A broken vase. A stressed-out window shopper. And the unexpected kindness that followed. Dineo Jolingana’s casual trip to Woolworths took a heart-stopping turn when she bumped and broke a vase she couldn’t afford.
Gqeberha, South Africa (26 November 2025) – You know those heart-stopping accidents that leave you embarrassed and secretly hoping nobody saw you?
Dineo Meyi Jolingana had one of those this week, quickly turning a casual window shopping trip to Woolworths into a dreadful moment of regret.
On Monday, she accidentally bumped and broke a vase, and as she put it, “almost had a heart attack”.
“Because it wasn’t just a vase. It was a R1,200 type of vase,” Dineo explains in a post.
“I walked passed, knocked it over, it shattered all over the floor, and I just stood there. There was no one around me, for a second I thought, okay, keep your cool, just keep walking, girl.”
However, the guilt got the best of her. With her stomach churning, breaking a sweat and only R70 in her bank account, she looked for the nearest staff member to assist.
“All I could think of is ‘You break you pay’,” she said, wondering how on earth she would afford the expensive vase with the little money she had at the time.
Dineo soon found a lady and proceeded to nervously explain her predicament. The response left a panicked and teary Dineo completely dumbfounded.
“She was so kind, asked which one, and we walked back to the broken vase. She calmly said she would get a cleaner to clean it up and that it’s no big deal. I said thank you and I stood there… waiting”
Still shaking internally, Dineo asked the lady what happens next, only for her to say ‘nothing’ – a huge shock and relief for poor Dineo.
“I almost ran out of there because, wow, where was I going to get R1200?” she wondered, hilariously.
Dineo’s dilemma made for a good giggle, but more importantly, it serves as a touching reminder that we’re all human, mistakes happen, and we all deserve a little grace.
Sources: Dineo Meyi Jolingana
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