Gideon Swart
THE CAFE THAT’S FIGHTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Gideon Swart at the Wild Cactus Cafe, Pretoria © Thom Pierce 2023
From a small cafe on the corner of a nondescript road in the suburbs of Pretoria, Gideon Swart has created a space for kindness, love and community to thrive, and it all started with a coffee truck and a mission to connect with people.
As I leave the Wild Cactus Café after the interview, Samuel, the car guard from next door, greets us. “Are you hungry?” asks Gideon. “Come inside and have something to eat.” This is the generosity that he seems to extend to everyone he meets.
By his own admission, it is not the greatest way to run a profitable business but Gideon isn’t driven by money. Yes, he needs to keep the lights on and the rent paid but his motivation is in changing the people around him and creating a space where that change to happen.
“We started the coffee shop as a beacon of hope, where everyone belongs, from the CEO to the homeless guy.”
In 2019 Gideon and his wife, Olivia, gave up their jobs as pastors and opened a coffee truck which, over the years, has grown into a formal café. From the very beginning, they committed to feeding the homeless people who would pass by, offering them coffee and a chocolate croissant, no questions asked. Over time, Gideon got to know the regulars, engaging with them and finding ways to help them off the streets and, if necessary, into rehab.
His actions became an example to all of his customers and, before long, a culture of generosity started to emerge within the coffee shop. It became normal for customers to pay for the food and drinks of others who may not have the means. From this arose a pay-it-forward system where customers can add extra coffees to their bill which the baristas then use, at their discretion, to give out when someone is in need.
Starting in 2014 Gideon has committed himself to raising awareness of human trafficking, using the café as a base for his Actionism. After learning about the true scale of the issue, and how it operates in close proximity to where he lives, he discovered the NPO Brave To Love which provides medical, psychological and emotional support to victims of sex trafficking.
In collaboration with Brave To Love, he has been working on ways to raise awareness of the issues. The coffee shop was designated as a donation centre and customers were asked to drop off blankets, toys and bedding to help with the various programmes of rehabilitation.
Gideon is also raising awareness through running. On the 30th of September, he will be competing in the gruelling 75km Maxi Race in the Cape Winelands. Throughout his training, he has been making a noise on social media and through radio interviews. At the race itself, he will be raising money and drawing attention to South Africa's sex trafficking issues.
If you are not one of the 2000 ultra runners heading to the Cape for the Maxi Race and you want to know more, pop in for a coffee at the Wild Cactus Café. If you do, before you leave, don’t forget to buy someone else a coffee and a chocolate croissant.
