How ironic it was that on Friday, while driving the R59 from the motorway into Parys, my situation should emulate the Parys Gazette headline story of just the day before. I have come to know and love Parys. It is a town which has opened its doors and hearts to me and the volunteers who join me annually, and even bi-annually to collaborate with communities and townsfolk alike to uplift environments and engage with adults, children, the “forgotten and the fallen” as well as the animals who call Parys and its surrounds home.

It has been my greatest joy to have made new friends and to, even in the smallest way, leave behind a trace of happiness and kindness which we hope will make someone’s world a better place, even if only for a moment.

On Friday April 5 I drove the R59 which looked like it had been struck by a meteorite. The potholes are the size and frequency of which urban legends are created. Dodging the potholes requires such skill it should be considered as an extreme sport – and for someone who does not drive this road every day it was nothing short of a nightmare, but for the residents of Parys who rely on this road as access to the motorway for work or education, this must be like a terrifying “Groundhog Day”.

Whomever it is that is responsible for the road should be taken to task – this road is unacceptable. My trip to Parys which was motivated by delivering a donation of over 300kg
of porridge and 92kg of chicken to people who need it most, it cost me a terrifying encounter with a pothole and just shy of R3000 to have a tyre replaced. The lady who was with me,
coming to see Parys through my eyes, vowed and declared that she would never return to your town – no matter how wonderful and welcoming the people were. The roads were,
quite simply too treacherous. This is a sad inditement and I am sure, a reflection of the thoughts of many others who simply drive out of town, never to return.

It was said that Richard Nixon was elected by “the silent majority” – referring to “an unspecified large group of people in a country or group who do not express their opinions publicly.” I fear that many people who visit your lovely town once, will remain “once only” visitors – given the diabolical state of the road, the impact of this on the towns economy I will leave for you to unpack.

However– in the pouring rain, stranded on the side of a busy road, there were angels who came to my rescue, and I would like to thank them publicly for their assistance – I contacted Angelique, from Parys Tourism Radio to see if she knew a towing company I could call to help me, she in turn called a truly remarkable man called Albert (surname withheld) who did not hesitate to come to my aid. What a hero this marvellous man turned out to be – unbeknownst to me, the jack and the “cross shaped thing” needed to remove bolts from the wheel had been liberated from my car during a recent service – Albert drove back to town to borrow the necessary items and then BACK to my car to change my tyre and then escorted me into Parys to a wheel and tyre shop to ensure that I was completely safe. Who does this anymore?

I am blown away by the kindness of this remarkable stranger. In the interim two lovely ladies, en route from Pietersburg to Parys also stopped to see if they could help –
Thank you Kendra and Cunissia for your care and support and thank you for staying with me until my car was able to safely drive into town.

Parys municipality – you need to do better. You need to support the people of your town who need you. You need to ensure that the reputation you have of being a quaint, magical, welcoming town within easy access of Johannesburg and other centres, is not lost because of something you can control. You owe it to your residents to take care of the infrastructure, which you accepted as part of your election mandate. Parys needs your – we need you! Fix the roads, it’s a good place to start building relationships with your community.

I am financially poorer for the visit to Parys (because of my tyre) but enriched and uplifted by the people I have met, the community leaders we collaborate with and the kindness and welcome we receive each time we come to Parys to volunteer.

It is a choice we may have to reconsider if we cannot access your lovely town safely.