Community Featured News

Barrydale blink weer danksy skoonmaakprojek

Written by Mickey Mentz

Meer inwoners neem deel aan die tweede Let’s Clean Barrydale poging

Voor daar ‘n aanname gemaak word dat die dorp een groot vullishoop soos van die stede in die Noorde is, moet die News62 span net daarop klem lê dat Barrydale steeds een van die skoonste plekkies in die land is.

Die rede hiervoor spruit nie noodwendig uit die moeite wat die plaaslike overhede insit om dit te vermag nie.

Dit is eerder ‘n geval van talle inwoners en besigheidseienaars wat ‘n punt daarvan maak om daagliks te sorg dat dit voor hulle eie voorstoep mooi skoon is.

Meer hieroor later in die berig…

Let’s Clean Barrydale sit beste voet voor

Tientalle Barrydalers het op 12 Oktober besluit om ‘n uur van hul tyd af te staan om sodoende te sorg dat die dorp in die aanloop tot hierdie jaar se Barrydale in Bloom behoorlik skitter.

Dit was ‘n gemeenskapspoging soos min en die organiseerders is dit eens dat dit uitstekend was om te sien dat soveel inwoners besluit het om aan die projek deel te neem.

Sowat 180 swartsakke is binne ‘n uur volgemaak.

Selfs diegene wat nie daarvoor kans gesien het om aan die twee spanpogings wat by BF Oostuizen Laerskool en die Dung Beetle begin het, deel te neem nie, het op hul eie pas gesorg dat dit in en om hul wonings mooi netjies is.

Net so was dit ook uitstekend om te sien dat Swellendam Munisipaliteit ook ‘n rol in hierdie poging gespeel het en dat die projek wat aanvanklik net op ‘n skoner sakesektor (R62) gemik was, ook na Upper Barrydale oftewel Smitsville, uitgebrei het.

Dit was ‘n warm winderige Saterdagmiddag, maar steeds het jong en oud gewys dat, tenspyte van onmin en misdaad wat besig is om die karakter van die dorp te verwoes, daar steeds ‘n meerderheid goedhartige mense hier woon.

Die projek is deur Louise Pharo van stapel gestuur en haar hoof doel, buiten ‘n skoner dorp, is om die verdeeltheid wat onlangs onder meer deur politici veroorsaak is, hok te slaan.

Pharo meen dat daar net een Barrydale vir almal is en dat dit elke inwoner se verantwoordelikheid is om te sorg dat dit wat die dorp so spesiaal maak, behoue bly.

Let’s be honest Barrydale


Hoewel sowat 70% van die inwoners van die dorp Afrikaanssprend is, het die News62 redaksie besluit om hierdie belangrike deel van die artikel in Engels te publiseer.

While the efforts of the Let’s Clean Barrydale initiative should be lauded for what it is, we need to be honest here and realise that there are several Barrydalers who have made it their duty to keep the streets clean every other day of the year.

They have done this for many years and if you have lived here long enough you know exactly who they are.

Top of the list, perhaps because he has been ridiculed by so many residents, is Anton of the Book Shop. Even though locals laugh at him for cleaning in front of his shop and the OK every other day, he continues to do so.

He went as far as sweeping up in the street in front of the municipal offices that, like most other municipal buildings in the village just so happen to be in desperate need of a lick of paint and loving care.

Barrydale produces enough rubbish along the river for the Magpie lads to have created a thriving upcyling business – we can only imagine what the river would look like if Scott and Tielman decide not to to pick up litter anymore.

For the last eight years Liske of Timeless Hearts Negosie has kept her business front tidy and this very often meant picking up human poo, washing away pee and everything that goes with it.

Did you know that Barrydale has 6 Facebook pages and 9 Whatsapp Groups that fulfil the exact same function? Talk about a divided town… Let’s get real.

– News62 survey

What has added more fuel to Liske’s frustration is the state of affairs behind the OK – pop in there on any given day of the week if you would like to witness a royal mess.

Hannette of the Blue Cow sends a team out twice a week to clean up Van Coller road and the area in front of the High School.

When Barbs is not weeding her own garden, you can find her in the old caravan park collecting rubble.

Then we have groups like the Eco Warriors of Reuben and Peter that used to go out every week to assist in clearing rubbish from our rivers.

As for the bushes behind the Daisy, trust Monz and Ru to go out with plastic bags every so often.

The list of people who do not shy away from keeping this town clean is endless, so forgive us if you did not get a mention in this article.

Barrydale no longer the paradise it used to be

The reality of living in Barrydale today is that it is no longer this safe beautiful village – anyone who tells you otherwise is either trying to sell their business/property or is living under a rock.

On many levels the village has transformed from what actually attracted so many people to it in the first place, to something it was never supposed to be.

What used to be a quiet getaway in the countryside has steadily become a more formal tourist destination and although change usually takes place outside of one’s comfort zone, some of the changes over the last few years has robbed the town of its character.

A drastic almost uncontrollable spike in crime – something that was unheard of pre-Covid – has resulted in an increase in the sale of electric fences, barbwire and security cameras.

A fine example; Sip’s house is a stone’s throw away from the police station and she has been burgled no less than 10 times this last year. Her beautiful Karoo cottage used to feature at Barrydale in Bloom but subsequently looks like something you could vind in dodgy places like Kraaifontein.

Factors that do not bode well for the future of this town are:

  • a) Unemployment
  • b) Alcoholism

Let’s Look at the Good News

Despite the increase in lawlessness and general decay, there are still many Barrydalers who go the extra mile to try and address some of the societal ills. There are still businesses that focus as much on profit as they do on contributing to a better life for all.

There are even a few (perhaps just one or two) politicians who actually care more about the community at large than their own gain.

The most important news here is that it is not too late and that Barrydale still has the potential to set the example to the rest of the country.

It will, however, take a collective effort…

Barrydale Hand Weavers

About the author

Mickey Mentz

From my Barrydale base, my goal is to tell the stories of people and places on the picturesque R62. Ek het oor die jare 'n cappuccino verslawing ontwikkel en my honde se name is Bella en Obi.

Leave a Comment