, it provides accommodation and food to new arrivals and those who have been in South Africa for less than six months.
It also pays school fees and uniforms for refugees’ children whose parents have been in South Africa for less than five years, and supports orphans whose foster parents have been appointed by the children’s court.
About 60 taxi drivers came to celebrate over a braai with meat, drinks, laughter and conversations.
The foundation’s co-ordinator, Hupenyu Makusha, said he was grateful the event was successful.
“I am glad that today we officially managed to do what I had intended to do for a long time to honour the good relationship that we have with the drivers. Most of our brothers and sisters pass by the taxi drivers all the time and not even once have there been any fights or disagreements,” said Makusha.
He said he was happy with the turnout and the conversation they had over the braai.
“I feel fulfilled. Everything went very well. They came out in numbers and were smiling. This was to honour them because we have heard stories that drivers are bad, rude and aggressive but we have never seen that, and that is why we decided to take a leap of faith and thank them.
“We feel safe around them and they also do not have a problem with us although we are foreign nationals. We work in the same space and we have a different story to tell about taxi drivers. They are peaceful people and not even once we have an attack from them. We are therefore acknowledging this relationship,” he said.
Daily News