(Picture courtesy of the Pakistan Tribune)
In this damn country even a delivery service is considered dangerous. We got a call this morning to deliver medication and other baby items to the Maraisburg Church located on the main road. We usually always deliver to the church and hence it was normal for us to hop into the car and deliver the items. The church building is quite eerie and dilapidated. Hence we always park across the road in the day care centre where it is busy and secure. Suddenly out of no where two gentleman approached us with a cheque folded in a pamphlet. They then told us that Dean, the gentleman who called is not available but he said that we must hand over the packet to them. Naturally, my colleague and I refused stating that we do not accept cheques. We will take the cheque to a bank first, get it cleared and then we will return with the parcel. We then went to FNB bank down town. The queue was horrendous and to be honest the tellers didn't know whether they were coming or going. The bank cleared the cheque without any verification. We then returned to the day care centre to drop off the parcel. The two men disappeared. Upon enquiry it was discovered that the men are part of a syndicate targeting businesses in the Florida area. They use the church's name to order products, issue cheques in return for goods. The cheques obviously bounce and business owners take the knock. It was quite hilarious to learn that a few days ago they ordered sandwiches from a local restaurant claiming that the church is having a charity event and that many platters are required. The driver delivered the sandwiches and he was reimbursed with a cheque that naturally bounced. After two days the driver went back to the church to enquire only to learn from the pastor that there was no charity event and that the church did not require sandwich platters. In our case we were smart in a sense that we did not hand over any items..The cheque got cleared and we had our stock. Then we realized that the cheque is possibly stolen. We then scampered down the road back to the bank where it was discovered from the manager that a client called wondering how come money was withdrawn from her account. Before the bank started their investigation with the camera footage, my colleague and I arrived and returned the money. Naturally, we were thanked and praised for our honesty, quick thinking and integrity. It is just flippin sickening to think about the kind of society we living in. We pride ourselves in helping people that require our assistance. With one call, we get medication delivered or we there if someone falls down and needs assistance. But after what happened today I must say that I honestly feel we just need to shut down this service totally. Our lives were at risk today. We could have been hijacked or robbed in broad day light. We would have simply become another statistic.. I am so angry. I don't mean to be rude or racist, but may be Number 1 and his cronies need to be robbed and thrashed, only then he might just realize that the common citizen lives with fear and paranoia in this country every single day. When is the crime in this country gonna stop?
