Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 02-06-2017

The Deputy Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa has thanked an Indian shopkeeper from Ixopo in KwaZulu-Natal who assisted his family financially 40 years ago while completing his law degree.

In a video clip which has gone viral on social media, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo relays an emotional account of how he wanted to study law but was worried about his family’s dire financial situation.

Zondo says his unemployed mother exhausted all her savings paying for his schooling and was worried about who would take care of her and his siblings while he was at university.  

Zondo says he approached Indian businessman Sulaiman Bux of Moosa Bux Bazaar commonly known as Baba Moosa among the locals in Ixopo asking for a loan which would be used to support his mother and siblings and repay it after completing his degree.

“Very interestingly that man didn’t even ask me many questions. He said ‘okay I can help you but I can’t give you money, I’ll give you a voucher which you must give to your mum. Once a month she must come to my shop and she would be given groceries’ up to the value of I think it was R20 or R40.”

Zondo says three years later after completing his junior law degree he approached Moosa in order to make arrangements to repay the money, but was taken aback by his generosity.

“He said ‘no don’t worry, just do to others what I’ve done to you.’ I thought that was very important and in my own small way I try to do that. ”

Speaking to Radio Islam, Bux say he tries to help people who are in need as much as he can.

“As Muslims we always to try and help people wherever it’s possible. A lot of school kids come there (to his shop) to get some money for books and clothing. So we always used to help them in that way to encourage them to carry on further.”

Bux says more businessmen should come on board to empower people to achieve their dreams through education.

“That’s the only way to get there. You can see what happened in this particular case from where to where, he reached his goal, and we don’t expected anything in return we just expect that he’s successful.”

Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng says people can learn from Zondo’s determination.

“Many people in South Africa are poor, and they could be inspired not to lose hope no matter what their circumstances.”  

Bux say he never expected the acknowledgement and recognition afforded to him by Zondo.

Watch an excerpt of Justice Zondo’s interview

Listen to the Interview with Sulaiman Bux of Moosa Bux Bazaar commonly known as Baba Moosa

Twitter: @FaizelPatel143