Maqawe Mpabanga explained that when he collected the lady, it was clear to him that neither she nor her husband (who was looking after their other child) would be able to pay for the ride, but he could see they were in distress, and he decided to help her regardless.
Johannesburg, South Africa (26 June 2021) – What started out as a slow Sunday evening shift on the ride-sharing app turned into a life-changing experience for driver “Mike” Maqawe Mpabanga two weeks ago, when he found himself acting as midwife to a heavily pregnant passenger who gave birth to a baby girl on the back seat of his car.
“I never imagined a thing like this could happen, but of course, this job is really not just about driving; it is about people,” said Mpabanga, a former tour operator.
“I got the request for the ride around 9 pm and went to collect the passenger as normal. I didn’t realise she was heavily pregnant at the time because she was wearing a big winter coat. She said she wanted to go to a hospital I didn’t know near Roodepoort, so I was just following the GPS.”
Mpabanga explained that when he collected the lady, it was clear to him that neither she nor her husband (who was looking after their other child) would be able to pay for the ride, but he could see they were in distress, and he decided to help her regardless.
“At some point on the drive, she started shouting that the baby was coming and I must help her. It was a big surprise! I drove as quickly as I could and hoped to get to the hospital in time, but she said I must pull over and help her because she was afraid the baby might fall.”
After pulling over, Mpabanga, who admits he felt overwhelmed and just tried to keep calm through the process, helped his passenger as the baby arrived and placed the newborn gently on her mother’s chest before driving the last stretch to the hospital.
“The crazy thing is that it turned out the hospital was only 500m from where we had stopped, but I didn’t know that, and babies have their own plans for when they are ready!” said Mpabanga with a smile.
Just 2 days after the baby’s unusual entrance into the world, her parents asked Mpabanga to visit them in the informal settlement where they live near Diepsloot so that they could thank him for his help. New mum, Mapula, honoured Mpabanga by asking him to name the little girl.
“My name, Maqawe, means ‘hero’, and so I was very honoured to share my name with this perfect little baby. Her name is now Nomaqawe, meaning heroine,” said Mpabanga with a clear note of pride in his voice.
Both mum Mapula and baby Nomaqawe are doing well.
Mpabanga, a former tour operator for international study groups, was forced to close his tourism business and return his tour bus to the bank after the collapse of the foreign tourist market in SA due to Covid last year. He has since turned to driving for ride-hailing apps such as Taxify to try and support his family but admits it is extremely challenging to support his family on the meagre income generated by the platforms.
“I have spent many years giving tours to people from all over the world, so you think not much will surprise you anymore, but this experience has really taught me a lot. It gave me big new respect for women and what they go through to carry a child and give life to that little one. The bond between a mother and child is a special thing. I also saw that each of us has capacity inside us to face challenges we can’t imagine. I don’t just do my job for money; serving and helping each other is part of what makes us human beings.”
“Mike” Maqawe Mpabanga speaks 8 languages and loves showing people around Jozi and sharing stories. For all driving, deliveries and tour services, he can be reached on 083 793 0948 or contact Kari Prince on 083 777 4636
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