"Well Done": SA Mom Shows Building Progress of Dream Backyard Garden and Impresses Mzansi
- A mom known as Ndandu Khavhadi documented her one-year DIY garden transformation in a viral Instagram reel
- She tackled the project with no prior construction experience, digging through rocky ground and mixing concrete by hand
- South Africans and fans worldwide flooded the comments to cheer her on after watching the remarkable progress
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Source: Instagram
A South African mum who is a self-taught builder decided to take matters into her own hands and transform her backyard entirely on her own. Ndandu Khavhadi, the woman behind the Instagram account @justamomwithadrill, shared part four of her ongoing DIY series on 13 October 2026, giving followers a candid look at a project that has taken over a year to complete.
The reel covers everything from priming and painting a garden wall to constructing a pergola from scratch. Ndandu was upfront about the learning curve, admitting she had no idea what she was doing when she started but pressed on regardless.
From rocky ground to concrete slab
The digging phase proved to be one of the toughest parts. Without the right tools and working through ground packed with rocks, progress was slow and messy. Building the pergola structure brought its own headaches. Her plan to secure both posts simultaneously quickly fell apart, and she admitted she spent a while "playing chess against herself" before realising she needed to tackle one post at a time.
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Once the posts were upright and level, she mixed and poured concrete to set them firmly in place. The next challenge was laying a full concrete slab. She reinforced the floor before pouring, and when fatigue made it impossible to finish in a single day, she adapted by sloping and cutting the edges so both pours joined seamlessly. Fourteen wheelbarrows of concrete mix later, the slab was levelled, the walls cleaned up, and the trowel work done.
View the Instagram video below:
Mzansi and fans rally behind the DIY mom
Viewers were clearly invested in her journey and had plenty to say in the comments on her page:
@oscarblake wrote:
"Well done"
@harvey.skye said:
"So proud of you"
@harvey.skye added:
"We need more"
@sx8_r commented:
"Real woman"
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- A TikTok video of Harare’s blooming jacarandas and Central Gardens challenges negative portrayals and divides many viewers over the changing capital.
- South African mom Charlotte shares a province-by-province November planting guide, with summer crops and gardeners’ plans from across the country this summer.
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Source: Briefly News
