Do You Know the Goose Whisperer of the M13?

Photo Credit: Canva

The search is on for a hero who stopped rush-hour traffic to help a family of Egyptian geese cross the highway safely.

Durban, South Africa (22 July 2026) – There’s a special corner of our site. A wholesome little nook dedicated to the heroes who stop, get out of their cars, and help geese, ducks, and chickens of South Africa all cross the road safely.

This week, a reader wrote to us, sharing another heartwarming story for the growing goose hero bank. Jane says she was driving back to Durban on the M13 on Monday when, at around 16h00, she hit a roadblock.

Traffic stretched along the M13 northbound, from Abrey Road to Fields Centre. Sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic at peak hour could induce a fit of road rage in some, but not this time. The sweetest act of kindness was unfolding on the road ahead.

“Two lanes of traffic brought to a standstill behind a dark blue 4 x 4 and a white [minibus] vehicle. This allowed the hero – a young man – to jump out of his car, and shepherd a mother Egyptian goose across the highway towards the Kloof golf club verge,” Jane shares. “…And then, he scooped up at least two tiny goslings in his hands and carried them to the safety of the bushes on the verge.”

This young man brought traffic to a standstill, just so he could safely ferry a family of geese across the highway. It was an incredibly brave thing to do. Jumping out into rush hour traffic is action movie stuff.

“It was an amazing sight and something that took courage in rush hour traffic,” Jane shares. “He is my hero for the week. A young man who took the time and initiative to do a beautiful thing.”

Jane gives props to the motorists too, who exercised patience in allowing the small act of kindness to take place safely.

“Notable too, was the patience of the drivers who allowed this act of mercy to take place – at least 100 cars – no hooting or shouting this time!”

Jane has asked us to dig deeper, and perhaps find her hero. Our greatest resource, in this case, is our readership! If you are – or know – the young man who stopped on the M13 north for a family of geese on Monday, please reach out. We’d like to give you your well-deserved hero badge!

“Sometimes nature stops us in our tracks and forces us to contemplate its beauty, and this time, beauty in the fragility of life. That this man had the power to stop a highway of cars, to ensure the safety of helpless goslings and their mother, and risked not only his own safety but being ridiculed by 100s of potentially furious motorists, spoke volumes of his integrity and ability to simply take the time to be ‘lekker’. What a mensch.” shares Jane.