If you live in Despatch or Kariega and have fallen on hard times, chances are that you know exactly who Marieta Stander is.
For those who don’t, she is also known as the “Manna Mandjie Lady” among the people of her community.
Stander is the epitome of a modern-day Good Samaritan, spending her days doing whatever it takes to help those in need.
The nickname stems from her belief that a higher power puts food in her basket to be shared with the less-fortunate.
She has been sourcing and gifting food to households and soup kitchens in the two towns for more than three decades.
Currently she ensures that at least 35 families have something to eat every single week. Three of them are based in Kariega, where her friend Bernadette Gerber provides an extra set of helping hands.
Recently, Stander was the one whose basket was filled with manna from Heaven when she was gifted a trolley full of groceries from SPAR Eastern Cape MD Solly Engelbrecht.
Through this gesture, she became the first official beneficiary of the retailer’s Pay-it-Forward initiative, where executives put their hand in their own pocket to buy food and household items for those who need it most.
Despatch Good Samaritan Marieta Stander, who feeds the hungry through her Manna Mandjie programme, received a trolley full of groceries from SPAR Eastern Cape managing director Solly Engelbrecht. Photo: Supplied
Once an exec has done their bit, that person nominates the next to follow suit and so the goodwill is shared far and wide.
The tears were flowing when Stander received the groceries from Engelbrecht, who himself is a son of Despatch soil.
According to her, the SUPERSPAR, owned by 2024 regional retailer of the year Paul Barnes, Concorde Bakery and Vergenoeg Butchery are frequent supporters of her cause.
Apart from cleaning materials, foodstuffs like soup bones, bread and pies are staple fare.
“Most of the families only get Sassa grants,” she said while decanting a large milk into smaller containers so that more households can benefit from it.
It is no doubt a heartbreaking task and she religiously keeps record of who receives what and when to make sure everyone is treated fairly.
“Say you are four in a house, I will give four pies. But, if there are left over, I will give more.”
Stander believed she was blessed with the “strength and courage” to fulfil this selfless task.
Engelbrecht thanked her for her charitable work when he presented her with the groceries, reiterating that the community is at the heart of SPAR’s day-to-day operations.
“I know it will go to the right people.”