A South African man has moved thousands of people online after going out of his way to protect a woman he found walking alone late at night, at a time when fears around femicide in the country remain deeply raw.
Lawrence Dhlamini was behind the wheel of a company vehicle when he came across a young woman in a yellow shirt and black trousers making her way down the road by herself.
He pulled over and asked where she was headed, and she told him her destination was roughly ten to fifteen minutes on foot.
Why Lawrence Could Not Simply Offer Her a Lift Despite wanting to take her directly to her door, Lawrence explained that his employer’s rules stood in the way
“Our company cars aren’t allowed to give passengers lifts, so I couldn’t take her with me,” he said.
Rather than drive away and leave her to manage on her own, he came up with a quiet but effective alternative.He kept his vehicle moving slowly behind her, matching her pace the entire way, and switched his headlights to full beam so that the road ahead of her was fully lit and she could feel secure.
“I met this lady walking alone in the middle of the night. I asked her where she was going, and she said it was about a 10 to 15-minute walk away. As a man, I just couldn’t drive off and leave her walking alone at that time of night,” he said.
He captured the moment on video, which showed the woman walking calmly ahead as his car trailed behind her, the road bathed in light.
Lawrence shared a quiet reflection alongside the clip that resonated widely.
“It’s honestly scary knowing how unsafe it can be for women walking alone at night. Sometimes you don’t need to do anything big… just look out for each other,” he said.
The video spread quickly, drawing a flood of responses from South Africans who were both moved and grateful.
Netizens laud Lawrence
Mapitsi@rocks wrote:
“Nna, I know myself that I was gonna fall in love with you; don’t judge me I don’t have a mother, you are so kind.”
Lee Mduks commented:
“On behalf of SA women, we salute and thank you, my brother.”
Mazikhali shared a personal moment:
“One day I was in an abusive relationship. He kicked me out around 2 am. I have to walk 3- 4 km to my brother’s flat, barefoot.”
Linda Noel Walucho added:
“I am a female Bolt Rider, and I never leave a woman at the side of the road at night. Ever!”
For many who responded, Lawrence’s act was less about heroism and more about the kind of everyday solidarity that women across the country desperately need.
