Emva kokufumana amanqaku aphantsi kunyaka wakhe wokuqala kwizifundo zobuntatheli kwiYunivesithi iRhodes, iinzame zikaYandisa Mbhadeko oneminyaka engama-22 ubudala zokuphinda afake isicelo soncedo lwemali kwiNational Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) ngo-2020 zakhatywa.
Ngenxa yokungafumani mathuba emisebenzi kwidolophu azalelwa kuyo eMthatha eMpuma Koloni, uMbhadeko ufike eKapa ezokufuna umsebenzi, enethemba lokonga imali eyaneleyo yokuxhasa amabhongo akhe obuntatheli.
Emva kokufika eKapa ngoCanzibe kulo nyaka, apho wahlala kwityotyombe elinegumbi elinye nomntakwabo nentombi kabhuti wakhe, wabona indoda ikhwele ibhayisekile yombane isisa ukutya, wabuza ukuba angawufumana njani umsebenzi ofana naye.
Le ndoda yamkhomba eGreen Riders kwindawo yoshishino yeRiver Gate kumantla eParklands, apho yabhalisa khona njengomkhweli we-e-bike ukuba ahambise ukutya kwindawo enkulu yeTable View kunye neParklands.
Le nkonzo, yasekwa nguCraig Atkinson, inxulunyaniswe kumaqonga e-e-hailing aziwayo kwihlabathi jikelele ekuhambiseni ukutya kunye negrosari, kwaye wazifumana eyinxalenye yabantu abancinci be-100 abavela eDunoon naseAtlantis abasebenza njengeekontraka eGreen Riders – i-eco-friendly last- inkonzo yokuhanjiswa kweemayile.
Iikontraka zabelwa ibhayisekile yombane engama-R40,000 abayirenta qho ngeveki, baze ekugqibeleni babe nayo emva konyaka.
“Ndiyazisebenzela. Yonke into endiyenzayo (ingeniso ngenkonzo) yeyam ngaphandle kwemali yokuqesha ibhayisekile,” utsho uMbhadeko.
Uthe irenti ye-e-bike ngama-R700 ngeveki, kodwa ukuba uhambisa ngaphezulu kwama-60 endleleni, irenti yaloo veki yehla ukuya kuma-R500. Uthi ugoduka ne-R1,500 ngeveki ngokwe-avareji emva kokuhlawula irenti ye-e-bike.
Ngemivuzo yakhe ngoku uyakwazi ukuthenga ityotyombe lakhe, athe wakwazi ukulibonelela. Uthi ukwanako ukondla abantwana bakhe abangamawele, aneminyaka emithathu, ahlala nomama wabo eMpuma Koloni, aphinde abonelele ngenkxaso yemali kudade wabo oneminyaka elishumi elinesithandathu.
Ukuzisebenzela kuye kwamfundisa ukuba aqeqesheke ngemali yakhe.
“Akukho mntu undifowunelayo ukuba ndisemsebenzini. Kunzima kodwa kuyakha. Kufuneka ndicwangcise usuku lwam … ndimise itekeni yam.
“Ndandingafundanga ngokwasemalini, ndandichitha ngaphandle kohlahlo lwabiwo-mali, kodwa ukusebenza njengekontraka kundifundise indlela yokuphatha imali.”
Uthi iGreen Riders ibonelele nge-smartphone, umnini wefowuni, ii-earphone, i-raincoat, i-helmet, i-vesti yokhuseleko, iiglavu kunye neebhutsi.
USiphe mwana, 29, umama womntwana oneminyaka emibini ubudala, uthe waqeshwa ngomhla we-8 kuNovemba kwaye ufumana uqeqesho lokukhwela ibhayisekile yombane iGreen Riders.
“Baye (Green Riders) beza eDunoon bezokukhangela abantu ndabonakalisa umdla. Ndifuna ukubonisa abanye abafazi ukuba imisebenzi yokwakha, ukukhwela izithuthuthu, ii-scooters ayingowamadoda kuphela. Nam ndingayenza.”
Uthi njengekontraka ezimeleyo uzakukwazi ukuzimela kwaye uceba ukwakhela umama wakhe indlu yezitena eMpuma Koloni.
Uceba wakwaWadi 104 uMessie Makuwa uthi uyayibulela into yokuba iGreen Riders idale amathuba emisebenzi kulutsha lwale wadi.
U-Atkinson uthe ufuna ukudala amathuba emisebenzi kubemi boMzantsi Afrika kwicandelo elikhula ngokukhawuleza lokuziswa kweenkonzo emakhaya.
Uthe iGreen Riders iqeqesha kwaye iphakamisa abantu abatsha abangenamava omsebenzi ukuze babe ngamaqabane anobuchule bokuhambisa.
“Siqeqesha bonke abakhweli kumaqonga ahlukeneyo, sibanika lonke ithuba lokusebenzisa imarike yokuhambisa ngokupheleleyo. Sinolutsha olulikhulu, abanye ngamagcisa, abanye ngabalawuli bedeshibhodi, abalawuli, siqeshe ikakhulu abasuka eDunoon, eJoe Slovo Park eMilnerton nabambalwa baseAtlantis,” utshilo.
UMbhadeko’s uthi usenenjongo yokubuyela eyunivesithi ayokwenza ubuntatheli, “Bendigcinele ukubhalisa,” utsho.