363 clients at a PEP Stores branch in Mossel Bay, Western Cape received an early Christmas gift when an unknown man paid R337 000 to the shop to pay off people’s lay-by items.
The man sent each person a note which read: “I am grateful that I’m [in a] position [to] settle your PEP Store lay-by. I know it’s up to people to help people. It’s just the decent thing for all of us to do, disregarding any religious beliefs. I also had lay-bys at PEP a long time ago.”
The note was signed, “Grateful humanist”.
PEP customer, Kim Peterse got the news on Friday when she went to the store to cancel her lay-by following an injury which has left her unable to work.
“It was really painful for me to let the dresses go. The lay-by was the first time I was spoiling myself this year – because I always put my children first.”
Peterse could not beleive it when the store assistant told her that the dresses had already been paid for.
“Ma’am, are you playing around? Do you take me for a fool? Is there a camera somewhere?” she said to the shop assistant.
Suzette Wessels, PEP Stores’ regional manager, confirmed that the benefactor paid outstanding balances of between R10 and R1 300 for 363 clients.
More: citypress