Actress and singer, Sorina Erasmus, tells us about her neighbourhood
Sorina Erasmus, who is known for her role as the biker “chomma” Flooze on 7de Laan, is also an Afrikaans singer, songwriter and TV presenter. She recently presented the Ons Sprokiesbruilof reality show on KykNet. She’s been happily married to businessman Braam Riekert for nine years and they have two children together. The family live in the charming old-world suburb of Irene in Centurion.
Sorina says Irene reminds her a lot of the countryside village in Limpopo where she grew up. “It’s beautiful, peaceful, with green pastures all around us. Although Irene is basically located between the hustle and bustle of Centurion East and Pretoria, it doesn’t feel like you’re in the middle of two busy cities, but rather in the country, like a small village such as Clarens or Dullstroom.”
Sorina describes their lifestyle as “modern country”. “Most of the time my kids are outdoors playing barefoot in the mud and seeing how many little ‘goggas’, grasshoppers and shongololos they can catch and keep as ‘pets’.”
Fairly recent major developments in the area include two unique malls. “Southdowns Shopping Centre and Irene Village Mall came along and they are both really unique as they fit in perfectly with the vibe of the area. But the look and feel of the area was kept the same as that is what gives Irene the unique character that makes the neighbourhood so popular.”
Sorina’s favourite places to visit in the area are the historic but still working Irene Dairy Farm, for outings with the kids, and The Big Red Barn, where the whole family can participate in several outdoor adventures. For everyday shopping and restaurants, she loves to visit Irene Village Mall.
When asked what makes a house a home, Sorina doesn’t hesitate. “The people living between those walls and the love they have for each other. If you live in a shack with love surrounding you, you’re much richer than someone living in a luxurious five-storey mansion where the people have no love or respect for each other.”
Sorina and her family feel blessed to live in a neighbourhood where people still care for each other.
When asked how living in Irene di¬ffers from life in Witbank, Sorina chuckles and says, “I have never stayed in Witbank, so I don’t know. The Flooze character comes from Witbank, so I’ll have to ask her next time she pops in for a kuier.”
I chose Irene because it reminds me of the unruffled countryside where I lived as a little girl
- Sorina Erasmus
Transport plus:
- Located adjacent to the N1, a few kilometres from the R21
- Only 20 minutes from the OR Tambo International Airport
- Less than 10 minutes away from the Centurion Gautrain station
Schools nearby:
- Southdowns College
- Cornwall Hill College
- Irene Primary School
- Laerskool Doringkloof Primary
Dine out:
- Irene Dairy Farm: for fresh country-style home-cooked food
- Village Bistro: for delicious thin-base pizza
- The Punjabian: for tasty Indian food
- The Publican: for sundowners and steaks
- Whisk Wine Bar: for a varied selection of food and drinks
Why we love Irene Village Mall:
- This open-air mall with a cattle theme has more than 90 shops to choose from and includes movies at Ster-Kinekor, top restaurants such as Piza e Vino Pizzeria, RocoMamas, Mythos, Karoo Cattle and Land, and Memory Lane Frozen Yoghurt. Irene Village Mall is family friendly and also allows pets. Parents can enjoy refreshments and watch over their kids as they play on the ground-level fountain. Irene Village Mall also has Facebook competitions, weekly exhibitions and a regularly updated events calendar.
Find out more at irenemall.co.za.
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood, Sunday Times.
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