I’ll never forget you, Krugersdorp

You see so many things as a journalist – you see the inexplicable kindness, a complete stranger giving food to someone living on the street, a company donating necessities to the forgotten elderly and even schoolchildren giving their clothes to friends in need.

But with the good, comes a lot of bad too. I often had to listen to readers complain about a noisy neighbour or about businesses doing them in, but what they failed to realise is that, without these businesses, the families of the people who are employed there would go hungry. I’ve also had to deal with people posting on social media about how terrible a driver the person in front of them was, instead of thinking that maybe that person is in a rush to see his or her baby in hospital before the child dies.

In a single day, I’ve had to interview a broken family who has just lost their son in a motorcycle crash that wasn’t even his fault, and a woman who lives in a mansion in the North who is complaining about how a homeless man keeps on leaving his trolley in front of her yard while he scrapes together enough plastic to pay for food for his little ones.

Krugersdorp, you sometimes broke my heart. Apart from that you are kind, generous, loving and have huge hearts with the ability to treat each other like family. Because in the end it’s exactly what this town is.

It was a pleasure serving you and I hope to return after my adventures are done.

My last day at the News will be 24 August as I pack my bags to go work in China as a teacher.

I leave you in the hands of my very capable colleagues and dear friends, Alanicka Lotriet and Janine Viljoen. Treat them well, like you did me.

Good-bye.