South Africa is a marvel, and for Yvonne Spierenburg, it was enough to uproot her entire life from abroad to dwell in the humble community of KwaNgwanase. Over the past 12 years, she has witnessed remarkable progress in the region and was keen to share all she’s experienced.
KwaNgwanase, South Africa (15 January 2025) – In 2012, Yvonne Spierenburg swapped the modern Dutch city for the tranquillity of the South African bush in kwaNgwanase (also known as Kosi Bay Town).
Captivated by the warm sun, lush greenery, and abundant wildlife, she embraced this new life, building a home for her family while actively contributing to the local community.
Reflecting on her 12 years in South Africa, Yvonne can’t help but marvel at the remarkable progress she’s witnessed in rural South Africa.
“We’ve come a long way. Though there’s still a long road ahead,” she acknowledges in a Facebook post.
One of the most significant improvements, according to Yvonne, is the development of road infrastructure. While there are still many potholes (something many of us can relate to), the roads have vastly improved.
A decade ago, a simple trip to town could take over an hour, but today, the same journey takes around 30 minutes thanks to a proper road, she shares.
Another major change is the increased accessibility of delivery services. When she first moved to the bush, besides one or two exceptions, no one was keen on making deliveries.
“You would spend hours online making a trolley and at checkout, you would be informed that you are too far into the middle of nowhere to qualify for (paid) delivery.
“Today this is no longer a problem. There are still companies that don’t deliver to us, but they often don’t mind if you arrange the courier yourself. I think we can get 90% of things delivered now where it used to be not even 5%, definitely a massive change,” she shares.
To reach a proper hospital, she still needs to travel roughly three hours. Although there hasn’t been much change in the area, there has been some medical advancements. For example, certain health checks and tests can now be conducted at the nearest pharmacy. A health truck also visits the area every six months to provide mammograms.
Shopping has also become more convenient with more shops opening up nearby. Yvonne even jokes that she can almost call her area somewhat of a small city now compared to what it used to be 12 years back.
As for the internet and electricity – the struggle is still real there but varies among different areas. Yet still, she has noticed improvements in accessibility and shorter periods of being without power.
“We still have our fair share of challenges living in the bush, but it is absolutely nothing compared to how we started 12-15 years ago.
“Things are getting easier every day and some things will never change. Life in the bush is definitely an adventure,” a content Yvonne concludes.
Sources: Yvonne in the Bush
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