The most touching story of human kindness unfolded in one of the most unexpected places recently: the Willowbridge Shopping Centre, where an honest parking department staff member found an envelope that held exactly what a distressed customer was searching for.
Cape Town, South Africa (07 October 2025) – It’s easy to get weighed down by the doom and gloom of daily news, so there’s truly nothing quite like a feel-good story to lift your spirits and remind you of the profound goodness that still exists all around us.
One such moment of light recently unfolded at the Willowbridge Shopping Centre, of all places, when Zizo Madolo, a staff member in the parking lot department, discovered an envelope that held something we imagine its owner must have been frantic about losing.
In the envelope was cash that amounted to R3,000.
Instead of keeping it, Zizo immediately handed it over to security. Thanks to her honesty, the money was safely returned to its rightful owner, Mike Kalogirou.
Mike was deeply moved by Zizo’s actions and returned to personally thank her, as shared in a post on the Durbanville Facebook group.
“With so much happening in the world, it’s often the small acts of honesty and kindness that remind us of the good all around us. Stories like this remind us that integrity and kindness are alive and well in our community,” the post read.
Zizo’s honesty, integrity and kindness didn’t just bring relief to Mike’s potential disaster, but have easily inspired hundreds of South Africans who have celebrated the shining example she’s set for us all.
“She will continually and abundantly be blessed in other ways for her honesty. Good things do happen to good people,” shared social media user Hèdri Henn Jonas.
Benedet Heeks added that stories like Zizo’s remind us of the powerful impact kindness can have!
While another person, Gill High, shared her personal experience with the staff at the very same shopping centre:
“They are amazing there. I dropped money while putting it in my purse from the ATM, and a security lady called me back to tell me.”
It just goes to show that there really is goodness out there, and it has the power to bring us closer, calm our chaos, and restore what was lost.
Well done to you, Zizo! You did a good thing, and we’re so chuffed we get to celebrate you for it!
Sources: The Vineyard Deli I Great Food Great Place
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