RI7ER JOURNAL POSTS

Several hours on dirt road from 11h00am-17h30pm got us here in Onseepkans. Rutted and corrugated roads slowed us down to 20/30 km/h. We passed only 3 vehicles between Goodhouse and Pofadder. Very Little shade on this route except for a short section as you approach Pella from Goodhouse side. There are several drifs with cement slabs to cross, nearby these are camelthorn trees for a respite from the heat. Ocean deserts of succulents, quiver tree forests, tufted grasses with a distant mountain always in view.

Met up with Olga from Goodhouse earlier in the morning, she has lost her shop. They smashed it down. Unsure of the real reason. Now there is no shop in Goodhouse for residents to get supplies. Springbok is the nearest at a roundtrip of R600.

To add to the woes of the village, the farmer who was running a huge Paprika project and employing the majority of the residents has left town under dubious circumstances. His debt has forced the government and banks to seize land and assets and until the court case has been resolved.

Ine and i met Olga earlier this year and her shop was a welcome resupply to our depleted provisions. A community woman with guts and heart, she now looks after the elderly and sick and continues to hassle government to contribute to setting up infrastructure such as a cellphone tower, and to release the seized land to the community that they may farm and support themselves.

When we got there, there was no water and electricity in the village, many people sitting another day in the shade hoping for better times.

Was almost embarrassing to leave in our luxury vehicle.

by Rob Wilson