Bellville Community's Plea for Teacher Zoleka Turns into National Generosity!

Photo Credit: Shared via BackaBuddy

When a beloved Xhosa teacher suffered a scary burn accident, the Belville community and the nation stepped up, raising over R55,000 for her recovery in a single day and showing what’s possible when good people come together!

Bellville, South Africa (07 August 2025) – We may be shedding a tear or two, and it is all thanks to the empathy and palpable kindness of our nation.

When a Bellville school community reached out to the public, desperate to help one of their own, the nation didn’t just listen, they answered, dug deep and have together given a beloved teacher the chance to fully heal and recover.

On the Monday before schools reopened for the third term, Zoleka, a Xhosa teacher, experienced a terrible burn accident.

The geyser at her home had been broken when Zoleka boiled water for a bath for her kids, shares a friend and colleague, Dorita Engelbrecht.

While walking to the bath with the big pot of boiling water, Zoleka tripped over something and dropped the boiling water over her foot and onto the floor, burning her leg from the thigh down.

The road to recovery has been long, and the medical bills have been piling up, prompting Dorita to launch a BackaBuddy campaign to rally support and raise funds to help Zoleka through an unforeseen tough season.

“She lights up the school with her love and passion for all our children. Whenever you walk through the school, you will somewhere hear her voice say, ‘Hello, my cupcake’ as she greets and hugs our children,” reminisces Dorita.

When parents asked how they could help, Dorita shared the crowdfunding campaign. The response? R55,500 raised in just ONE day for beloved Bellville teacher Zoleka! That’s 139% of the funding target!

Thanks to this overwhelming kindness, Zoleka’s bills will be paid, her recovery a little less stressful and her hope restored that this, too, she will overcome.