Elias Motsemme is nearly 70 years old. His horse and cart business, which he learnt from his father, is the only one he knows.
Elias says times were good until the trucks came. By this, he means when the municipality started using mechanical refuse removal trucks to pick up the rubbish in Parys every week.
He used to have a thriving business, picking up the town’s rubbish and taking weekend visitors on a tour through Parys and down to the river. At the time, the Mimosa Restaurant was still open and the fun activities at the Mimosa Gardens were the rage. Now, both the restaurant and Olympic swimming pool at the resort have fallen into decay.
With less and less work, times are tough for Elias.
Perhaps, it is time to re-ignite the charm of the horse and cart tours around town over weekends. There could be a proper depot where visitors know where to find the horse-drawn tour. Maybe, it could even include an African lunch so people can experience a taste of township life.
Elias and his horses desperately need second-hand 1400 tyres, halters and blinkers for the horses, harnesses and horse feed, which would be strictly administered.
Anyone who can help, please call Kerry Edgar on 076 818 0154.
