On Tuesday 9 May, a concerned Helderberg resident identifying herself only as “Marilize” approached me at our office parking lot in Bright Street.
She was looking for an Egyptian-goose family that was seen entering the side of the property.
Two parent birds had been trying to herd seven goslings to a “quieter street or safe haven”. She related how she had seen vehicles narrowly avoid the family as they crossed the ever-busy street from Lourensford Road over Main Road (M9) into Bright Street and followed them to make sure they were safe.
A mother herself, the resident made the decision to stop and see where she can help.
Another lady in a white bakkie stopped and got out at the traffic lights to assist in keeping the traffic at bay. Together we “herded” them across Andries Pretorius Street. Luckily the vehicles went more slowly or stopped for the “family” to cross. Their flight through the butchery yard of the The Butcher & Son brought them to the church’s empty grass fields beyond.
As a Somerset West Rotary Club member I’d like to thank the lady for her kindness; the world needs more people like Marilize. It was refreshing to see a stranger with such compassion in a key-clutch moment. Well done!
