Autumn means leaves: crunchy, orange, and, admittedly, fairly annoying. But don’t reach for those rakes and plastic bags just yet; there’s a strong argument about leaving the leaves that you might want to hear if you care about your garden.

South Africa (12 May 2025) — The colder seasons of the year are doing their thing, and several parts of the country have the leaves (and even snowfall) to prove it.

While most of our country won’t need to worry about clearing snowfall from our driveways, we will feel inclined to deal with the plethora of crunchy Autumn leaves in our wake. For some, it’s an eyesore. For others, it means that the kids will spend all afternoon ‘crunching’ and more mess. However, don’t reach for your rake and plastic bag combo just yet.

There’s a strong argument for leaving the leaves that you might want to hear if you care about your garden.

Community clean-up organisation Better Bedfordview is encouraging everyone to ‘leaf it be’, and for good reason.

As per the team, leaves are a free fertiliser that can be collected (not for the trashcan) but for your flower beds or compost heaps.

It’s a sentiment that’s echoed by many gardening authorities, including Martha Stewart.

The Pros

• Decomposing leaves become mulch, a soil enricher, and a source of nutrients!
• In rain and wind-rich areas, leaves can help prevent soil erosion
• Leaving the leaves can also give the biodiversity in your little eco-system a boost
• You’ll also give pollinators a place to ‘overwinter’ and provide shelter to some small wildlife critters

How to Make the Most of Leaf Season

• Gather leaves to be spread around trees, plants and in your flower beds (don’t pack them up tightly; make sure to leave some space around the plants)
• Or, layer them into compost heaps that you’ll use in the future
• You can also rally your community for a shared compost heap that everyone can access

Sources: Better Bedfordview; Martha Stewart 

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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I met an 83-year-old man in Pennington who’s been fixing potholes for nearly 12 years… using his own money, his maroon bakkie and a whole lot of heart.

South Coast, South Africa (20 April 2025) – Yesterday, I met a local hero in a place I had never been before, Pennington.

Pennington is a small, sun-drenched coastal village along the south coast where time slows down, the waves greet you first and all the dogs seem to know each other by name (or butt sniffs). It’s the kind of place where the milkshake at the corner café still comes with a paper straw (not because of climate change but because that’s how they’ve done it since the 80s) and where everyone seems to genuinely care about everyone else.

There’s heart here. And a whole lot of community.

But even in a place this charming, potholes don’t fix themselves.

Call it serendiptious. Or maybe fortuitous. Or perhaps just meant-to-be. But on the way to the beach, I crossed paths with an 83-year-old man named Tony Hoggins… a legend with a maroon bakkie who’s been quietly fixing the town’s potholes for over a decade.

Let that sink in.

Eleven and a half years.

Of mixing cement. Of patching holes. Of taking matters into his own hands because, as he puts it: “No one else is going to fix it.”

I’d come down to visit my parents, who’ve recently bought a property in Pennington with plans to eventually retire here. Drawn to the peace, the people and the promise of a gentler kind of life. I expected sea air, slow days and perhaps a lazy walk on the beach. What I didn’t expect… was to be reminded just how extraordinary ordinary people can be.

Tony is well-known around here. Everyone has a story. Some have seen him stop mid-errand to patch a hole. Others have helped him mix a bit of cement. Kids wave when they spot his maroon bakkie ambling through town. And more than a few locals have quietly left donations, slipped into his hand at the café, or passed through a car window, because they know he won’t ask… but they also know he won’t stop.

He does this with his own money. Every tool. Every mix. Every patch.

It’s not a funded project. It’s not backed by a municipality. It’s just Tony, his bakkie and a sense of duty to the place he calls home.

He told me it’s never been about recognition. He’s not trying to be a hero. He just saw something broken and decided to be the kind of person who tries to fix it. When I asked him what message he had for the rest of South Africa, he paused, like he didn’t want to preach, and then said something so profound: “If everybody did their little part in front of their own homes, or in their streets, or communities, then South Africa would be a very different place.”

Simple. But powerful.

Because we all know the truth, many parts of South Africa are struggling. Infrastructure is crumbling. Especially in smaller towns. Years of corruption and mismanagement have left roads full of holes and hearts full of frustration. It’s easy to feel hopeless. To believe that no one cares.

To throw your hands in the air and say, “Well, it’s not my job.”

But stories like Tony’s shift that narrative. They remind us that change doesn’t always come from the top. Sometimes, it starts at the bottom of a pothole.

Across the country, we’re seeing sparks of this same spirit. Initiatives like Tidy Towns Pennington, Tidy Towns Shelly to Margate, Better Fourways, and Better Bedfordview are proof that communities aren’t waiting anymore. They’re stepping up. Fixing what’s broken. Rebuilding what was left to decay. One street. One patch. One kind act at a time.

And Tony? He’s just one man with a maroon bakkie and a bag of cement. But in a country where too many are still waiting for someone else to fix things, he reminds us that waiting isn’t the only option.

He didn’t ask for permission. He didn’t wait for funding. He just got to work.

And maybe that’s the lesson here.

That real change doesn’t always roar in with a crowd. Sometimes, it arrives quietly… in the form of an 83-year-old with grit in his hands and love for his town in his heart.

Because if one person can do this much for one small village, just imagine what we could do together.

Start with what’s in front of you.
Fix what you can.
And never underestimate the power of simply showing up.

The road to a better South Africa might be long but thanks to people like Tony, it’s already being paved.

Sources: Interview with Tony Hoggins in Pennington 

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Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post The 83-Year-Old Filling Potholes and Restoring Hope in His Community appeared first on Good Things Guy.

Hitting the ground running in 2025, the Better Bedfordview crew successfully repaired 27 potholes in the area in a week!

Bedfordview, South Africa (14 January 2025) — The Better Bedfordview crew spent a significant amount of time on the road recently and not because they were stuck in traffic. Instead, the team were hard at work conquering what is perhaps the only thing more frustrating for motorists than traffic itself—potholes in abundance. The team diligently repaired a whopping 27 potholes whilst beautifying their streets in other essential ways!

Watch: 27 Potholes Conquered in a Week

It was an effort for their community, its drivers, businesses and runners. In the case of the latter, the 27 pothole fix-up frenzy had runners front of mind on account of the recently passed Biogen Half Marathon. Not only did they want to ensure runners had a smoother journey (and didn’t fall into any ridiculous road eaters), they also knew that the marathon would see an important influx of visitors to Bedfordview.

Considering that most government callouts to fix a pothole take immensely longer than a week, the team can and should be beyond proud in showing the authorities how it’s done.

Beyond the 27 potholes, the team also weeded, collected litter, trimmed grass and cleaned the streets, making for a big bang of good to start 2025.

A community-centric non-profit organisation, Better Bedfordview has helped transform the Gauteng suburb in all kinds of ways—from creating employment opportunities to inspiring active citizenship that keeps the area clean, beautiful and one to be proud of.

Meanwhile, in other news, where people came together to fix a problem and leave a space better off than they found it, community members and shelter dogs joined forces to give Lagoon Beach in Cape Town some love over the weekend by collecting 284 kilograms of garbage!

Sources: Better Bedfordview 

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Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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NPO Better Bedfordview has played a big role in transforming the suburb for the best. Now, they’re on the hunt for others who are doing the same in their own small ways and are seeking out the best pavement as part of a community competition!

Bedfordview, South Africa (19 November 2024) — Non-profit organisation Better Bedfordview is hosting a community competition that commends active citizenship! By unleashing the hunt for the best pavement, the community clean-up organisation hopes to encourage more members of the Bedfordview community to take care of their suburb little by little, one pavement, lawn, or clean-up effort at a time.

The organisation has proven that small actions do make a big difference time and and time again. From pothole repairs to creating employment opportunities and revitalising entrances to the suburb, the group of volunteers have poured their all into making their home one everyone can be proud of.

As such, the Best Pavement Competition is here to commend those who have done their part to add a little pride and joy to Bedfordview. Although a simple canvas at first glance, pavements hold great promise for all kinds of creativity—from luscious landscaping to brilliant flower beds.

Like all the NPOs initiatives, taking care of a single pavement translates to more people becoming inspired to follow suit. And, when an area is cared for, it often becomes less susceptible to societal ills like crime and environmental damage.

The Best Pavement Competition will see entries close tomorrow, 20 November. If you or someone you know has put in the work to beautify Bedfordview in this way, you can make a nomination by sending through photos of the pavement space to info@betterbedforview.org.za. Don’t forget to include the address!

Meanwhile in other community clean up news, Benoni-based Clean Projects recently achieved an impressive feat by cleaning out tons of hyacinth in the local lake! You can read more about this project here.

Sources: Better Bedfordview 

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Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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