Salt Rock Community Rallies Around Oupa Petrus a Friendly Face and Guardian

Photo Credit: Shared via BackaBuddy

He made the young ones and their community feel safe and seen; now their care wraps around him in a tough chapter.

Salt Rock, Ballito (2 October 2025) – If you had a child at Curro in Salt Rock, Oupa Petrus is a familiar face.

He was the welcoming smile at the gate, the reliable set of eyes helping parents with parking, and the gentle guardian who greeted every child by name, making them feel safe at school.

He became a part of the family at Curro Castle, whom everyone loved and trusted. Now, the community he once looked after is chipping in to look after him.

Petrus has become very unwell and is currently in full-time care. A BackaBuddy campaign started by Salt Rock community member Melinda Renald shares the sad news.

The illness has taken a toll on him and his loved ones, both emotionally and financially. That’s why parents, teachers, and friends are all supporting the campaign called ‘Care for Oupa Petrus.’

The goal is to raise R50,000 to support him, and in under one day, nearly R20,000 has already come in. That should tell you something about Oupa Petrus and the mark he has left on the people he cared for.

One parent who donated wrote: “Thank you for all your kindness during our time at Curro Castle.” Another shared: “Ngiyabonga Gakhulu Baba Petros. You always looked after our kids very well and you are such a wonderful, humble human.”

Even the children remember. “Get well, Sir, and thank you for looking after me and others at Curro,” a pupil wrote.

It’s clear that Oupa is loved. His kindness and humility touched many people who entered the school grounds, and now those people want to give back and help him get the care he and his family need.