Taxi man looks for overpaying customers
Every now and then we come across a Good Samaritan who defies conventional wisdom that modern times have only bred crime, violence and selfishness. What makes the next story even more surprising is that our latest hero comes from a profession not usually known for kindness.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
On Saturday evening, taxi driver Prince Nyathi picked up a couple of customers from the Novelos’ Bus Terminal and dropped off them at a location in Belize City. The fare was only six dollars, but what Nyathi did not notice is that he was paid with a hundred dollar bill…and it seems as if the customers did not realize the mistake either. Nyathi, who has been having financial problems of his own, says it would have been easy to just keep the cash, but he has decided to give the money back. The only problem is he has been unable to find the rightful owner.
Prince Nyathi, Taxi Driver
“So when I picked up my passengers in the car, we are heading somewhere and I charge them six dollars. The first give me five dollars and so they gave me two dollars and I gave them change of one dollars. Unfortunately, when I went home I don’t have a hundred dollar and I find out it was a mistake that they gave me a hundred dollars instead of two dollars. I don’t know who they are, so if they could call my number I would be obliged to give them back their money.”
Jacqueline Woods
“This is very noble of you, why have you decided to give back the money?
Prince Nyathi
“I am a born again Christian and I don’t need such money. I need money, but not that kind of money. I need the genuine money, so that’s why. I know maybe they will be having problems maybe. I don’t know how they live, so I want to give them back their money. I does not belong to me, my money will come to me.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Is this the first time that something like this has happened to you?”
Prince Nyathi
“No, it happened to me some time when I was eighteen, and I did not give back that money. And that was home, but this time around I can’t keep it.”
The taxi is a white Toyota Camry bearing license plate number D-1162. But you will need more than just the vehicle’s description to get the money. Nyathi says this is necessary to make sure that he is returning the cash to the right person.
Prince Nyathi
“I will interview them because I know where I drop them and I know something that transpired as we were going and I was departing, so I will know the people when I interview them, they will give me the correct answer and I will know they are right people.”
Nyathi can be contacted at telephone number 602-1803 or at Prince Used Auto Parts on Mahogany Street.
