Port Shepstone's broken road inspires author’s latest book
Local author Marianne Fourie turns road frustrations into a hilarious new adventure.
Southport author Marianne Fourie is back with a second book featuring the town’s notorious Menopausal Mafia, this time taking on a problem familiar to many South Coast residents: a road that never seems to get fixed.
Six Women, One Broken Road and a Very Bad Idea follows the success of her first book, The Real Housewives of Southport: Project Stronza.
Fourie’s inspiration for the sequel struck while she was driving to Port Shepstone, when the state of the road sparked an idea.
For two years, the road leading into Southport had been dug up for rebuilding, but the promised new road seems to have become something of a distant dream.
Residents were left negotiating potholes, delays and a road that was taking a serious toll on their vehicles.
Ongoing power and water interruptions added to the community’s discontent.
Fourie decided it was the perfect problem for her six fictional troublemakers to tackle.
In the first book, the women thwarted a wealthy property developer’s plans to transform Southport’s seafront into a luxury hotel and casino complex.
This time, they initially attempt to lift residents’ spirits by hiding uplifting messages inside cupcakes and fortune cookies.
The idea proves disastrous, prompting them to realise that positive messages alone will not solve the community’s problems.
Their next plan is considerably more ambitious: building a road themselves.
The Real Housewives of Southport: Project DIY follows the six women as they embark on an outrageous and often hilarious mission, despite having absolutely no business attempting road construction.
The book explores what can happen when a community stops waiting for someone else to solve its problems and decides to work together.
While the story is deliberately exaggerated and ridiculous, the frustration behind it is real and will probably strike a chord with anyone who has ever waited endlessly for a road to be repaired, a pothole to be filled, or a municipal problem to be sorted out.
For Fourie, one of the most rewarding aspects of writing the book was showing how the women achieve more together than they could individually.
Packed with mishaps, unexpected twists and laugh-out-loud moments, the book celebrates determination and finding humour even when things go wrong.
If you would like a copy of the book: email: marfourster@gmail.com or WhatsApp: 082-223-8023.
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