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Archive for the ‘South Africa’ Category

There are not many clerics that get mentioned on these pages but here is one that is a real hero of mine pictured with another.  Desmond Tutu will be remembered by many for his role in South Africa’s struggle against apartheid.  After his 79th birthday in October, he will reduce his work-load to one day a week before retiring.

That work would be devoted to The Elders, a group appointed by former President Nelson Mandela to tackle the world’s most pressing problems.

He said his career highlight was introducing Nelson Mandela as South African president in 1994.

During the 27 years that Mr Mandela was in prison, Archbishop Tutu spoke out against apartheid – and won the Nobel peace prize in 1984 for his efforts.

He was chosen by Mandela to chair South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission and investigate the crimes committed by all sides during the apartheid regime.

The world is marking the first Nelson Mandela International Day to commemorate the birthday of South Africa’s first black president, who turns 92 today.

The UN last year agreed to commemorate Mandela’s birthday every year  to recognise his contribution to resolving conflicts and promoting race relations, human rights and reconciliation.

We finally got to see this inspiring film – I recommend you see it

Invictus is a short poem by the English poet William Ernest Henley (1849–1903). It was written in 1875 and first published in 1888.  It is what inspired Mandela on Robben Island.

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Click pic for a view on life is SA since Mandela’s release – very poignant.

I tried in vain to reschedule our return at a reasonable price but no dice so we spent our last afternoon at Cellars Hohenort and it was idyllic.

We arrived back to a snow bound Heathrow and we did not get off the plane for an hour as the gangway was frozen and could not be connected.  I had to venture into the cold and walk to the terminal – I was wearing a short sleeved shirt, shots and sandals!  Our btaxi was waiting for us and our driver whisked us back to Salop.  Great trip and thoroughly recommend anyone go to Cape Town which is an amazing, relaxed and friendly city – we will go back for sure.

If I can do the right deal i think we will be back for a longer period next winter – I am looking for a 2 month 1 bedroom apartment rental in the Camps Bay area with wifi of course.  Seems a touch expensive from my research so far but will plod on.  God it is cold and I don’t normally feel it but coming back from glorious weather you fell it more – I wish I was back there now and I don’t normally want to go back to a place I have been to on holiday always saying there is plenty of the world I have not seen yet!

We made it on our second attampt but it was rough going out and rougher on the way back – Jean was seasick and has taken to her bed.

The island has a shoreline of about 13km and at present you can only see the island from a coach.  The island has been a prison since the 16th century and named Robben or Seal Iland by the Dutch.  I held criminals and politicla prisoners and also a leper colony.  No one has ever escaped from Robben Island and reached the mainland.  It is 11km to the mainland at the shortest point and the water is rough and shark infested.

Robben Island became a prison for male black ANC activists from the early appartied years and most of the older black male politicians in the current cabinet served time in Robben Island.

The guide who took us around the maximum security block where Mandela and all the other activists were imprisioned was himself an inmate who was tortured in the most diabolical way and probably similar to what was going on at Abu Grave and Guantanimo Bay – it is a tribute to these guys that they can forgive and become part of the reconilliation process.  The captain of the ship that took us to the island was a nasty white former guard but who is now accepted by his former enemies.

This journey has inspired me to read ‘Long walk to Freedom’ much of which was written by Mandela while on Robben Island and hidden in the garden.

Mandela’s cell was about 8ft square, no bed, just blanket on the floor and a bucket.

Here in SA, as with most countries, after food and health come three policy areas that must be solved to form a decent society.  As soon as you land and get on the road to your hotel you see miles of shanty towns, people (not white) walking by the side of the road for miles and children playing who in many other countries would be in school.  This country has many problems and we are in the soft south compared with Joburg and environs and life is getting better for many.  Is twenty years (before enlightenment as the newspapers refer to it) long enough to get the basics right?

Taxi drivers, staff in hotels, restaurants and bars are brilliant – but I keep on wondering what they go home to!

This is completely different to countries like India where there is poverty but here in SA the country was ruled by governments of such despicable people for so long that, now there is enlightenment, the life style of the white population should be reigned back severely to assist the regeneration of society in general.  I suppose that enlightenment would never of happened had the white population known they would suffer.

This is going to take a long time and the whites will get richer and richer – I wonder how it will be in another twenty years – I hope this country survives and prospers but I cannot predict the outcome – it will I am sure be a rocky road.

I have been thinking about this post and it is absolutely like India – in India the dispicable government was Great Britain and they did not begin to develop until Independence over 60 years ago – will it take 60 years and more in SA?

We were to have gone to Robben Island today but all trips were cancelled due to winds and high seas – you would not know it from where we were – beautiful day all day and not a cloud in the sky.   We have rebooked for Monday morning but if we don’t go then we will never go this trip.

I tried to extend our stay and could have got a flight on 16th but it would have cost £550 to change – bastards!

The Cape Town papers were a treat to read with reference to SA not being able to land a killer blow for the second time in this series – we go to Joburg 1 up and 1 to play.

We are now at Blue Waters in Camps Bay looking out to the Indian Atlantic (oops) Ocean – one of the best views from a hotel bedroom I have ever had.  Pic in the morning as I have left the camera down in the car and I am not going down for it now.

The wifi in Oudsthoorne and Stellenbosch was crap and expensive – here it is excellent and free!

We went for dinner to this restaurant run by the local university in Stellenbosch for students to get experience of the real world of the entertainment industry.  The food was very good (apart from the Tiramisu which was very heavy and not charged when rejected) but I asked to speak to the boss as this was the first SA restaurant where I had not seen a black face – all restaurants from the bottom to the top are staffed by blacks but this restaurant was staffed by whites completely.

He told me politely that there were no black faces as they did not apply for the university.  It transpired that the university was a private university and there were no black applicants because it was too expensive.  I asked about scholarships and bursaries for black students and he got very defensive referring me to a brochure and a telephone number for further information.  I will follow this up.

Jamie Oliver – new pastures for you matey to bring culinary education to the masses.