A stranger walked into PEP. What happened next changed 260 lives
In a remarkable act of festive generosity, an anonymous Good Samaritan paid off R132,500 in outstanding lay-bys at a PEP store in Aberdeen, Eastern Cape — helping 260 families collect essential items just in time for the holiday season, The Mercury reports.
According to the retailer, the donor quietly approached the store to inquire about unpaid lay-by accounts. The total outstanding balance, linked to goods such as school supplies, baby clothing and other everyday necessities, was then settled in full.
“We were taken completely by surprise,” said Beyers van der Merwe, Chief Marketing Executive at PEP. “This level of human kindness reminds us that generosity lands most powerfully when it meets real human needs. These lay-bys were for essentials — the kind of things families depend on.”
He added: “This gesture has given 260 families the dignity of taking their items home when they perhaps least expected it — just in time for the festive season.”
The act aligns with the objectives of PEP’s ongoing Lay-by Buddy Initiative, launched in 2020 to assist struggling families with outstanding lay-bys. Since its inception, the initiative has raised more than R3.6 million and helped approximately 150,000 families.
This year, retail group Pepkor contributed R1 million to further support the programme.
Customers who wish to contribute to the initiative can inquire at any PEP store or visit the retailer’s website for more information.
IOL News