“He Deserves a Hug”: Eastern Cape Good Samaritan Pays All PEP Laybys Totalling R132K, SA Moved

• An anonymous Good Samaritan stunned a local community by walking into a retail store and settling hundreds of outstanding debts
• The generous act, which provided 260 families with the dignity of taking home school essentials and baby clothes for the holidays, was shared on TikTok
• Social media users were moved to tears, praising the man’s selflessness and sharing their own stories of unexpected kindness

The spirit of Christmas arrived early in Aberdeen when a mysterious man wiped away the financial burdens of hundreds of residents on Monday, December 15, 2025.

The heartwarming story was shared on TikTok by @iam_kiszz, where it became a viral sensation as online viewers celebrated this incredible display of humanity.

An unidentified man walked into a PEP store in the Eastern Cape and settled all 260 unpaid lay-bys, totalling R132,500. According to TikTok user @iam_kiszz’s post, the man asked the staff for the total amount of outstanding debt and paid the full balance on the spot. PEP's Chief Marketing Executive, Beyers van der Merwe, shared that the act was a complete surprise and provided much-needed relief to families just in time for the festive season.

Read also

An R132,000 Christmas Miracle: Anonymous Donor Clears 260 Lay-Buys at Pep Store

The Legacy of the lay-by buddy

The TikTok post was captioned detailing that this massive donation is part of a larger spirit of giving inspired by a similar event in Mossel Bay in 2019, which led to the official PEP Lay-by Buddy Initiative. Since 2020, the program has raised over R3.6 million and supported more than 150,000 families. It further shared that Pepkor recently added R1 million to the fund to ensure more families receive help during difficult economic times.

SA appreciates the Good Samaritan

The video garnered massive views and comments from an online community that was deeply touched by the man’s actions. Many users wished the donor and his family abundant blessings, while others joked that he deserved a handshake and a hug. Some viewers even shared emotional testimonies of receiving surprise SMS notifications informing them that their own accounts had been settled by strangers in the past.

User @user9589824455082 commented:

"Someone did for my daughter last year, and they called us. It was Gateway Pep."

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"This is us every day": Retail workers spend lunch break sleeping on the floor to recover, SA moved

User @Deebriandrea shared:

"Whoever that person is, God will bless you & your family abundantly. Merry Christmas to everybody in Aberdeen 🫶♥️."

User @Ursula Snydert added:

"I live in Aberdeen, and this is true. God bless him."

User @TheInspirationStation commented:

"Whoever this person is, you're my type of person, 100%! Our DNA is the same 😀. Thank you for having such a good heart and open wallet ❤️. May my creator bless me with wealth for me to pay it forward, one random act of kindness at a time 🫶🏼."

User @Linda Linda Linda said:

"Love this man!!! Great initiative!"

User @Narrator_dash

"It’s the picture on the post that finished me. I think we all assumed it's his, anyway. Big ups to the Good Samaritan. He deserves a hug."

See the TikTok post below:

3 Briefly News articles about acts of kindness

• A North West mining tycoon went viral after gifting two loyal friends brand-new Volkswagen SUVs to thank them for supporting his business journey.
• Collen Mashawana distributed grocery packs to thousands of elderly people in Limpopo, spreading the spirit of love and bringing hope to the community.
• A wealthy businessman pulled up in a helicopter to gift rural kids with stacks of cash and warm generosity, earning much praise online.

Source: Briefly News