Mzanzitravel Magazine

Mzanzitravel
The Muslim
Experience
The Muslim
Experience
Discover our fascinating
Discover Muslim our heritage fascinating
Muslim heritage
and yellow pages
and yellow pages
A booklover’s journey into the world
A booklover’s independent journey bookstores into the world of
independent bookstores

Contents
EDITOR’S NOTE
7
TRAVELBITES…
Tourism-related news
and information
9
HIDDEN GEMS…
Delightful experiences and
places off the beaten track
16
W.CAPE WELCOMES VISITORS...
But asks they should help save water
26
THE MUSLIM EXPERIENCE…
Discover SA’s rich Muslim heritage
FOLLOW THAT LITTLE WHITE BALL…
Golf tourism in South Africa
32
42
MZANZITRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 8 | 3

The only organisation of its kind in the world
EDUCATION &
ENTERTAINMENT
SHOW TIMES:
TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY
09H00 AND 14H00
SUNDAY: EVERY 1 st SUNDAY
OF THE MONTH 14H00 - 16H00
CONTACT NUMBER FOR BOOKINGS +27(0) 31 566 0435 | Closed on recognised public hlidays
BOAT TRIPS
MONDAY TO FRIDAY: CONTACT NUMBER FOR BOOKING
+27(0)82 403 9206
www.shark.co.za

Contents
BOTSWANA…
Where delta meets desert and wildlife
is everywhere
52
MYEISHA
FREE STATE…
The golden heart of South
Africa
THE CAPE OF FESTIVALS….
The Western Cape’s many summer
carnivals & festivals
ADVENTURE ON THE MIGHTY ORANGE…
Experience SA’s longest river
www.myeishanamibia.com
Tel: +264 (0)81 202 8916
1 Groot Tiras Street, Windhoek
Windhoek: C Squared in Carl List Mall,
Independence Avenue
Swakop: Mirror Mirror, Bonus Marktplatz
c/o Sam Nujoma & Nathaniel Maxuilili Str.
Photography by: Tara Mette
DUSTY COVERS AND YELLOW PAGES…
Tour SA’s independent bookshops
62
70
80
86
COMPETITION
Win a genuine leather Maya Tote Bag (not shown here)
worth over N$ 5000.00 by answering an easy
question: ‘Where is the MAYA bag made?’.
The winner will be selected on 23 rd March 2018.
For further details log on to
www.facebook.com/myeishafashion/ or
www.facebook.com/Mzanzitravel/
MZANZITRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 8 | 5

Unique Accommodation and Campsites
Nature Drive and Sundowner • Cheetah Feeding • Morning Scenic Drive
Morning Walk with the San • Night Game Drive • Safari on Horseback
Star Gazing • Desert Treatment Spa • Meerkat Family at the Lodge
Unforgettable memories in an ancient living desert
www.bagatelle-kalahari-gameranch.com
Ranch:
Tel: +264 (63) 240 982 / +264 (0)63 241 787
Email: info@bagatelle-kalahari-gameranch.com
Reservations:
Tel: +264 (61) 224712 / +264 (61) 224217
Email: reservation@resdest.com
GPS COORDINATES: 24 18’ 031” South 18° 01’ 970” East

Summer/Autumn
2017/2018
It’s hard to believe, but here we are, already at the end of
the year going into a new one. For us, and we trust for you
too, it has been a wonderful year as we endeavoured to
bring you the best in travel experiences with, in the first
place, a focus on local South African travel, but also looking
beyond our borders at all that this magnificent continent
has to offer.
Editor'S Note
overview of the many festivals and carnivals taking place
here in the summer months. But please remember our
drought, and try and save as much water as possible. We
have provided an update with some water-saving tips in
this edition. Furthermore, with golf tourism being one of the
fastest-growing tourism sectors globally, and with South
Africa being a favourite destination for golf fanatics from
around the world, we chase that little white ball down our
many fabulous fairways. May you land that hole in one this
summer!
It being summer and the holiday period, the focus of
this edition is very much on summer fun and outdoors
experiences, such as the adventures that can be enjoyed
on the Orange River (Gariep), our longest and most iconic
river. There’s a whole world of adventure out there just
waiting for you!
We also take our readers on a journey into “the Muslim
Experience” in South Africa. We have a very large Muslim
community with a culture, heritage and history that goes
back almost 360 years. For Muslims and non-Muslims
alike, there is so much to explore within and around this
community. In addition, the number of Muslims from
other countries travelling to South Africa to share in this
experience is growing with leaps and bounds.
For the many people descending on Cape Town and the
Western Cape over this period, we have provided an
The wonderful world of independent and second-hand
bookstores – often found at the most unexpected places in
cities and the smallest of country towns – is also explored.
And we bring you fresh insights into the Free State, the
golden heart of South Africa, as well as neighbouring
Botswana with its many breath-taking attractions. As
always, we also have our regular sections, Hidden Gems
and TravelBites.
With this edition we will also be going to the World Travel
Market Africa in Cape Town, Africa’s Travel Indaba in
Durban, and Meetings Africa in Johannesburg. We hope
to see all our old friends there and make many new ones.
If you are on the road during the holiday period, please
take care and reach your destination safely. I wish all our
readers and advertisers a wonderful festive season and a
Stef
prosperous 2018. See you again next year!
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http://mzanzitravel.co.za/hidden_gems/
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Jane Frost
EDITOR
Stef Terblanche
SALES MANAGER
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Bert Albers: bert@mzanzitravel.co.za
Cedrick West: cedrick@mzanzitravel.co.za
Emlyn Dunn: emlyn@mzanzitravel.co.za
Cover: Shutterstock
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UPLANDS
Est. 1928
Uplands is a Christian Independent, Englishspeaking
co-educational school operating under
the auspices of the Anglican Church and offering
schooling to boys and girls from Grades 0000 to
12, with boarding from Grade 4 upwards.
A walk around the peaceful 110-hectare estate
will give you a sense of the rich history, with the
Preparatory School opening in 1928 and the
establishment of the College in 1997.
Prep: +27 13 7513806
College: +27 13 7513141
admissions@uplands.co.za
www.uplands.co.za

News & Information
Tourism South Africa
Western Cape welcomes visitors despite
water shortage
With thousands of tourists and holidaymakers about to descend on Cape Town and the
Western Cape, the Cape Town municipality has announced it will implement Level 6
water restrictions as of 1 January 2018. But the city has assured visitors their holidays
will not be in jeopardy. At present Level Water restrictions are being enforced. Level 6
restrictions mean that residential units consuming more than 10 500 litres a month will
be prioritised for enforcement; residents should keep their water usage to 87.5 litres a
MZANZITRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|Issue 8| 9

News & Information
day; non-residential properties are to reduce consumption by 45%; agricultural users
are to reduce consumption by 60%; and the use of borehole water for outdoor purposes
is discouraged in order to preserve groundwater resources. Despite the severe drought
and water restrictions, in an earlier statement Wesgro - the official tourism, trade and
investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape - said both the city
and the province are open for tourism and ready for a bumper peak season, which it
says, promises to be the best yet.
Discover Durban campaign launched with
help of English rugby team
When the England rugby team tour South Africa to take on the Springboks in June, they
want to base themselves in Durban “because it has everything”. That is what England
coach Eddie Jones told Cell C Sharks coaches who were visiting Britain, the team’s
chief executive Gary Teichmann revealed at a Durban Tourism launch in uMhlanga
recently. Jones’ and Teichmann’s views echo Durban Tourism’s latest slogan that
#Durbanhasmore. Durban Tourism has renewed its three-year partnership with its
tourism ambassadors - the Sharks, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the Golden Arrows
- with Teichmann telling the audience at the launch at the Beverly Hills Hotel that the
team “really treasures this relationship”. Durban Tourism hopes that its partnership
with its tourism ambassadors and its travel trade relationships will boost its three-year
marketing campaign called Discover Durban. Acting deputy city manager Phillip Sithole,
whose responsibilities also include Durban Tourism, predicted that the campaign would
be a “game-changer that will renew global awareness to new markets and lure more
visitors to the city”. Durban Tourism wants the city to be the No1 tourism destination
in Africa in the next five years and in the top 20 destinations in the world by 2022. The
aim was to promote Durban as a “bucket list” destination, Sbu Zondi, Durban Tourism’s
senior marketing and communications manager, told guests. What set Durban apart
were the accolades it had won, he said, which included the city being named as one
of the top 52 destinations to visit (by Fodor’s Travel guidebook, USA), with the Moses
Mabhida Stadium being included in a Conde Nast Traveller online round-up of the 20
most beautiful places in South Africa, and the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards
voting the Oyster Box Hotel the No 1 Top Hotel in South Africa. Helping to drive the
latest campaign is a new three-year global partnership with media giant, Discovery.
Source: IOL/ Daily News - Barbara Cole
10 |ISSUE 8|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL

namibia
LAND OF CONTRASTS
AND SWEEPING VISTAS
After R120m facelift Cape Town’s iconic
Ritz Hotel is back in business
Cape Town’s iconic Ritz Hotel in Sea Point, with its top-floor revolving restaurant,
is opening its revamped doors just in time for this year’s holiday season. The hotel
has become something of a land mark since first opening its doors in the 1970s, but
in recent years became somewhat rundown. In 2016 the Ritz Hotel Management
Company (RHMC) embarked on a R120-million facelift for the hotel, which has just
been completed. RHMC says the new-look Ritz will not be “a quirky boutique property
or a stiff five-star hotel”, but will fill a gap somewhere in-between as an internationalgrade
hotel that would marry a contemporary design aesthetic with world-class
service. The 23-storey hotel underwent a complete refurbishing that started with a
complete overhaul of the insulation, plumbing and lift shafts. Now it features a sleek
porte-cochere of steel and glass, a glamorous lobby featuring golden palm trees and
front desk of white marble where the emphasis will be on refined personalised service.
EXCELLENT CAR RENTAL PRICES,
WHILE STILL OFFERING
SUPERIOR SERVICE
OUR VEHICLES ARE FITTED WITH
TOP OF THE RANGECAMPING
EQUIPMENT
Cape Town again voted best city in the
world by British tourists
For the fifth consecutive year, British tourists have voted Cape Town as the best city
in the world. In second and third place was Vancouver and Tokyo. Other cities in the
top 10 include Venice (Italy), Sydney (Australia) and New York (USA). This comes at
a time when air access to the city is booming due to tourist and business demand.
Joon, a member of the Air France Group, announced a new three flights a week
route starting in April 2018 from Paris to Cape Town direct. The Airports Company
South Africa (ACSA) further reinforced the strong growth through its quarterly
Aviation Barometer. Cape Town International had an increase of 6.6% in total traffic.
They also achieved a whopping 20.4% increase in international arrivals and 22.4%
in international departures. While the drought continues to impact the City and the
province, tourism has been overflowing.
Source: The South African
TEL.: +264-61-249239 CELL: + 264 81 1 222 500
INFO@NAMIBIACARRENTAL.COM
WWW.NAMIBIACARRENTAL.NET

News & Information
Africa
Empowering women to accelerate
transformation, growth of tourism
industry
More than 200 women from the African region gathered in Port Elizabeth for the annual
Women in Tourism (WiT) Conference themed Sustainable Tourism: A Tool for Radical
Socio-Economic Development for Women - a platform for dialogue on the challenges
that affect the socio-economic empowerment of women, funding constraints, and
the establishment of support structures and incentives. Speaking at the opening of
the conference, South African Minister Tokozile Xasa said: “We must unite to work
together to influence government’s policies and programmes. Collectively, our active
participation can result in a transformed and inclusive industry. We formally began
our journey to elevate women in the tourism industry at our inaugural conference in
2014. Over the years, we have gained strides in establishing the WiT conference as
a recognised platform that addresses the socio-economic concerns of women in our
sector, and the continent.” A baseline study conducted by the Tourism BBBEE Council
on the State of Tourism Transformation revealed that only 11% of enterprises had black
women representation at boards, executives and senior management positions and
that the overall rate of transformation was slow.
BizCommunity
South Africa’s Kaya FM to help stimulate
travel to Nigeria
A delegation from South Africa’s Kaya 95.9 FM radio station recently visited Nigeria
in what CEO Greg Maloka described as “a bid to know our backyard a little better.”
Maloka and his team spent the better part of a week in Lagos where among other
activities, they were hosted to lunch at the Lagos Motorboat Club, Ikoyi, by the Nigeria
Tourism Development Corporation’s ‘Tour Nigeria’ brand. Kaya FM is the biggest
independent radio station in Gauteng, South Africa’s most populous province which
includes Johannesburg, Pretoria and other cities, and reflects the experiences of the
predominantly black, urban listener between the ages 25 to 49 living in the province.
The purpose of the visit was to dicsover more about Nigeria and through its radio
programmes encourage travel to Nigeria. With one million weekly views on Youtube,
Kaya FM is in a great position to help advance South Africa’s integration with the
rest of the continent, says the station. Already, there’s a healthy business relationship
between Nigeria and South Africa, with many South African brands now household
bookings@theconstantiawinetour.co.za
or call: 072 626 0011

Welcome to Umlilo
Lodge
Umlilo Lodge is a 4 star guest house situated in
the small village of St Lucia, the only private
village in the world to be completely
surrounded by a World Heritage Site.
We offer 13 comfortable en-suite guests rooms
in our tropical treehouse like lodge.
names in Nigeria. On the leisure front however, the trend has been for Nigerian travellers to explore the
tourism attractions that the South African economy hugely benefits from. However, the visit of Kaya FM
executives is an indication that South Africans are curious about – and willing to explore – Nigeria and its
unique culture expressed through film, music, art, fashion, food and more. This coincides with a renewed
drive by the Nigerian government to explore tourism as a vehicle for economic empowerment.
Source: This Day
Kenya opens the way for Intra Africa Tourism
As the leading tourist destination in East Africa, Kenya has opened its doors for tourists and other
travellers from the East African region and the rest of Africa for ease and visa free access to Kenyan cities
and other tourist areas and business. Kenyan President Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta opened his country’s doors
to Africans visiting Kenya and said all were welcomed to travel to his country without landing visa upon the
arrival. Kenya is now standing among nations pushing for the much awaited Intra-Africa travel and tourism
development, attracting African travellers to visit its high profile tourist attractions, mostly the wildlife.
President Kenyatta said there will no longer be a visa requirement before travelling to Kenya, making
this his personal initiative to spearhead the continent-wide push to boost integration and free movement.
Guests can choose to laze on the wooden deck
by the pool, make use of our free WiFi or relax
in our bar lounge with an honesty bar and full
Digital Satellite Television (DSTV) which is
surrounded by a fishpond. In the evenings
guests can choose to enjoy a Braai sitting in the
Boma around a fire and exchange travel stories
or wander into town to sample our local
restaurants.
You are spoiled for choice from 07:15 until
09:30 when we serve a healthy and delicious
English and continental breakfast, which also
includes fresh fruit, assorted yoghurt, cold
meats, cheeses, cereal and much more. We
can also book your activities from Big 5 Safaris
to Lake Cruises on Lake St Lucia.
Source: eturbonews.com
Umlilo Lodge, 9 Dolfyn Avenue, St Lucia Estuary,
South Africa, 3936
Telephone +27 (0)35 590 1717
E-Mail info@umlilolodge.co.za

News & Information
linkages by the various operators and stakeholders in the global trade, which is
largely regarded as one of the largest employer of labour and economic tool for the
development of the society. Globally, the list of such channels is endless, with such
notable ones as World Travel Market (WTM) in London, ITB Berlin and FITUR in
Madrid. In Nigeria, the culture is yet to catch on with Akwaaba African Travel Market
as the only such channel that has firmly established its foothold in the industry. The
annual event, which is staged in Lagos, has continued to attract different Africa
countries and hundreds of players in the industry to the country. But this new travel and
tourism trade event, built on different concept and mission made its entrance to the
scene in what many has described as a most fashionable and epoch making manner.
Known as Nigeria Travel Week (NTW) and promoted by the owner of Avantgarde
Tours, Efe Awhana, who is the chief executive officer of NTW in partnership with
Afro Tourism, with Toni Ukachukwu, the chief executive officer of Afro Tourism as the
chief operating officer of NTW with support from some key players and organisations
across the travel spectrum, came with a bang.
Source: New Telegraph / Andrew Iro Okungbowa
Marijuana attracting tourists to Morocco
It may not feature in Morocco’s official tourism brochures but cannabis, also known
as marijuana, dagga, hashish or weed, attracts thousands of visitors each year to
this North African country. At a hotel bar in the northern region of Ketama, German
tourist Beatrix made no attempt to hide the joint she was rolling. The 57-year-old said
she had fallen in love with the area for “the quality of its hashish and the friendliness
of its residents”. Northern Morocco is a key production centre for hashish for export
to Europe, but it has also seen traffic in the other direction — an influx of European
visitors heading to sample the local pleasures. While Moroccan law bans the sale
and consumption of the drug, that has not stopped farmers growing vast plantations
of it, providing a living for some 90,000 households, according to official figures for
2013, the most recent available. Smoking kif is seen as part of the local culture, and
is largely tolerated by the authorities. Beatrix was among the organisers of the mid-
September “Bombola Ganja” festival, essentially an evening gathering of smokers at
a hotel swimming pool.
Source: Daily Nation
International
Travelport launches PCI DSS
Certification Wizard Tool for Agency
Customers
Nigeria Travel Week…a refreshing
window to Nigeria tourism promotion
Nigeria Travel Week made its debut in November in a bid to promote domestic tourism
and bring the world to Nigeria. Travel and tourism trade exhibitions and conferences
are among noted channels globally for the deepening of tourism markets and creating
New York Stock Exchange-listed Travelport, a leading Travel Commerce Platform,
announced the launch of an online PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security
Standard) compliance referral service to help its customers businesses achieve PCI
DSS certification. With fraud and hacking in the travel industry on the rise, maintaining
a set of security standards to combat this criminal activity is critical when dealing with
customer credit card information, it says. Furthermore, as from March 2018, any IATA
agent that accepts card transactions against its own merchant agreement or issues
Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) card transactions is required to provide proof of PCI
DSS compliance to IATA. In response to customers asking for guidance on PCI DSS
certification and after a lengthy selection process, Travelport chose to partner with
SecurityMetrics, a leading provider and innovator in data security and compliance for
organisations worldwide. Making what is considered to be a very complex process,
as simple, low cost and streamlined as possible, the PCI DSS Certification program
provides customers with an online Wizard Tool to guide agents through the selfassessment
questionnaire process. The multi-language tool enables Travelport’s
agency customers worldwide to achieve PCI DSS compliance, a requirement by the
card industry for every business that touches card payments.
Source: Press Release
14 |ISSUE 8|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL

Introducing our new Destination
P OMENE,
Mozambique’s hidden jewel!
POMENE
Pomene, 605km north of Maputo and 170km south of Vilanculos, is arguably
one of the most picturesque destinations in Mozambique. The azure colours
of the Indian Ocean lap onto the powdery white sand of this peninsula’s palmlined
beaches on one side, while the other side is framed by the clear waters of
a spectacular mangrove estuary.
Contact your nearest
ASATA Agent
or 087 075 0852
MSCCRUISES.CO.ZA

Our regular feature in which we visit some unique, hiddenaway
and off-the-beaten-track places and experiences you
probably didn’t know existed…but which are truly worth a visit.
By Stef Terblanche
Flower Valley Farm … a fynbos
paradise conserved for the future
The story of Flower Valley Farm and the Flower Valley Conservation Trust is
one that fills one with optimism that humans can undo the damage done to our
planet. Situated along a beautiful stretch of mountainous coast near Gansbaai
in the Western Cape, just over an hour’s drive from Cape Town, the project is a
showcase for flourishing fynbos and well-functioning ecosystems, the way this
part of the world was before humans came along. You can also stay on these
farms, learn about conservation and go on awesome hikes, and contribute to
restoring and saving our environment at the same time.
The 540-hectare Flower Valley Farm, is home to many critically endangered
lowland fynbos species and has been cleared of all invasive alien plants. The
Flower Valley Conservation Trust, based on the farm, works to secure oftenthreatened
fynbos landscapes, and protect the animals whose lives depend on
fynbos. Fynbos serves as the hiding place of many animals whose existence
depends on this. Sadly, many fynbos species have already been lost, and more
than 1,000 are endangered.
Fynbos is the main vegetation type of the Cape Floral Kingdom – the smallest
and richest of only six floral kingdoms in the world. About 75% of fynbos species
are endemic to their area and grow nowhere else in the world. The trust and the
farm work tirelessly to care for and protect various endangered animals. These
include the Cape leopard, a shy fellow whose numbers have been dramatically
reduced over the years, and who needs a well-functioning ecosystem to survive,
as well as ‘corridors’ of the right habitat to travel through to reach other leopards,
in order to breed.
Another endangered local resident is the padloper (road walker) tortoise, a tiny
creature usually no bigger than 10cm. Sightings of these have become quite rare.
The padloper lives in the Fynbos Biome, but is particularly susceptible to wildfires,
from which it has no escape and has partially been much of the cause of their
demise. And while natural periodic wild fires are part of the restorative cycle of
16 |ISSUE 8|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL

Discover
shutterstock:Marion Smith
shutterstock: John Davis Long Tom
Cathedral of the Mountain, Camdeboo National Park
shutterstock:PhotoSky shutterstock:PhotoSky shutterstock:Wildly Wonderful World
the flora of the region, unnecessary ones caused by people are not – so next time
you light a match for whatever reason, spare these tiny tortoises and their fynbos
habitat a thought.
Another fascinating little creature found here that will have you in awe is the
Western Leopard Toad. It breeds only for a short period each year, but faces
annihilation from predators and passing vehicles as it migrates to ponds to breed.
Flower Valley Farm, however, is working to protect the habitat for this toad, to allow
it to breed safely. The Flower Valley fynbos sanctuary offers protection to many
other animals and birds, among them those cute little sugarbirds and sunbirds
hopping from bush to bush as they seek the nectar from Proteas and Ericas on
which they depend, and in turn pollinate the indigenous flowers of the region. For
MZANZI TRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 8 | 17

Discover
nincompoops this should be clear illustration that if you destroy one part of the
ecosystem cycle, you destroy the entire cycle. It is permanently irreplaceable once
that has happened.
Flower Valley Conservation Trust and the farms it manages started in 1999 as
the brainchild of a concerned individual, Carol Blumenthal. When there was talk
that the area was to be converted to commercial vineyards, she enlisted the
help of Fauna & Flora International (FFI) to purchase Flower Valley Farm. The
conservation trust was then set up to manage the farm. In the years that followed
more neighbouring farms were purchased and, among other things, entered into
a joint venture with Grootbos Private Nature Reserve. The venture set up Fynbos
Retreat on Witvoetskloof Farm, a neighbouring farm, offering three fully-furnished
self-catering houses for visitors and tourists. One Erica species is found only on
Fynbos Retreat, and nowhere else in the world. Grootbos itself is also a leading
example of sustainable eco-tourism that includes 5-star luxury accommodation.
Fynbos Retreat also offers a number of activities, from hiking, mountain-biking,
bird-watching, swimming, or simply being at one with nature in this tranquil setting.
The Trust also works with Walker Bay Trails to jointly promote the Walker Bay
Fynbos Conservancy (of which Flower Valley is a member) to potential hikers. A
three-day hiking trail called The Fynbos Trail, during which hikers cross Fynbos
Retreat and Flower Valley Farm, was launched in 2011. It is routed through
sections of fynbos-covered mountains, afromontane forests and milkwood
forests, with stunning mountain and sea views.
• Contact: Fynbos Retreat Tel +27 06 03597086 or +27 82 4144586; Flower
Valley Conservation Trust head office Tel + 27 (0) 28 425 2218 or email
info@flowervalley.co.za; Flower Valley Farm Tel + 27 (0) 28 388 0713; or
visit their website at www.flowervalley.org.za.
Zulu-Mpophomeni Tourism
Experience…discovering fascinating
Zulu culture
Many people are fascinated by Zulu culture, but know so little about it. Have you
ever been mesmerized by those feathered Zulu warriors singing and stamping their
feet in a war dance, or read about the exploits of Zulu kings and their fighting impis
against the mighty British armies, seen the traditional huts dotting the countryside,
or the women singing and dancing while weaving baskets and cooking over open
fires? If it made you feel you’d like to know much more about these proud people,
then Zulu Mpophomeni Tourisim Experience is an absolute must.
shutterstock:Jane Rix
Zulu Mpophomeni Tourisim Experience (ZMTE) is a community-based tourism
organisation that was launched formally in 2000 to promote the people of the
Mpophomeni Township 14km from Howick in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. Today
ZMTE is an award-winning, non-profit organisation catering to an ever-growing
number of local and international tourists who seek out this unique opportunity
to experience authentic Zulu culture and explore unspoilt township life. The
shutterstock: Codegoni Daniele

Discover
ZMTE is structured to serve the interests of the local community through valuebased
partnerships with stakeholders that include a variety of female-owned
and managed crafts co-operatives, privately-owned B&B operators and involves
youth, traditional leadership structures, story tellers, traditional healers, crafters,
artists and guides.
Visitors are introduced to the rich local history, fascinating traditional culture,
vibrant township life and warm and welcoming people in the embodiment of Ubuntu.
The experience includes township and rural tours. Experience the lively fun vibe of
a local shebeen (tavern) while enjoying the local music, playing a game of pool or
tucking into some really good food. You’ll also visit artists and crafters and get to
see their wonderful work. And from the hills of Mountain View overlooking Midmar
Dam, you can look down on the valley below and get a panoramic view of how the
people of Mpophomeni community live their daily lives.
As part of the tour you’ll visit the old Montrose farmhouse, built in 1880, which is
currently being developed as a Community Eco-Museum Centre. You will also
be taken to the Wall of Reconciliation commemorating the 120 people who died
during political violence in the area in the 1980/90s.
the ancestors in a traditional hut. A Zulu praise singer will welcome you. While
enjoying your meal you will also be learning much more about the social customs
and traditions of the Zulu forbearers, as passed on down through the generations.
In the rondavel room men will be seated on benches on the right facing east, and
women will sit on grass mats on the left, facing the men…a time-honoured part
of Zulu culture. Dinner is served in traditional Zulu style on wooden trays and
consists of steam bread, ujeqe, samp and beans / isitambu, ox tribe / inyama
yangaphakathi, pot roast beef / inyama yezithebe, imifino, sweet potatoes
/ ubhatata, and yams / amadumbe. Drinks are served in a traditional clay pot.
The entertainment is traditional Zulu dancing in which guests are encouraged to
participate.
Accommodation is also available for visitors and tourists. ZMTE currently partners
with six fully-operating B&B establishments in the township that are privately
owned by separate families. They have been graded as two stars by the Tourism
Grading Council of South Africa. The B&Bs offer comfortable, well-appointed
rooms that sleep between 1 to 4 guests and are located throughout the different
sections of Mpophomeni. These families have been involved with ZMTE from its
inception and have catered to visitors from all over the world.
A highlight of the day is when you get to sample local culinary skills by indulging
in a traditional Zulu meal, while sipping locally brewed sorghum beer amongst
Contact: Tel +27 (0)33 238 0288; cell +27 (0)82 228 2044; email info@zmte.co.za.
Discover Africa’s Hidden Gems
Traveling around Africa? Use the Mzanzitravel exploration companion to find
local attractions, accomodation or even restaurants!
20 |ISSUE 8|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL
shutterstock: Jane Rix

shutterstock: Nataly Reinch
The Apartheid Museum & Constitution Hill …
travel back into the rise and fall of apartheid
We’ve all heard about apartheid, but the numbers of those who actually lived through it are becoming less, and
an entire generation that came after 1994 have no real inkling of what it was like. However, two museums in
Johannesburg – absolutely unique in the world – will take you back in time through the rise and fall of apartheid.
The one, Constitution Hill, together with the Constitutional Court, is part of the Constitution Hill Human Rights
Precinct. The other, the Apartheid Museum, is located next to a reconstructed mining village and theme park
called Gold Reef City. It is a journey everyone should undertake, lest we forget what humans can do to each
other.
In 1999 Nelson Mandela said, “To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains but to live in a way that respects
and enhances the freedom of others”. This is the fundamental message that these two museums seek to
reinforce by documenting the era of apartheid in South Africa, and that which came thereafter.
Constitution Hill is a living museum - fittingly next to the highest court in South Africa which endorses the rights
of all citizens – that tells the story of South Africa’s journey through apartheid to democracy. The site of the
museum is a former military fort and prison – the Old Fort, Women’s Jail and Number Four jail - where many
world-renowned men and women were incarcerated. Among them were Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi,
Oliver Tambo, Joe Slovo, Albertina Sisulu, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, and Fatima Meer.
In the run-up to the historic Treason Trial in 1956, Mandela and Tambo were held here along with 154 others
who had been arrested. The Anti-Pass Campaign of 1960 saw additional prisoners incarcerated, and many
schoolchildren below the age of 18 were arrested after the student uprisings of 1976 and detained here.
But during its 100 years in operation, these jail cells also held tens of thousands of ordinary people: men and
women of all races, creeds, ages and political agendas; children too; the ordinary and the elite. On the walls of
these cells, preserved as they were, you can read the graffiti of the many who passed through them. This stands
in stark contrast to the adjacent Constitutional Court, where the essence of constitutionalism and freedom in a
modern democracy fill the courtroom and passages in a celebration of art, design and architecture.
The Constitutional Court building is also remarkable for its fusion of architecture, art and adornment, housing
its own permanent, curated art collection here. The creation of this collection was driven by two Constitutional
Court judges, Justices Albie Sachs and Yvonne Mokgoro. They commissioned Joseph Ndlovu to create a
tapestry that would reflect humanity and social interdependence in the new democratic South Africa’s Bill of
Rights, which is on display in the collection today. Included in the collection are works of other famous South
African artists like Cecil Skotnes, Willie Bester, William Kentridge, Robert Hodgins, Marlene Dumas and Judith
Mason. The foyer’s chandeliers and light fittings were designed by sculptor Walter Oltmann, while the court’s
rugs, carpets and acoustic panels were designed by Andrew Verster.

Swimming with cows
shutterstock:Ariadna22822
Finally, on 31 January 1983, the prison doors to the Old Fort and Number Four
were officially closed and the place stood derelict until is re-birth in the early
2000s.
From Constitution Hill, driving across town following the M1 going southwest, you
will reach the Gold Reef City theme park…and next to it the solemn, sober concrete
structure of the Apartheid Museum. Its architectural starkness is a reflection of
the stark history that it holds within its walls. This museum, established in 2001,
has gained recognition the pre-eminent museum dealing with 20th century South
Africa, with the era of apartheid at its core.
Careful attention was given to its design and an architectural consortium,
comprising several leading architectural firms, conceptualised the design of the
building. It stands on 7 acres of land and is a superb example of design, space
and landscape. A multi-disciplinary team of curators, film-makers, historians
and designers was assembled to organise its exhibits. The museum houses 22
individual permanent exhibitions, while it also puts on addition exhibitions form
time to time.
The first permanent exhibitions covers the ‘Pillars of the Constitution’, dealing
with the drafting and adoption of the constitution by the Constitutional Assembly
between 1994 and 1996. Another deals with ‘Race Classification’ as the
foundation of all apartheid laws. The exhibition titled ‘Journeys’ deals with the
discovery of gold in Johannesburg in 1886 which attracted migrants from all over
Southern Africa and elsewhere, and how they became integrated with apartheid
being designed to prevent that. Another exhibition called ‘Segregation’ deals with
the situation following the formation of the Union of South Africa in which the
majority of blacks and white women were denied the vote, setting the foundation
for apartheid. It also details opposition to these policies and developments. The
exhibition titled ‘Apartheid’, examines the social and political forces that led to
apartheid, such as the poor white problem following the Anglo-Boer War and the
rise of Afrikaner nationalism.
A thought-provoking display of large photographs provides a powerful window
on the process of physical removal and relocation at the core of apartheid.
Other exhibitions include ‘The Turn to Violence, following Sharpeville in 1960;
‘Life under Apartheid’ with an excellent presentation of photographer Ernest
Cole’s photographic record, which was banned in apartheid South Africa;
‘The Homelands’; ‘The Rise of Black Consciousness’; ‘Political Executions’;
‘The Significance of 1976’ dealing with consequences of the Soweto students’
uprising; insight into Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment and release; the National
Peace Accord; the 1994 first democratic election; and the work of the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission.
As the museum’s website proclaims: “For anyone wanting to understand and
experience what apartheid South Africa was really like, a visit to the Apartheid
Museum is fundamental”.
Contact: Apartheid Museum Tel +27 (0)11 309 4700, email info@apartheidmuseum.
org, or website www.apartheidmuseum.org; Constitution Hill Tel +27 (0)11 381
3100, email info@constitutionhill.org.za, or website www.constitutionhill.org.za.
shutterstock:Sebastian Selzer Sandy Bay

Discover
West Coast Seafood “Skerms”…
famous open-air restaurants
Imagine sitting on a rough-hewn wooden bench in the shade of fishing nets, your
bare feet in the warm sand, with the sea just meters away. You sip a glass of ice
cold white wine while watching your meal being prepared on open fires: a feast of
mussels, lobster, various fish, oysters, calamari, freshly baked farm bread, and
more. A local folksinger with a guitar entertains the guests. This is how it’s done
at the West Coast’s famous ‘skerms’…from Melkbosstrand to Lamberts Bay, and
even as far away as Henties Bay in Namibia.
Other ‘skerms’ further south are built from driftwood, planks and a variety of other
discarded materials. For shade, all of them use old fishing nets and other bits and
pieces that are strung overhead, while the furniture, roughly constructed tables
and benches, are made of driftwood and assorted pieces of rough-hewn timber.
In all of these ‘skerms’ the floor is nothing but pure sea sand. The cooking area is
usually in the middle and consists of the typical West Coast-style round, stoneconstructed
braai (barbecue) pits and outdoor clay ovens. Sea and other food is
prepared on grills over red hot coals, in the outdoor ovens and in large 3-legged
cast iron pots over open fires. Eating utensils consist of mussel shells and fingers
– no knives and forks here!
The concept of an open-air seafood restaurant, or boma, known locally as a
‘skerm’, started with one Lamberts Bay family’s idea in the 1980s to entertain their
family and friends in an open-air boma beside the sea. Theirs was to be a bigger
version of similar private braai areas found on farms and at holiday homes all
along this coast. Since then more large ‘skerms’, open to the public, have sprung
up…all of them hugely popular with locals and visitors from all over the world.
‘Ornaments’ such as fishing net corks and buoys, pieces of rope, crayfish traps,
rowing oars, battered old dinghies, giant whale bones and other items associated
with the sea and boats, are scattered about, adding to the rustic atmosphere.
Large gatherings of noisy seagulls lurk about, hungrily eyeing the tables for
leftover scraps. A local folksinger or troubadour with a guitar is usually around,
moving from table to table as he serenades the guests from all over the world.
The original ‘skerm’, the Muisbosskerm, was the brainchild of Edward and
Coast near Grotto Bay
Elmien Turner of Lamberts Bay. Soon people started stopping at their private
‘skerm’ where they entertained their friends and family, attracted by the festive
atmosphere and the delicious smell of seafood being cooked on open fires. So
in 1986, Edward and Elmien opened their ‘skerm’ to the world, as they put it, and
it was an instant hit that became a booming success since then. Today the entire
family is involved in running this restaurant. The Muisbosskerm is situated right
on the Atlantic shore, just 5km south of the fishing town of Lambert’s Bay on the
Elands Bay Road.
Further south there is the equally popular Strandloper at the edge of the Langebaan
Lagoon, also a family-run affair. Turn right at the first circle as you enter Langebaan
until you find a gravel road with signposts leading you to the Strandloper. The
closest to Cape Town of these ‘skerms’ is the one at Melkbosstrand, a half hour’s
drive from central Cape Town. This one, however, is not on the beach, but is
located on the inland side of this seaside village along Robben Road, off Otto du
Plessis Drive.
The original Muisbosskerm at Lamberts Bay is constructed of the Galencia
Africana L. plant, commonly referred to by many names, including muisbos (mouse
bush), kraalbos (kraal bush) or perdebos (horse bush). In these parts it is known as
muisbos. The shrubs are dried and compacted densely together, forming a natural
wall that protects against the often strong winds coming off the Atlantic Ocean.
There is never a shortage of good Cape wines and other beverages. The
atmosphere is festive, and the feast usually lasts around three hours per session.
A word of warning: after so much food and fun in the sun, the drive home will be
a tad uncomfortable. Nothing in the world beats such a West Coast seafood fest.
Popular songs about it have even been written and recorded.
The seafood comes in baked, smoked or grilled varieties. Menus at these ‘skerms’
usually include whatever fish is in season; crayfish (lobster); black and white
mussels in various sauces such as garlic, wine or onion; calamari, grilled to soft
perfection; West Coast oysters; freshly-baked farm bread with local fig and grape
jams; ‘waterblommetjie’ stew and various other stews; curry fish; West Coast
harders or dried bokkoms; coal-grilled snoek (a popular local fish) with potatoes
and patats (sweet potatoes); roosterkoek (oven-baked cakes); meat and vegetable
potjiekos pots; barbecued lamb chops; koeksisters (a sweet doughy delicatessen)
for desert; rounded off with moerkoffie (farm-style coffee). Prices vary, but can
range on average between R150 and R300 per person, with discounts for kids.
Isn’t it about time you donned sandals and beachwear and joined the fest?
• Contact: Muisbosskerm Tel +27 (0)27 432 1017; mobile +27 (0)83 270
9530 (Tertius), +27 (0)83 370 0400 (Ian) or +27 (0)82 967 6065 (Charlotte); email
via their website www.muisbosskerm.co.za. Strandloper Tel +27 (0)22 772 2490,
mobile 083 22 77 195, email info@strandloper.com, and website www.strandloper.
com. Melkbosskerm mobile +27 (0)84 734 3563, email melkbosskerm@gmail.
com, or website www.melkbosskerm.wixsite.com/melkbosskerm.
MZANZITRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|Issue 8| 23
shutterstock: Bernhard Richter
shutterstock: Quality Master
shutterstock:Fabian Plock

TRAVELS
&TOURS
Discover Breathtaking Places
Immense Cultural Heritage
Tailored Travel Packages
ABOUT US
Matjatji Travel and Tourism CC intends to offer the service
and knowledge a discerning leisure traveller seeks whilst on
vacation, with the intention of seeing and appreciating the
numerous sights in our country.
info@mtt-travels.co.za
230 Kimberley Road, Robertsham
Johannesburg 2091 PO Box 782501
Sandton 2146
24/7 HOTLINE
+27827899941

OUR PACKAGES/
TOURS
Lesedi Cultural Village
Experience the Zulu, Pedi, Xhosa, Basotho, Ndebele
cultures and traditions. Join us for presentation on
the origin of today’s Rainbow Nation. A great African
feast will be served with the Dishes from Western,
Northern & Southern Africa. Buffet serving ethnic
dishes for lunch or dinner in the Nyama Choma
Restaurant .There is also conference Facilities
and overnight accommodation in one of the five
traditional villages.
Pretoria Tour
View the administrative capital of South Africa, the
president’s residence, the Voortrekker Monument,
Paul Kruger House, the Union Buildings & smell
the beautiful flowers of Jacaranda. Also visit the
Pretoria Zoo and Freedom Park.
Gold Reef City & Johannesburg
Tour
View the Apartheid Museum and experience the
exhilarating activities at the Gold Reef City Mine. Go
down 226m and experience how the Gold used to
be mined at Shaft Number 14. Feel the thud of the
Zulu Gumboots Dance that will make you tap your
foot. Visit Johannesburg CBD & Constitutional Hill
built on the site of the Old Fort Prison and Hillbrow.
Soweto Experience Guided Tour
Visit the only city in the world without a river. Cruise
the streets of Soweto and visit the former president
Mr Nelson Mandela’s house, the Mandela Family
Museum and Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu’s house.
Walk along the Vilakazi, the only street in the world
that boasts the childhood homes of two Nobel Peace
Prize winners. View Hector Peterson’s Memorial, a
victim of the 1976 First Students’ uprising. Visit the
Regina Mundi Church - the biggest Catholic Church
in Africa. Have a lunch in the Shebeen / Pub & enjoy
varieties of African food.
Lion Park & Crocodile Farm
For safe close encounters with Lions and Crocodiles.
Sun City & Pilanesburg Tour and
Safari
Travel through Magaliesberg Mountain and feel the
breeze of the agricultural land whilst viewing the
traditional huts. Observe the shaft of platinum mines
before ascending to the Las Vegas of Africa - Sun
City - Africa’s largest entertainment centre. After
experiencing the glittery atmosphere, spot the Big 5.
Kruger National Park & Safari
Tour Package
Day 1: Depart to the largest home of Big 5 in South
Africa. Drive through one of the largest historical
coal producing areas in the world. Travel from
Johannesburg to the Mpumalanga Province via
Nelspruit and explore some of the most beautiful
sights on the game drive.
Day 2: Wake up early for a morning drive in an open
4 x 4 Safari truck searching for the Big 5 & view a
rich diversity of animal, bird & plant species. Spend
the whole day searching for the wild animals in their
capital. Stop for lunch in the park.
Day 3: After breakfast, be ready to depart to
Johannesburg via the panoramic view, God’s
Window Luck pot holes, Three Roudavells, Blyde
River canyon, Berlin Falls & stop for Refreshments .
Cullinan Diamond Mine Tour
The Cullinan Diamond Mine was originally owned
by Sir Thomas Cullinan in 1903, and is renowned for
the many remarkable stones, specifically for the rare
blue diamonds. The Cullinan Diamond Mine has
generated 25% of the worlds diamonds over 400
carats. This mine is also is the source of the most
famous diamond ever unearthed? The 3 106 carat
Cullinan Diamond found in 1905. The giant stone
was large enough to be cut into nine major pieces
and 96 smaller diamonds. Departure: 08:00-08:30
Lion Park and Rhino Safari Tour
View the Lions, Cheetahs, Rhinos, Wild Dogs and
the Hippopotamus at a close range. Enter the lion’s
den for the close encounter with the lions of Africa.
There are over 50 Lions to see. Have pictures taken
with lion cubs. Also see other indigenous wildlife.
Visit a cave and descend in to the wonders of
Stalagmites and Stalactites and have photos taken
with them.
Magaliesberg Canopy Tour
Experience the thrill of a 2.5 hr Canopy Tour through
the Ysterhout Kloof. This tour comprises of 11
platforms built high on the rock faces of the Kloof
and joined by 10 slides of up to 140 meters long
and 30 meters above the stream below .Trained
guides assure the safety of the participants while
describing interesting facts about the ancient
mountain ecology, animals and bird life. All and all
this is an exhilarating experience. All the safety gear
and certificate is supplied during the Tour.
Cradle of Humankind (Heritage)
Tour
Maropeng and the Cradle of Human Kind give
us fascinating clues as to our earliest ancestors.
A world heritage site, this unique area teaches us
that the origin of our species is indeed located in
the African landscape & that where we are in the
world today was directly influenced by a far reaching
climatic change over the past 3 million years .
This is an interactive and educational experience
highlighting the history of the world and human kind
as a species.
Sterkfontein Caves & Maropeng
Tour
Visit the Sterkfontein Caves where the fossils Mrs
Ples and Little Foot were found, as well as the
exciting anthropological museum near Maropeng.
DeWildt Cheetah Reserve
Experience the Cheetah rehabilitation centre which
is playing such an important role in the survival of
various endangered species.
Elephant Sanctuary Tour
Set in the Magaliesberg Nature Reserve, this
Elephant Sanctuary safeguards 5 domesticated
African elephants. Walk and ride elephants, and
experience these beautiful creatures close up as
never before.
Liliesleaf & Alexandra Tour
Visit the Liliesleaf Museum in Rivonia which was
a hide place for Mr Mandela and ANC comrades
during the Rivonia trial as well as the Alexandra
township where Madiba stayed when he first arrived
in Johannesburg in the 1940s.
Educational Tour
Matjatji travel and tourism also offers students
from the universities in-service training every
year. Scholars will be attending educational
tours at various sites. Educational tours will be
done in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape town and
Mpumalanga for students travelling with their
educators. Team building activities are offered with
branded T- Shirts, mineral water and caps from
Matjatji travel and tourism.
WHY US
Our services and delivery will be provided by the
employees of the company. The real core value will
be professional expertise, provided by a combination
of expertise, experience, hard work, and education
(in that order). Hence we intend to ensure that the
work we undertake is always thorough and relevant
to the clients’ needs.
When our capacity is stretched will turn to reputable
companies for supplying the necessary individuals
and groups for our services. Hence the need to
establish good relationships with our strategic allies.
Contact details:
Tel: +27 11 051 4400
Mobile: +27 82 789 9941
E-mail: info@mtt-travels.co.za
Website: www.mtt-travels.co.za

Discover South Africa
Visitors to Western Cape
Urged to Help Save Water
Despite severe drought, Western Cape prepares for bumper tourism season
By Staff Writer
Thousands of visitors have already started flocking to Cape Town and
the Western Cape for their annual end-of-year holidays…despite the
region being in the grip of one of the severest droughts in memory.
But visitors need not worry that the city of the province will run out
of water while they are holidaying here. While they will be required to abide by the
strict water restrictions in force, the city and the Western Cape government have
made precautionary arrangements to meet the increased demand for water.
Cape Town currnelty enforced Level 5 water restrictions – this will change to
Level 6 on 1 January 2018. Level 5 restrictions entail a ban on all use of municipal
drinking-quality water for outside and non-essential purposes. Level 5 restrictions:
• Use no more than 87 litres of municipal drinking water per person per day
whether you are at home, work or elsewhere.
• Individual domestic properties using more than 20kl of water per month will
be fined.
• No hosing down of paved surfaces with municipal drinking water.
• No irrigation or watering with municipal drinking water allowed.
• No washing of vehicles, trailers, caravans or boats with municipal drinking
water allowed. They must be washed with non-drinking water or cleaned
with waterless products or dry-steam cleaning processes.
• Private swimming pools may not be topped up or filled with municipal
drinking water.
• Use of portable play pools prohibited.
• Water features may not use municipal drinking water.
According to a statement issued by Wesgro, the official tourism, trade and
investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape, both the city
and the province are open for tourism and ready for a bumper peak season, which
it says, promises to be the best yet.
The Western Cape and Cape Town Metro governments have already implemented
a range of water restrictions in the province to limit water usage and ensure a
steady supply with a view to the upcoming high tourist season, when thousands of
visitors will descend on the area. That wil ineviatbly push up water consumtpion.
By far the majority of Capetonians are already cooperating to reduce water
consumption, so dirty, unwashed cars have become something of a waterwise
status symbol around here.
Hotels and other tourism establishments in the province are all implementing
water-saving measures, and a variety of awareness campaigns and water-saving
tips can be found in lobbies and rooms in hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses across
the province and the Mother City.
Some hotels have their own private water supplies, used for swimming pools and
spas, thus removing pressure from the provincial water grid.
With tourism being a leading source of investment in the province, the Western
Cape government and the City of Cape Town have gone out of their way to ensure
that the sector is not harmed by the drought, and tourists have been assured that
they need not worry about their upcoming holidays in the region.
But, an appeal has been made to all visitors to help curb water usage and save as
much as possible.
26 |ISSUE 8|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL

Responsible Tourism
In its statement, Wesgro said:
“Cape Town and the Western Cape is open for tourism and is ready for a bumper
peak season, which promises to be the best yet. International arrivals have grown
by an unprecedented 27% year-on-year for the first half of 2017. Last year, the
international terminal processed just under 2 million passengers, and in 2017, we
anticipate this growing to 2.5 million.
“Wesgro commends our stakeholders, the City of Cape Town and the Western
Cape provincial government, for the steps they have taken to reduce water
consumption and ensure supplies last through the tourist season.
“Interested visitors can also make use of the City of Cape Town’s online waterusage
calculator, to see how they can get their water usage below 87 litres per
person per day.
“The Western Cape has many diverse offerings from the Cape Winelands to the
Cape Karoo. To find out about what more you can do during this summer season,
visit our Discover Cape Town and the Western Cape website.”
Below are some tips for how visitors to the city and province can help save water
this summer, provided by the City of Cape Town and Wesgro.
“We therefore encourage tourists from the rest of South Africa and abroad to visit
our beautiful city and province this year, and be water wise when doing so.
“In this regard, we wish to thank all of our partners in the tourism sector that have
taken proactive steps to reduce their water demand during this critical time.
MZANZI TRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 8 | 27

Avkhom Hotel
CERTIFIED BY THE TOURISM GRADING COUNCIL OF SOUTH AFRICA
OUR 3-STAR HOTEL IS CONVENIENTLY SITUATED ALONG THE THOHOYANDOU MAIN ROAD. IT IS UNMISSABLE WITH A BIG
WHITE WALL FACING THE R523 MAIN ROAD OPPOSITE A VERY BUSY SHELL GARAGE IN THE TOWN CENTRE.
OUR GLITTERING RECEPTION BECKONS YOU FOR
MORE ATTRACTION INSIDE OUR HOTEL WITH ROOMS
LIKE THE ONE ABOVE WAITING FOR YOU TO SPEND
YOUR TIME WITH US.
WE OFFER VARIOUS SERVICES INCLUDING
ACCOMMODATION • CONFERENCING
• CATERING ON AND OFF THE PREMISES
• SHUTTLING •TOURING
TEL:015 962 1928 | 015 962 1929 | Cell:072 808 8311
EMAIL: avkhomhotel@gmail.com
avkhomhotel@telkomsa.net
info@avkhomhotel.co.za
Website:www.avkhomhotel.co.za

Heritage & Travel
MZANZI TRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 8 | 29

GAUTENG’S
NEW MUST-SEE
TOURIST
DESTINATION

EXPLORE. DISCOVER.
OPEN 365 DAYS A YEAR
SUPER CLOSE-UP
VIEWS GUARANTEED
explore. discover.
www.lionandsafaripark.com | info@lionpark.com
087 1500 100 | R512 Lanseria Road
Broederstroom | South Africa
B-BBEE Accredited

shutterstock: Ikpro – Durban’s palatial Grey Street Mosque

Culture & Heritage
MZANZI TRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 8 | 33

Culture & Heritage
Stef Terblanche - Typical Bo-Kaap scene on a Friday

Culture & Heritage
shutterstock: Vladan Radulovicjhb – Muslim culinary heritage
MZANZI TRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 8 | 35

Culture & Heritage
Stef Terblanche - The Macassar kramat of Sheikh Yusuf
36 |ISSUE 8|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL

Culture & Heritage
MZANZI TRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 8 | 37

38 |ISSUE 8|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL
shutterstock: Pro-Fashion – Courtyard of the Nizamiye Turkish Mosque in Midrand

Heritage & Travel
Stef Terblanche - Plenty of halaal food outlets
Stef Terblanche - Gatesville Mosque
MZANZI TRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 8 | 39

India Tourism
Cnr of Jan Smuts & William Nicol
Hyde Park Lane Manor, Grosvenor
Hyde Park 2196, Johannesburg
Tel: 00-27-11-3250880,
Website: www.incredibleindia.org

Daniel S Edwards - Chasing the little white ball/ shutterstock

Sport & Leisure
MZANZI TRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 8 | 43

Sport & Leisure
ChrisVanLennepPhoto – KwaZulu-Natal golf course next to Indian Ocean/shutterstock
44 |ISSUE 8|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL
Betzy – Another stunning SA golf course/ shutterstock

Sport & Leisure
Dominique de la Croix – Golf course at The Heads, Knysna/ shutterstock
MZANZI TRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 8 | 45

Discover South Africa
Neil Bradfield - Arabella Golf Course near Hermanus/ shutterstock
Snap2Art - Gary Player,
golfing legend and designer of golf courses/
shutterstock
SWnap2Art - Anxious moments, Sun City/
shutterstock
Alpa Prod - Golf shops are big business/
shutterstock

Landlocked beauty. Delta waterways teeming with life. Lions
patrolling the red sand dunes of a vast desert. Friendly people
and ancient nomadic San hunters. Wide open spaces under a big,
warm African sky. Where else, but Botswana…
Situated in Southern Africa, Botswana is a landlocked country of stunning
contrasts and beauty with an abundance of unspoilt wilderness and freeroaming
wildlife, including Africa’s Big Five.
Despite being sparsely populated, it has one of Africa’s most thriving
economies, based mainly on diamond mining, cattle ranching and tourism.
It is also one of Africa’s most exemplary and stable democracies. Its gross
national income is estimated by some experts to be the fourth largest in Africa,
while the country has the highest Human Development Index of continental
Sub-Saharan Africa.
It is also just a figurative stone’s throw away from Southern Africa’s economic
and transport hub, Johannesburg.
But it is this country’s service efficiency, natural scenery and its stunning
wildlife that makes it stand out as one of the most favoured tourist destinations
in Africa.
Equal to France or Madagascar in land size, but with a population of only
2.25-million, there is ample space for everyone…human and the wild kind.
Most of Botswana is flat country with wide open spaces, dominated by the
Kalahari Desert, which covers up to 84% of its land surface. In parts you will
find gently rolling tableland while small hills dot the eastern areas. In the north
the vegetation is lush, fed by a tangle of delta waterways and rivers.
Across the Kalahari
Take the A2 Trans-Kalahari Highway from Lobatse in the south to the
Namibian border some 800km away in the northwest, and you will lose
yourself in endless desert plains and utter silence but for the sound of your
car. But if isolation, no water, silence and desert mirages are not your thing,
rather take a plane, of which there are plenty flying all over the country to every
possible location.
If you have 4WD transport, are not fainthearted and are the adventurous type,
you can swing away towards the south from the Trans-Kalahari Highway at the
tiny village of Kang.
The route will take you down to the amazing Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park,
an endless vista of red and yellow sand dunes, fossilised river valleys dotted
with dwarfed trees, bushes and scrub, grasslands and camel thorn trees.
This landscape is inhabited by herds of gemsbok, springbok, eland, blue
wildebeest, huge black-mane lions, leopard and many raptors. But look
closely and you will find many more amazing forms of life in the sand, under
stones, in rocky crevices, under small bushes and in the trees.
52 |ISSUE 8|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL

EXPLORE AFRICA
where delta meets desert and
wildlife is everywhere
By Stef Terblanche
“It is here that you will
experience the heart of
the real Africa so many
dream of….”
Shutterstock / ah_fotobox

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Photography by: Tara Mette
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Be warned however, travelling to the park you will need to take all life- and vehicle-supporting items with you, while
on the Botswana side of the park routes have to be travelled by a minimum of two 4WD vehicles at a time.
The park was created in 2002 as a joint venture between South Africa’s Kalahari Gemsbok National Park and
Botswana’s Gemsbok National Park. This immense wilderness (37,000 sq. km) is now shared by both countries
as a protected area, and is jointly managed. The entire park is completely unfenced, allowing for wildlife to move
freely along the ancient migration routes so necessary for their survival in the desert.
Immigration and customs facilities allow travellers to enter the park in one country and depart in the other. The
main entry and departure point between the two countries is at the Two Rivers/ Twee Rivieren gate, which also
has camping facilities, chalets, shops and a restaurant. There are other camping sites and 4X4 routes throughout
the park.
Okavango Delta
COOPERATE & LEISURE TRAVEL
Lets put a signature on it for you
To really experience the immense contrasts in natural scenery of Botswana, after Kang continue north along the
Trans-Kalahari Highway, or A2, until it forks, then turn northeast along the A3.
This route, a good tarred road, will take you through cattle ranching country, more endless flat plains covered in
scrub and camel thorn trees, through the tiny towns of Ghanzi and Dekar, until you reach the first sign of the water
wonderland that awaits you: the Okavango Delta. Some 130km north of Dekar, you will arrive at Lake Ngami and
the settlement of Sehithwa, little more than a few scattered dwellings across a wide area of scattered trees.
FLIGHT TICKETS
Soon after Sehithwa you will pass the first southern tentacles of the delta water complex, fanning out like an
entanglement of tree roots and veins through the countryside, until you reach the town of Maun, capital of the
Delta. Most tourists prefer to fly into Maun and its many surrounding reserves and lodges.
If the southern Kalahari region had no water, this region may at times seem to have far too much water. The worldfamous
Okavango Delta is one of the most sought after wilderness destinations in the world and has the most
amazing waterways teeming with fish, birds and water-bound animals.
ACCOMMODATION
The surrounding lushly vegetated areas are home to a great variety of wild animals, from elephants and lions
to giraffes and many different types of antelope. It is here that you will experience the heart of the real Africa so
many dream of: the heart-stopping excitement of big game viewing, the supreme tranquillity and serenity of an
untouched delta, and evocative scenes of extraordinary natural beauty.
That this delta, the largest intact inland delta in the world, exists at all in the heart of this thirstland, is one of
nature’s wonders. It is situated deep in the Kalahari Basin and is fed by the Okavango River, the third largest river
in Southern Africa. Visitors to the region can traverse it by light aircraft, helicopter, hot air balloon, or, famously as
in the tourist brochures, by dugout canoe with local guides steering you through the maze of waterways teeming
with fish, reptiles like the Nile crocodile, wild animals and birdlife. Along the way you will pass papyrus reed and
palm-fringed little islands and thick woodlands.
Just as Botswana’s summer rains come to an end, floodwaters begin their 2,000km journey from the north in
Angola’s Highlands, literally a wall of water rushing across the land through Namibia’s Caprivi, before spilling into
the Delta in Botswana. Passing through more than 1,000km of Kalahari sands, the water annually revitalises a vast
and very diverse ecosystem of plant and animal life.
CONFERENCING & INCENTIVES
CAR RENTAL & SHUTTLING
The flow of this water continues on past the Okavango Delta and Maun, going east to the Boteti River, and fills up
Lake Xau or the Makgadikgadi Pans, also running west to Lake River to fill Lake Ngami.
VACATIONS
Contact Us
Tel: +27 10 980 0081
Cell: +27 82 490 6298
Fax: +27 86 685 4087
Email: info@mzansitravelcentre.co.za
Company address: 197 Nigel Road, Selcourt
Website: www.mzansitravelcentre.co.za

EXPLORE AFRICA
Shutterstock / franco lucato
Chobe National Park
Continuing northeast from Maun, you will reach
another major Botswana attraction, the Chobe
National Park, famous for its large herds of elephants
and cape Buffalo grazing along the banks of the
beautiful Chobe River. The river cuts like a bright
blue ribbon through the wilderness. The best way to
experience Chobe’s wildlife and scenery, including
460 bird species, is by river cruise.
Surrounding the Chobe National Park are numerous
other smaller parks, reserves, forest reserves and
lodges, while Victoria Falls is some 150km to the
northeast – as the crow flies – on the Zimbabwe-
Zambia border.
Botswana is the last stronghold for a number of
endangered bird and mammal species, including wild
dog, cheetah, brown hyena, Cape vulture, wattled
crane, Kori bustard, and Pel’s fishing owl. This will
make your safari experience even more memorable,
and at times you will feel simply awed by the
abundance of wild animals.
There are many other breathtaking attractions
across Botswana, such as the vast Makgadikgadi
salt pans, the Tswapong Hills, the Central Kalahari
Game Reserve, Matsieng Footprints, the Gcwihaba
Caves and Aha Hills, Bahurutshe Cultural Village, the
Northern Tuli Game Reserve, and much more.
And if it’s shopping, good hotels and restaurants and
some nightlife you are after, Gaborone is the place. A
bustling little capital, it is never overcrowded though
due to the country’s small population, a large part of
whom nonetheless reside in this city. Other centres
like Francistown and Lobatse also offer a variety of
amenities and attractions.
But essentially, Botswana is safari country, from
the deep red sands of the south with its black-mane
lions all the way across the central salt pans to the
waterways and birdlife of the north and the Chobe
River and elephant herds of the east.
56 |ISSUE 8|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL

EXPLORE AFRICA
shutterstock: thanasit thinwongphet lodge
Shutterstock / Luca Nichetti
Shutterstock / THPStock

Shutterstock / Ben Shutterstock / Andrew Paul Deer Shutterstock / Vadim Petrakov
EXPLORE AFRICA
Useful Information
Languages: English & Setswana; other indigenous languages.
Capital: Gaborone (population 232,000)
Other Major Towns: Francistown; Lobatse; Selebi-Phikwe.
Regions: Botswana is divided into 17 administrative districts: 10 rural districts
and 7 urban districts. Major regions or districts include Chobe in the northeast;
Kgalagadi in the southwest; Ngamiland in the north; Ghanzi and Central Districts.
Climate: Botswana is semi-arid. Though it is hot and dry for much of the year,
there is a rainy season, which runs through the summer months. Rainfall tends to be
erratic, unpredictable and highly regional. Often a heavy downpour may occur in one
area while 10 or 15 kilometres away there is no rain at all.
Time Zone: UTC/GMT +2 hours - no daylight saving time at present.
Currency: Pula divided into 100 Thebe.
Airports: Sir Seretse Khama International, Gaborone; Francistown
International Airport; Maun Airport; Kasane Airport; plus numerous other small
airports as well as airports/landing strips in game reserves.
Airlines Flying To: Air Botswana; South African Airways; Air Namibia;
Ethiopian Airlines. Domestic airlines fly between Gaborone and various destinations
across the country, as do chartered flights. Most international airlines fly into
Johannesburg from where connecting flights to various Botswana destinations are
available.
Entry Requirements: Citizens of most European and Commonwealth
countries do not require a visa for entry into Botswana. Visitors should check
with Botswana embassies or consulates, or their travel agents, before departure. It
is vital for visitors to carry a valid passport and sufficient funds to facilitate their stay.
If you are travelling to Botswana from areas infected with Yellow Fever, you must
have a valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate. Otherwise, no other immunisations
are required. However, it would be wise to have an updated TPD (tetanus, polio,
diphtheria) vaccine, and a Hepatitis A vaccine.
Useful Contacts
Botswana Tourism head Office:
Tel +267 391-3111/310-560; Email board@botswanatourism.co.bw
Francistown Tourism Office:
Tel +267 244-0113; Email francistown@botswanatourism.co.bw
Maun Tourism Office:
Tel +267 686-1056/686-3093 (airport office); Email maun@botswanatourism.co.bw
Selebi Phikwe Tourism Office:
Tel +267 261-1616; Email phikwe@botswanatourism.co.bw.
Sir Seretse Khama International Airport: Tel +267 368 8200.
Air Botswana - Head Office
Tel +267 368 8400 / 395 2812; Gaborone Tel +267 368 0900/ 395 1921;
Email sales@airbotswana.co.bw.
Department of Wildlife and National Parks -
Tel +267 397 1405; fax 391 2354; Email dwnp@gov.bw.
Hospitality & Tourism Association Botswana -
Tel +267 395 7144; Fax +267 390 3201; Email: hatab@hatab.bw .
Shutterstock / Michel Piccaya

Visit us for a chocolate
tour and tasting.
On appointment only.
Mon. – Fri.: 8:00 - 17:30
Saturday: 9:00 - 13:00
204 cnr 204 Sam cnr Sam Nujoma Ave. and 16th 16th Road Road Walvis Walvis Bay Bay
Tel: Tel: +264 (64) 2221 10 087 | | Email: info@bchoclatique.com
Adelaine@iway.na

Impact Adventure Africa offers a wide range of
epic outdoor activities from our Base Camp in
Hartbeespoort. We make use of various rivers
and other venues to ensure that you and your
family enjoys an tailor made adventure
CALL US :
083 431 4793
ADDRESS
Moganwe Bush Camp
Portion 44′ Welgegund
Hartbeespoort, 0216

LESOTHO
LIMPOPO
NORTH WEST
GAUTENG
MPUMA-
LANGA
NORTHERN CAPE
FREE STATE
KWAZULU
NATAL
EASTERN CAPE
WESTERN CAPE

Discover South Africa
Staff WriterOn a map it appears shaped like a
kidney hugging the tiny kingdom of
Lesotho. For many it represents little
more than a highway slicing through
it, connecting Johannesburg in the
north, with Cape Town and Nelson
Mandela Bay in the south – a place
through which to rush as quickly as
possible.
this period, and subsequent attempts by the British and Boers to conquer and
dominate them, and still live in freedom today in their kingdom. Sesotho-speaking
people are also the majority in the Free State today.
The small town of Philippolis founded in the southern Free State in 1823 by the
London Missionary Society’s Dr John Philip, became the site where a sub-group
of the Griquas known as the Bergenaars, led by Adam Kok II, grandson of Adam
Kok I who founded the Griqua nation, found freedom and established their own
republic. However, in 1861, Adam Kok III, sold their land to the government of the
Boer Republic of the Orange Free State and moved his people to Griqualand East,
today part of KwaZulu-Natal.
But situated in the centre of South Africa, the province of Free State truly is the
golden heart of the country. Speed through it without stopping or detouring off
the N1 highway, and you will miss a delightful world of exploration and discovery.
Because of its centrality and easy access by air, road and rail from every direction,
the province, with its multitude of attractions and varied types of accommodation
for visitors, is ideal for everything from day trips, to longer road trips, weekend
getaways or holidays with a very distinct difference.
The Free State is a province with modern cities and quaint old-worldly country
towns, towering mountains and golden plains, lively rivers and tranquil dams,
wildlife and cultural diversity, mining and farming, and it played a central role in all
of South Africa’s rich and diverse history.
Although equal or bigger in size than most other provinces, it has one of the lowest
populations. Some 64% of its population of 2.7-million people consists of Sesothospeaking
Basotho people. The next largest group are Afrikaans-speakers at
12.7%, followed by sprinklings of Xhosa, Tswana, Zulu, English-speakers and
various other groups.
Central in SA’s political history
In the late 1830s, Voortrekkers (Afrikaner pioneer farmers) arrived in the Free
State from the Cape Colony, fleeing what they regarded as British colonial tyranny.
They established their own republic here, and another in the Transvaal (northern
part of South Africa), only to lose their freedom again to the British during the
Anglo-Boer War which ended in 1902. But not before 40,000 Boer fighters fiercely
resisted the mighty 150,000-strong British Army over three years of bloody
fighting.
In 1912 black leaders and chiefs formed the African National Congress (ANC) in
Bloemfontein. Three years later Afrikaner nationalists formed the National Party
in the same city, and launched a political struggle that would eventually see them
regain their freedom as the rulers of South Africa, first in the union and later in the
republic. But it was at the expense of South Africans of other races, which led to
the ANC launching its own liberation struggle, and eventually gaining freedom and
equality for black South Africans in 1994 under Nelson Mandela, now all united in
democratic South Africa.
Evidence and testimony to this fascinating political history can today be found all
over the province in battlefield sites, monuments, museums, and various historical
sites. Visiting these make, on their own, for a captivating tour of the province.
A city of monuments and history
The province has pride of place in much of South Africa’s political history. Its
capital city, Bloemfontein, was the birthplace of both the apartheid-era ruling
party, the National Party, and the post-apartheid ruling party, the African National
Congress. The province and the adjacent Lesotho have been the site of several
freedom struggles by different groups in history.
First, in the early 1800s different clans and groups from surrounding areas fled
into the mountainous area of Lesotho where King Moshoeshoe I united them into
the Basotho nation. Here they defended themselves successfully against the raids
of marauding bands associated with the Zulu King Shaka during the infamous
Lifaqane, also known as the Mfecane. This spread into warfare across the entire
eastern Southern Africa as tribes tried to dominate others, seized territory form
each other and were swept away by stronger tribes or absorbed into them, and
with new tribes and nations like the Basotho being forged. The Basotho survived
The provincial capital is Bloemfontein, located in the Mangaung Metropolitan
Municipality, right in the centre of the kidney. It is a bustling city rich in history,
as its many museums, monuments and preserved old buildings attest. One could
call Bloemfontein the city of monuments. But the old shares space with the new,
and there are also many modern buildings, developments, malls and avenues
that house shops, restaurants, offices, hotels, pubs, art galleries, book shops and
government offices.
As the sixth largest city, it is also the country’s judicial capital and seat of the
Supreme Court of Appeal. As such it is one of the three capital cities of South
Africa that represent the democratic philosophy of the ‘separation of powers’, with
Pretoria in the Tshwane Metro being the administrative and executive capital, and
Cape Town the legislative capital.
Francois Loubser-Free State farm / Shutterstock

Discover South Africa
A fascinating way of spending a day or two in the city is to go on your own or with
a guide on a historical tour or city walk. Among the many places of interest you
will be visiting is the National Afrikaans Literary Museum and Research Centre
in a Cape Dutch-style building that originally accommodated the government
structures of the Boer Republic of the Orange Free State in the 1800s. The
museum houses the largest collection of Afrikaans literature and manuscripts, as
well as artefacts belonging to well-known Afrikaans writers. Also accommodated
here is the National Sotho Library.
A visit to the Old Presidency will introduce you to the world of the old Boer
presidents from Josias Philip Hoffman in the mid-1850s, to the last president,
Marthinus Steyn, who left office in May 1902 after the Boer republics were defeated
by the British in the Anglo-Boer War. After this, in 1910, the Free State became a
province of the Union of South Africa under British rule. In 1961 it became one of
the four provinces of the Republic of South Africa, and in 1994 became one of the
nine provinces of the post-apartheid South Africa.
emaining in the era of Boer rule, you can next visit the Fourth Raadsaal (Fourth
National Assembly), an impressive and well-designed classical building dating
back to the 1800s. Then it housed the Boer republic’s legislature; today it houses
the Free State Provincial Legislature.
Next we take a step forward in history, visiting Maphikela House, the house and now
national monument of Thomas Maphikela, who was one of the founder members
of the ANC in Bloemfontein in 1912. Many important and historic meetings of the
ANC, which today governs South Africa, were held in this double-storey house.
Not far away is the renovated Waaihoek Wesleyan Church where a group of chiefs
and people’s representatives founded the ANC on 8th January 1912. The church
is now a national heritage site and has been nominated for recognition as a UN
World Heritage Site.
Visser Rugby Museum, Special Service Battalion Museum, SA Armour Museum, and
the Free State Agricultural Museum.
Other monuments and historical sites include the Free State Youth Martyrs’
Monument, for young people who died in the struggle against apartheid; the old
residential section of the ‘coloured’ community of New Clare Township before they
were forcefully removed; the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Batho where
ANC documents were hidden during apartheid; Heroes’ Acre; and the birth house of
communist leader and anti-apartheid struggle hero Bram Fischer. Fischer, a lawyer
from a prominent Free State Afrikaner family, spent months on the run from security
police, heavily disguises, before his arrest and imprisonment.
Other places of interest are Naval Hill with its statue of Nelson Mandela, said to be
the largest of him in the world, overlooking the city; the Franklin Game Reserve that
forms part of Naval Hill; the more than 4,000 rose trees in the rose garden at King’s
Park, which was opened in 1925 by the Prince of Wales, Eduard VIII; the Boyden
Observatory; Bloemfontein Zoo with its Loch Logan Waterfront complex; Modenso
Park Model Steam Trains at Maselspoort Resort; the Windmill Casino; and the Free
State National Botanical Garden. Naval Hill is also home to the very first digital
planetarium in Sub-Saharan Africa.
For culture and entertainment buffs the annual Mangaung African Cultural Festival,
known as Macufe, has become one of the biggest cultural festivals on the African
continent. It features top talent from around Africa and offers craft markets, theatre,
dance, poetry, boxing, gospel, film, African music, comedy, jazz, a divas’ concert, an
Afrikaans music concert, and the annual Macufe Cup for soccer fanatics.
For sports enthusiasts, apart from the Macufe Cup, the city has a number of
outstanding golf courses. It is also home to the VKB Knights at their cricket home
ground, the Mangaung Oval, and the Free State Stadium where the province’s
Cheetahs rugby team play their home games.
Among the many other fascinating buildings in the city – old and relatively
newer – are the Tweetoring Kerk, a twin-spired Dutch Reformed Church built
in 1880 where the famous Rev Andrew Murray had been a minister and where
presidents once took their oath of office; the Anglican Cathedral where the city’s
founder, Major Henry Douglas Warden, laid the foundation stone in 1850; the
Supreme Court of Appeal building completed in 1929, with its stinkwood-panelled
courtroom, impressive judges’ library and a record of major trial in the country’s
judicial history; the 1909 Supreme Court building now housing the Free State
High Court; the impressive sandstone City Hall designed by Sir Gordon Leith,
declared a national conservation area in its entirety; the Bloemfontein Public
Library; the Lebohang Building, with its beautiful stained-glass and concrete panel
that houses offices of the Free State Provincial Government; and the modern but
very impressive glass-constructed Bram Fischer Building where the Mangaung
Metropolitan Municipality is housed.
Museums in the city include Freshford House Museum, the National Museum,
National Women’s Memorial & Anglo Boer War Museum, First Raadsaal Museum,
Wagon Museum, Oliewenhuis Art Museum, Queen’s Fort Military Museum, Choet
Big Five regional travel routes
For ease of reference and easy travel planning in the province, Free State Tourism
has divided the province into the Big Five travel routes: Flamingo, Lion, Eagle,
Cheetah and Springbok Routes.
Lion Route
The Lion Route is in the northern part of the province close to Gauteng and
Johannesburg. It includes the towns of Parys on the Vaal River, Vredefort and
Kroonstad. Parys offers river rafting, berry picking at Bon-Af Berry Farm, the popular
Hartelus Market, the Vaal Art and Organic Market, fly-fishing, bird watching and the
Kommandonek hike, among much more. Vredefort is the central point of the world
famous UN Heritage Site, the Vredefort Dome, a 300km wide crater formed from the
biggest meteorite impact yet found on Earth. It is nearly twice as big as the impact
that killed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

Discover South Africa
Kroonstad is the third largest city in the Free State. During the Second Anglo-Boer
War, from 13 March to 11 May 1900, the city became the capital of the Orange
Free State, and was later the site of a British concentration camp to accommodate
Boer women and children. It is the second largest commercial and urban centre
in the Northern Free State. There are several Anglo-Boer War related sites and
monuments in the area. Attractions and activities include flea markets, fishing
on the Vals River or at the Bloemhoek Dam, walking trails, a lion tour and the
Boskoppie Lion and Tiger Park. Many of the town’s old Sandstone Buildings have
survived.
Flamingo Route
This route encompasses the north-western part of the province and includes the
towns of Welkom, Bothaville, Ventersburg, Virginia and Brandfort. Welkom and
Virginia are the main centres of the Free State gold mining fields. It is also a prime
sunflower farming region. Welkom is the province’s second largest city. There are
a large number of historical monuments, buildings and sites in and around the city.
Mine tours are available and there are flea markets, a pan inhabited by a large
colony of flamingos, and a gold museum. The city with its Phakisa Raceway is also
a motorsport centre.
spectacular views over the Northern Drakensberg mountains, or you can cross
into Lesotho for some skiing in winter.
Cheetah Route
The Cheetah Route covers the central area and includes Bloemfontein,
Botshabelo, Thaba Nchu and Ladybrand. Once you have exhausted the
multitude of things to do and see in and around Bloemfontein, head 45km east to
Botshabelo, meaning “a place of refuge”. It is a large township established in 1979
by the apartheid government and was once the second-largest township in South
Africa after Soweto. There are many attractions in the area and guided tours are
available. Nearby Thaba Nchu is home to the Naledi Sun Casino.
Springbok Route
This route covers the southern portion of the province and includes Jacobsdal,
Koffiefontein, Jagersfontein, Philippolis, Bethuluie and the Gariep Dam. The
landscape here flattens out and closer to the border it shares with the Northern
and Eastern Cape provinces, it flows into the Great Karoo, an arid, semi-desert
region. Yet it remains beautiful country, interspersed every now and again by hills.
At Brandfort you can visit the erstwhile home of Nelson Mandela’s former wife,
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. In the apartheid era she was banished from Soweto
and restricted here under house arrest. The town was also the site of a large
British concentration camp for Boer women and children, with the graves of many
of those who died still here.
Eagle Route
This route, in the east of the province, covers arguably the most beautiful part of
the Free State, adjacent to the Kingdom of Lesotho and the snow-covered
Maluti Mountains which form part of the Drakensberg mountain range system.
The route includes the towns of Warden, Bethlehem, Kestell, Harrismith, Clarens,
Foueriesburg, Ficksburg, Clocolan and Puthaditjhaba.
But the region’s biggest attraction is undoubtedly the truly beautiful Golden Gate
Highlands National Park, situated in the foothills of the Maluti Mountains. Things
to do in and around the park include visits to the Basotho Cultural Village for an
interactive tour of traditional Sotho life from the 16th century onwards, Vulture’s
Restaurant, Cathedral Cave, the nearby towns of Clarens and Ficksburg, and the
awesome Brandwag Buttress. Or you can take a two-hour guided hiking trail to
explore nearby rock-art and learn about the area’s medicinal plants.
In Ficksburg you can join the festivities during the annual Cherry Festival in
November, or you can sample the local cuisine and arts and crafts in Clarens.
You can relax at the Witisieshoek Resort which, at 2286m above sea level, offers
On the border of the Eastern Cape lies the magnificent Gariep Dam and Gariep
Dam Nature Reserve.
The dam is a staggering 100km long and 24km wide and you can go on guided
tours inside the passages of its huge wall. Activities at the dam include fishing,
windsurfing, sailing, jet-skiing, canoeing, rowing and game-viewing by boat. In
February the annual Gariep 500 Rubber Duck Race and Watersport Festival is
staged on the dam.
The entire area is dotted with Boer War battle sites, concentration camp sites,
war memorials, military graveyards and relics from the war like British forts. The
town of Bethulie on the north-eastern shore of the Gariep Damn had one of the
largest concentration camps. The town’s most famous son was the actor Patrick
Mynhardt, whose one-man shows featuring Herman Charles Bosman’s character
Oom Schalk Lourens were very popular in South Africa. His autobiographical
show, which also resulted in a book, was called Boy from Bethulie.
Philippolis was of course the seat of the erstwhile independent Griqua state where
many buildings from that time remain, as well as a British naval canon on a hill
overlooking the town. The town boasts of having the most monuments in the
entire Free State, commemorating the Griqua period and the Boer War. Nearby
Koffiefontein and its surrounding areas saw some of the fiercest fighting of the
Boer war. One of South Africa’s most famous authors, Etienne le Roux, lived here
and his homestead and grave can be visited. During the Second World War a
second large internment camp was opened in the town, housing 2,000 Italian and
some German prisoners of war, as well as 800 South African internees who were
suspected of being pro-Nazi.

Discover South Africa
Christine Harding / Shutterstock
Useful Contact Information
Grobler du Preez / Shutterstock
Free State Tourism:
Tel +27 (0)51 409 9900
Cheetah Route:
Tel +27 (0)514058328
Eagle Route:
Tel +27 (0)587130012
Lion Route:
Tel +27 (0)169708600
Flamingo Route:
Tel +27 (0)573918925
Springbok Route:
Tel +27 (0)517139300
Golden Gate Highlands National Park / SANParks:
Central Reservation +27 (0)12 428 9111
Bloemfontein Tourism:
Email via their website at www.bloemfonteintourism.co.za
Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality:
Tel toll-free 0800 111 300
Philippolis Tourist Information:
Tel +27 (0)84 805 0145,+27 (0)82 89 24680, +27 (0)82 892 4680,
+27 (0)51 773 0063 or +27 (0)51 773 0063
SAPhotog / Shutterstock

THE JEWEL OF THE FREE STATE
Winner of the 2017 'Cleanest
and Greenest Municipality in
the Free State' award,
Clarens in the Eastern Free
State is one of South Africa's
finest destinations, nestled in
mountainous countryside of
immense beauty.
CLARENS XTREME
Winner Of Lilizela Tourism
Adventure Award 2017
WWW.CLARENSXTREME.CO.ZA
ZAHAVI ORIGINALS
REDSTONE CRAFT DISTILLERY & CIDERY
Winner Michelangelo
Wine & Spirits Awards 2017
WWW.REDSTONECRAFT.CO.ZA
GOSTO PORTUGUESE RESTAURANT
PATCHAM PLACE
Top Rated Accommodation
In Clarens
WWW.PATCHAMPLACE.CO.ZA
HIGHLAND COFFEE ROASTERY
Centrally located between
Johannesburg, Durban and
Bloemfontein with easy
access to Lesotho, Clarens is
perfect for a weekend
getaway; but to really
experience all that is on offer,
a longer stay is ideal.
Traditionally an artists’ haven,
Clarens is also an adventure
tourism hotspot, with game
drives, quad biking, abseiling,
fishing, white water rafting,
4x4 and hiking trails and
much more all available
nearby.
One can easily see why
creative people gain
inspiration from its beautiful
surrounds, and for nature, art,
food and fun, Clarens is the
perfect country getaway.
CLARENS BREWERY
Handmade Jewellery
@ZAHAVI.ORIGINALS
Best Night Out
In Clarens
WWW.GOSTO.CO.ZA
Specialty Coffee Roasters
& Esspresso Bar Since 2009
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Sa On Tap
Brewery Of The Year 2015
WWW.CLARENSBREWERY.CO.ZA
CLARENS.TOURISM.FORUM | @CLARENSTOURISM GPS - S 28.5146 E 28.4210 | WWW.CLARENSSA.CO.ZA

ContaCt details:
1 Park Drive, Port Elizabeth 6001
T: +27 (0)41 506 2000
F: +27 (0)41 586 3234
Website: www.artmuseum.co.za
Email: artmuseum@mandelametro.gov.za
Visit our facebook page
The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum is home to a comprehensive collection
of South African art and craft and specialises in the art of the Eastern Cape Province.
Through a dynamic schedule of temporary exhibitions the Art Museum aims to educate
and entertain visitors. Fun interactive activities are also on offer for the entire family such
as guided tours, holiday workshops, lectures, music and other entertainments. View
current exhibitions and events and browse the Art Museum’s collection of over 8000
artefacts online through the Museum’s website.
The Art Museum is one of Nelson Mandela Bay’s cultural treasures and provides the
community of Nelson Mandela Bay with an excellent range of services for schools and
community groups. Guided tours and wor shops may be booked. The Museum also
offers the service of an art reference library.
Opening times:
Weekdays from 09h00 – 17h00
Entrance free, except for events with advertised fees

Z U L U L A N D
Family fun in theZululand Sun...
70 luxurious rooms • Family loft rooms • Top-class restaurant • Wifi
Mangwanani Spa • Adult & Kiddies Swimming Pool • Gym • Paddle Boats
Kiddies indoor play room • Spectacular Tiger Fishing • Bird Watching
Sunset Boat Cruises • Hiking trails • Kids Entertainment area • Secure parking
tel: (035) 572 1020 | fax: (035) 572 1114
reservations@jozinitigerlodge.co.za | www.jozinitigerlodge.co.za

Summer Fun
Quality Master / Shutterstock
Staff Writer
The Kirstenbosch Open-air
Summer Concerts – November to
April
This summer festival of music held every Sunday between November and April
in the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town, has become one of
the best loved items on the Cape’s summer social calendar. This year the concert
series includes 24 concerts featuring 30 acts, including 6 international artists,
spread out over 20 weeks.
Bring blankets, food and drinks and find yourself a place on the sloping,
sprawling lawn in front of the stage. This year some of the highlights will be the
appearance of international stars like Cat Stevens, Texas, The Vamps, Ismaël
Lô and The Christians. Among the local artists that will entertain music-lovers
will be acts such as Matthew Mole, Hot Water, Goldfish, Freshlyground, Mi Casa,
Jeremy Loops and many more.
Staff Writer
Tickets are available online from Webtickets from the preceding Tuesday. All
Kirstenbosch concerts take place irrespective of rain. Gates to the concert area
open at 16h00. For more info and the full programme for the summer series go
to www.webtickets.co.za/events/best-sellers/kirstenbosch-summer-sunsetconcerts/1474183971.
Festival of Chariots
Every year, all over the world and including in Cape Town, an ancient, traditional
Hindu celebration is held, known as the Festival of Chariots. In Cape Town, the
eleventh such festival in this city, will take place on the Sea Point Promenade
along Beach Road on 17 December.
The festival strongly focuses on Hindu tradition and history, and includes yoga,
meditation, Henna body art and traditional music and chants. In line with Hindu
custom, sweet and savoury vegetarian treats will be available.
For more info go to www.facebook.com/FestivalOfChariotsCapeTown.
70 |ISSUE 8|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL
Eveliusful living / Shutterstock

It’s summer and that time of the year when Cape Town
and other parts of the Western Cape turn up the fun dial
to stage a feast of festivals and carnivals. Visitors from all
over the country and the world flock to the Mother City
to take part in the fun. Here are some of the events taking
place this summer in and around Cape Town.
Hermanus Craft Beer Festival –
22 December
Combine a bustling, fun-filled beer fest with a visit to all the many other
attractions of Hermanus, the whale-watching capital of the world. The festival
is a celebration of local craft beers, but also includes a wide variety of other
drinkables and culinary delights. It will be held at the Hermanus Cricket Grounds
on 22 December.
The festival always has a picnic vibe, so it is wise to bring along blankets,
camping chairs, hats and lots of sunblock. There will be a delightful variety of
beer to sample, food trucks and live music. While in the town, you can also visit
other Hermanus attractions like the Old Harbour and local markets, do hikes and
walk the cliffside footpaths with stunning views.
The location is the Hermanus Cricket Grounds, Fairways Avenue and Jose
Burman Drive, Hermanus. For more info call Cell 076 416 7230 or email dawid@
concertco.co.za. Tickets cost R50, 12 – 17 year olds; R85, adults (includes
plastic cup); and R100, adults (includes branded beer glass). Book tickets via
Quicket online.
Cape Minstrel Carnival (Kaapse
Klopse) –
31 December to 2 January
Undoubtedly the highlight of the Cape’s annual festival and carnival calendar is
the street marches – with music and dancing - of the Cape Minstrels…a tradition
almost as old as the Mother City herself, and as part of Cape Town as Table
Mountain.
The colourful annual parade over several days through the streets of Cape Town
dates back to the 1800s when the slaves and other workers in Cape Town were
given their annual day off on January 2. The costumes and songs date back to
that time. After the abolition of slavery at the Cape on 1 December 1834, the
carnival became a celebration of freedom.
MZANZITRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|Issue 8| 71
Moobatto / Shutterstock

Ravi Santana / Shutterstock
The tradition was further influenced by visiting minstrels from America, and
a song still echoing through the streets of Cape Town each year is one called
“Daar kom die Alibama’, or, ‘There comes the Alabama’ – a reference to the CSS
Alabama, a Confederate Navy ship that visited Cape Town in 1863 and 1864
during the American Civil War. However, a second version of the song’s origin
refers to a riverboat named the Alabama and manned by slaves, travelling down
the Berg River and along the coast to Cape Town.
For the street marches, participating and competing troupes of minstrels own the
city streets from District Six to Bo-Kaap, each donned in their own distinctive,
colourful outfits, with lots of makeup, brandishing parasols, performing their own
individual march and dance moves, blowing whistles and singing, strumming
their banjos and guitars, and engaging participants between the ages of roughly
4 and 70.
The night road march, known in Afrikaans as ‘nagtroepe’, will be marching on
the last evenings of 2017 while the daytime street march takes place on the
Cape’s traditional ‘Tweede Nuwejaar”, or Second New Year, on January 2. The
night marches usually start off at Rose Street in the Bo-Kaap and wind their way
down Wale Street, while the day march on January 2 usually starts at District 6
(Zonnebloem), proceeds along Darling Street and makes its way through the city.
All surrounding roads are closed off for the event.
But it doesn’t end there: after the street celebrations subside, the festivities
continue in the form of a major competition that runs every Saturday until mid-
February at the Athlone Stadium on the Cape Flats.
but these days also engages the public and visitors on a number of estates. One
of the best festivals is hosted annually on the Delheim wine estate, this year
taking place on 27 January, and with a fresh new look.
This popular Winelands junket at Delheim under the giant old oak trees next to
the cellars and restaurant is traditionally the first on the wine events calendar for
the year. The festival will allow visitors to share in the delights of the outstanding
wine made on the estate. There is also great food and live music entertainment.
The main feature however, is the traditional barefoot grape-stomping and grape
picking in which everybody participates. The annual harvest festival toasts the
fruits of the season and highlights the importance of communal celebration to the
Sperling family who own the estate.
This year there will be one long harvest table stacked high with the abundant
delicacies of a delectable feast. It’s an out-of-this-world spread for fun-loving
grown-ups, sharing in the spirit of kinship at the table of the winemakers and the
Sperling family. A special cash bar will serve all the Delheim wines.
First booked, first served, as there are only 120 seats available. The Delheim
Harvest Festival will get underway at 11:30, with the harvest feast served at
13h00. Delheim is located in the Simonsberg sub-region of the Stellenbosch
Wine Routes, on the Knorhoek Road, off the R44. Tickets cost R650 per person.
To book your tickets, contact Charlotte Briers-Louw on email charlotte@delheim.
com or Tel 021 888 4600. You can also visit www.delheim.com.
Delheim Harvest Festival –
27 January
Harvest festivals in the Cape Winelands are as old and time-honoured as the
local wine industry itself, a tradition that started among the wine estate workers,
72 |ISSUE 8|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZITRAVEL
LongJon / Shutterstock

Entertainment
Up The Creek Music Festival –
25-28 January
Heart Cape Town Music Festival –
10 February
This outdoor music festival on the banks of the Breede River near Swellendam,
has since its launch in the summer of 1990 become an annual favourite with
rockers from all over. This year it will be headlined by that great and popular
band, Mango Groove, but a host of other great acts will also be on stage. Among
them bands and artists like Aidan Martin, Bongeziwe Mabandla, Boulevard
Blues, Crimson House, Jackal & the Wind, Native Young, Jak Skandi, Mobbing
Bali, MT Seas, Sol Gems, Spoegwolf, and many others – over 40 acts in total.
There will be three stages including the Jägermeister Main Stage, and the
Savanna River Stage and Savanna Late-Night Stage – none hosting acts at
the same time so that you can attend all. Although Rock ‘n Roll is the festival’s
original stamp of choice, different types of music will be mixed into the line-up,
including pop, some indie folk, some DJ acts and the odd violin solo on top of a
kombi! Other attractions include Jeffrey the Jam Van to entertain you before the
Main Stage kicks off and the Sedgwick’s Old Brown Food Court stage will be
alive every morning and afternoon with an array of new up-and-coming artists.
Festivalgoers will be able to camp next to their car (if they choose), or make use
of a greener campsite where no cars are allowed and which will have a tented
hotel, called the Heartbreak Motel for those too lazy to pitch their own tents.
There will be plenty to eat and drink on sale. Bring inflatables for floating on the
river, blankets or camp chairs, and whatever else you may need.
There are 2,500 tickets available. A full weekend ticket costs R1,030 and can be
bought online at www.upthecreek.co.za/tickets. For more info call Tel 021 510
0547, or email caitlin@redhotevents.co.za.
To get there, take the N2 from either Cape Town or George and 8km on the Cape
Town-side of Swellendam, turn off onto the road signposted Malgas/Infanta. Up
the Creek will also post signage directions.
Franschhoek Summer Wines
Festival 2018 – 3 February
This is another of the Cape’s beloved wine festivals that will take place on 3
February at Leopard’s Leap Family Vineyard in the beautiful little French corner
of South Africa, the Franschhoek Valley. The Valley’s finest wineries will be
showcasing their top summer wines and wine lovers will be able to browse at
their leisure, sip and taste or engage with the winemakers. Lots of food will also
be on sale with live entertainment too.
This festival is produced annually by the popular Cape Town radio station, Heart
FM and takes place at the Newlands Cricket Stadium on 10 February.
Among the artists that will be at this year’s festival, Jimmy Nevis, Youngsta CPT,
Mark Alex, Prime Circle, Craig Lucas, AKA, Casper Nyovest, Sketchy Bongo,
Tresor, Dr Victor and the Rasta Rebels, Mango Groove, Die Heuwels Fantasties,
Nasty C, Emo Adams, Sasha Lee, Alistair Izobell , Salome, Kurt Darren, Chad
Saaiman, Jarrad Ricketts and Airborne.
There will be plenty of food vendors iIncluding Halaal vendors. A dedicated beer
garden will also be available on the day along with ciders and soft drinks.
Tickets are priced between R70 and R150. Children under 2 enter free. Children
aged 2-12 R70. Buy your tickets now via Computicket. For more info go to
www.1049.fm/heart-events/heart-cape-town-music-festival or call Tel 021 406
8900,m or email info@heartfm.co.za.
Cape Town Pride 2018 –
23 February to 3 March
Cape Town Pride is the annual showcase event of Cape Town’s LGBT+
community (described as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning,
intersex, non-binary, asexual, polysexual, genderqueer and gender variant
people) to raise awareness of LGBT+ issues. The highlight of the week is the
annual parade through the heart of the CBD where everybody lets their hair, and
sometimes bit more, down.
The event is organized and produced by OUTReach Africa. Also involved in
the 2018 event will be 20 NGO’s/NPO’s/Community Projects and, what has
been promised will be a bumper year of community events. The event is popular
with Capetonians and is a fulfilled celebration of identity, creativity, social
engagement and expression, with many participants making use of the occasion
to show off dazzling fashion creations and awesome hairdos. There is also live
entertainment.
For more info go to www.capetownpride.org.
The wines on show have been carefully selected by the winemakers, all to
be released on the day. You can taste the Franschhoek Vignerons’ choice for
summer that includes white, rosé, Méthode Cap Classique and light reds. Chef
Pieter de Jager and his team will ensure there will be ample delicious food to
keep you going.
Tickets, cost R220 per person, and can be purchased via www.webtickets.co.za.
Pre-booking is essential as tickets are limited. The location is Leopard’s Leap
Family Vineyard, R45 Main Road, Franschhoek. For more info call Franschhoek
Wine Valley offices on 021 876 2861 or email info@franschhoek.org.za.
MZANZITRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|Issue 8| 73
Timothy Hodgkinson / Shutterstock

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Life aboard the MSC Musica is beautiful from the moment you step on; from the
central foyer’s three-tier waterfall and its see-through piano, floating suspended on
a crystal floor above a pool of shimmering water, to designer venues like the Crystal
Lounge, the Havana Club cigar lounge, the Sanremo Casino and the Kaito Sushi Bar.
As with any MSC experience, it’s a magical world for adults, kids, and teens alike.
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Entertainment
The Cape Town Carnival
2018 – 17 March
The Cape’s summer season of festivals and carnivals is rounded off with the
Cape Town Carnival in the streets of Cape Town on 17 March. The theme this
summer will be “Mother City, Mother Nature” and will explore what it means to be
the Mother City.
The streets around the Green Point Fan Walk – from the city centre to the Green
Point Stadium – will be closed to traffic, giving carnival-goers and processions
the freedom of the streets. The carnival is a reflection of the combination of Cape
Town’s twin treasures: its fascinating people and its natural wonders.
Many diverse and colourful cultures and traditions from across the continent and
the globe have taken root in Cape Town, and are all represented in the floats and
processions. Over 2,000 dazzling costumed performers and musicians will take
to the Fan Walk, entertaining viewers with floats and vibrant dance routines. The
parade will be followed by a thumping street party, showcasing some of South
Africa’s hottest musical talent
For more info visit www.capetowncarnival.com.
The Cape Town International Jazz
Festival – 23 to 24 March
David Tadevosian / Shutterstock
If you still haven’t had enough of carnivals and festivals by this time, the annual
Cape Town International Jazz Festival on 23 and 24 March, is another superb
event with which to round of the festival season aty the Cape.
Affectionately referred to as “Africa’s Grandest Gathering”, the Cape Town
International Jazz Festival is the largest music event in sub-Saharan Africa,
famous for its star-studded line up of local and international artists. This year it
will again be staged at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC),
boasting 5 stages with more than 40 artists performing over 2 nights, and will be
visited by over 37,000 jazz lovers over the two days.
For more info go to www.capetownjazzfest.com.
For more info about many other
events…
The above is just a small sample of what is on offer in Cape Town and the
surrounding areas this summer – there are literally hundreds of other events too.
To find more events you can visit any of the following websites:
My Cape Town Stay www.mycapetownstay.com/capetown-events;
Cape Town Magazine www.capetownmagazine.com/annual-events/169;
Inside Guide www.insideguide.co.za/cape-town/best-festivals-cape-town;
What’s On In Cape Town www.whatsonincapetown.com;
Time Out www.timeout.com/cape-town/features/415/festivals-events-in-capetown;
SA Venues.com www.sa-venues.com/events/westerncape.
76 |ISSUE 8|www.mzanzitravel.co.za | MZANZI TRAVEL
James Jones Jr / Shutterstock

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Summer is in full swing and the holiday season is
just around the corner. What better way to celebrate
than at the chicest club in town? In the heart
of Johannesburg’s majestic business district sits
Sandtons’ most exclusive experience. A world class
luxury space, Onyx is recreating your best nights out.
Adding a much needed fresh dynamic to the Jozi
nightlife, Onyx is the perfect space to enjoy, explore
and experience all that this vibrant city has to offer.
One-part lounge, one-part nightclub, both parts
stylish and exclusive, Onyx has been designed with
your celebratory needs in mind. An intimate space to
leave your mundane life behind and enter into a vortex
of fashion, fun and fabulous humans. The perfect
spot to rub shoulders with South Africa’s who’s who
while listening to the best local and international
Dj’s around. Allow for your every sensation to be
indulged and enjoy some of the finest drinks known
to man. Whatever your poison Onyx is sure to have it!
Different themes, different music and different
people is what makes this space so fresh and diverse.
No two evenings are the same- it just keeps you
wanting more. From the best techno beats to the
most soulful hip-hop, Onyx has your every need
covered. Reinventing the Jozi nightlife, Onyx has
been able to create a space where people from all
over the world can let their hair down and enjoy a
luxury experience. There is nothing quiet like it in
Johannesburg. Onyx is a venue unparalleled in its class,
service and city style. This is where Johannesburg’s
influential elite congregate for nights to remember.
A world class gem found in a world class city.
Situated In The Michelangelo Towers
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8MaudeSt,Sandown,Sandton,2196
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bookings@onyxsandton.co.za
Clothes by Keys Fashion, shoes by Palazzo Pitti.

If you love a challenge that combines an edge of danger, plenty of
adrenalin during moments of crazy action, interspersed by periods of
total silence and tranquillity, and an exhilarating exposure to all the varied
beauty, nuances, moods, sounds and landscapes of nature, nothing
beats a river adventure. And in South Africa pride of place goes to the
mighty Orange River.
Rafting the Orange River, whether on the upper Free State/Eastern Cape
stretch of the river, or on the lower, more popular Northern Cape/Richtersveld
stretch, it offers one of South Africa’s best-value, best-scenery, best-experience
adventure holidays. A trip of a lifetime.
Drift lazily downstream on calm water, shoot the rapids at exhilarating speed,
explore bird-populated mid-river islands, swim in crocodile-free water, camp
on the river banks and sleep under the stars, enjoy exquisite meals cooked on
open fires, explore the surrounding environment and one of the oldest mountain
deserts, see some wildlife, learn about the river and environment from your guide,
as well as about the history and communities along the river. In the evenings,
tired but satisfied, you can share some red wine and the day’s experience with
your family, friends or newly-made friends around a ampfire. And there’s not a cell
phone, TV or clock in site to bother you. Just you, nature, blue skies, starry nights
and the river.
Longest river
South Africa has approximately 286 rivers covering a large variety of river
ecosystem types. Of these approximately 30 to 40 are major rivers from a
perspective that includes size and length, navigability, commercial and irrigation
purposes, infrastructure such as dams, and for use in terms of leisure activities.
From a tourism/adventure perspective, this can be narrowed down to around 8 or

Adventure
10 most significant rivers. The 9 longest rivers in South Africa are the Kei, Olifants,
Gamtoos, Great Fish, Nossob, Molopo, Vaal, Limpopo, and the granddaddy of
them all, the mighty Orange River, originally called the !Garib by the Khoisan and
today also known as the Gariep River. In Lesotho, where the river originates, it
is called the Senqu River. But to people the world over it is simply known as ‘the
Orange’. At 2,200km it is South Africa’s longest river, but also the most significant
one for many other reasons.
Water project and South Africa’s largest dam, the Gariep Dam. Many leisure
activities can be enjoyed on these dams, from kayaking to skiing, parasailing,
fishing, yachting and more. The Orange River skirts many small villages and towns
bust amazingly only cuts through one major town, Upington.
A river truly for all seasons, the Orange starts its journey from its source high
up in the often snow-covered Lesotho Drakensberg mountains. It then makes its
way through or past several countries and provinces, within constantly changing
landscapes, through the diamond fields and across the hot, arid plains of the Karoo
and the far Northern Cape, then passes through the magnificent mountain desert
landscape of the Richtersveld, before emptying into the icy Atlantic
Ocean between the Namibian and South African diamond
mining towns of Oranjemund and Alexander Bay.
Along the way its water is contained in no less
than 9 major dams, including the dams of
the economically vital Lesotho Highlands
The river & history
The river is intrinsically linked with the many diverse
facets and phases of South Africa’s history. It passes through the heartland
of what was home to the earliest inhabitants of Southern Africa, the Khoisan, with
much evidence of their existence still visible in areas along its banks. The river
witnessed the northward expansion of the Dutch settlement from the Cape of
Good Hope and the arrival of pioneering European missionaries whose mission
stations still dot the arid landscape in the vicinity of the river.
It also passes the last outpost of apartheid, the all-white Afrikaner settlement of
Orania, which takes its name from the river. The river, initially named the Groote
River (Great River) by the Dutch, was not renamed by them for its colour, but in
honour of William V of Orange. These days the name Gariep is back in use again.
The river also bore witness to a number of wars, including the Koranna War,
Vickyw / shutterstock

Adventure
and the Anglo-Boer War with many battles fought along its banks and of which
British blockhouses, battlefield monuments, war cemeteries and the remains of
concentration camps remain. It stood witness as well to the invasion of Namibia
(then German Southwest Africa) by South African forces in the First World War.
The river was also the source of the great diamond rush that left behind one of
the biggest hand-excavated holes in the world and changed the course of South
African history.
Riverside scenic attractions
The Orange River is associated with many of the most soul-stirring scenic
attractions of South Africa, like the southern Drakensberg and its foothills, the
Gariep Dam and the hauntingly vast Karoo plains, the thundering Augrabies Falls
and the surrounding Augrabies National Park, the isolated and sparsely populated
Riemvasmaak Community Conservancy, the Richtersveld World Heritage Site,
and the /Ai-/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park.
From the river you can go game watching in the Augrabies Falls National Park. At
various other spots along the river you may come across wildlife. The entire river
is a bird-watchers paradise, with many species populating its green banks and the
multitude of mid-river, reed-covered islands. Towards the Richtersveld section you
may come across the odd leopard, or a troupe of baboons, or a leguaan ambling
back towards the water. Fish is also plentiful in the river and some of the river’s
winged inhabitants spend all of their days perched on a mid-stream rock, waiting
to pluck a fat catch from the water. Many other rare and not so rare creatures are
found in the vicinity of the river, while the vegetation is very varied, constantly
changing along different stretches of the river.
If one could travel the entire length of the Orange River by small boat, kayak or
inflatable raft, it would undeniably count as one of the greatest and most scenically
inspiring adventures of the world, right alongside, for instance, hiking the entire
length of the Great Wall of China, or rafting the Amazon River from source to sea.
But few would have the time, resources or logistical support for such an adventure.
Instead, numerous guided river adventures by inflatable raft, canoe or kayak
are available from river rafting companies along different stretches of the river,
structured into different packages around time, itinerary, location and cost. These
often include hikes, game-watching opportunities, 4X4 drives, while camping
along some of the most beautiful and remote parts of the river is always included.
And the food prepared at these overnight stops for river guests is always excellent.
Many operators & packages
A number of river adventure operators are active on the western, lower part of the
river and operate from both the Namibian and South African side, offering a variety
of packages to suit your budget and available time. They include companies like
Aquatrails, Xama Adventures and Safaris, Orange River Rafting, Felix Unite River
shutterstock: Daniel Lange

Adventure
Jan Erasmus / Shutterstock
Adventures, Amanzi Trails, The River Rafters (part of Bundi), Umkulu Adventures,
Wildthing Adventures, Bushwacked, Outrageous Adventures, SA Forest
Adventures, Kalahari Outventures, Cape Adventure Zone, Gravity Adventures,
The Growcery Camp, getaway Africa and Imagine Sports, among others.
There are also operators who offer river adventure packages on the upper, eastern
part of the river closer to Lesotho, the Free State and Eastern Cape.
Experienced guides from these companies – kings of the river, one might say - will
lead you down some of the most spectacularly scenic parts of the Orange River
which is considered to be one of the top ten adventure-trip rivers in the world. The
trips are graded according to difficulty, generally from easy Class 1 rapids and
conditions, to more difficult and intense Class 4 sections for the Orange.
Conditions change everywhere along the entire length of the river. On the
stretches most paddled by adventure-seeking tourists, conditions vary from long,
slow-flowing and calm sections, to narrow channels through which fast-flowing
water squeezes; from vicious rapids where the river is compressed into a narrow
boiling cauldron of a shoot with a sharp drop, to gentler rapids spread over round
stones across a wide stretch of water. There are plenty of small islands in the
middle of the river on which experienced river travellers – generally not the tour
groups - sometimes camp overnight.
Trip packages are structured for both the inexperienced and the experienced, for
old and young, singles, groups or families. Many operators offer packages for
school and student groups, backpackers arriving from across Africa in overland
trucks, or private groups. The latter usually have to be booked for around 12
people off-season, and 24 people in-season. But best is to check with the different
operators about what they offer.
You can paddle in a one-person kayak, a two-person inflatable raft, canoes, or in
larger 8-person inflatable rafts, while a cargo raft usually brings along all the gear.
Safety precautions and rules are strictly adhered to.
Depending on the stretch of river you are on and the distance or number of days
of the trip, you will pass through rapids and stretches with names like Mayaputi
Gorge, Thunder Alley, Rhino, Rollercoaster, Klipspringer, Blind Faith, the
Cascades, Raap en Skraap and Orange River Gorge, the latter being one of the
most awesome sections. You will overnight in river camps, some of which are
owned by the operators. You have a choice of sleeping in the open under the stars,
in tents or even in chalets. The river areas are malaria-free.
Various additional excursions are available along the river, such as exploring the
Richtersveld mountain desert, or viewing game in the Augrabies Falls National
Park. Fishing trips are also available. The duration of trip packages vary: from
half-day trips above the Augrabies Falls, to anywhere between 1 and 6-day trips
on various sections of the river. Distances can range from 9km (half-day trip), to
about 90km.
Going there in mid-summer is for the brave and those who are heat and burn
resistant. Best times to go are autumn and spring, but those are also the busiest
times. Around Christmas and New Year can also be busy, but more in the form
of parties and campers in the camps along the river. Easter and the September
school holidays are peak season. River water levels are high from December to
April, and low from May to November.
The Northern Cape sections can be easily reached from anywhere in the country
or Namibia, but be prepared to travel quite long distances to get there. For people
based in Gauteng, Free State or the Eastern Cape, or coming from Lesotho, the
eastern upper parts of the river is closer or more convenient. A trip like the Maluti
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Adventure
Meander, which starts at Zastron near Lesotho, would be ideal. This trip, offered
by Gravity Adventure Tours, takes you on fast-flowing water against the backdrop
of the Lesotho mountains, highlands epic scenery and unique rock formations. It
is quite different from the western lower river.
For more information about Orange River adventure operators,
visit the following websites:
Umkulu Adventures: www.umkuluadventures.com
Aquatrails: www.aquatrails.co.za/site
shutterstock: elephant
Xama Adventures & Safaris: https://www.xama.co.za
Orange River Rafting; www.orangeriverrafting.com
Felix Unite: www.felixunite.com/orange-river-trips/orange-river-4-
day-trips
Bundi: www.bundi.co.za/orangerivercanoeing.htm
Wildthing Adventures:
www.wildthing.co.za/orange-river-trips-orange-river-namibia
Bushwacked: www.bushwhacked.co.za
Gravity Adventure Tours:
www.gravity.co.za/products/maluti-meander-orange-river
shutterstock: Mogens Trolle
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shutterstock: Bruce Crossey

shutterstock:Erwin Niemand
Avid readers of all kinds of books and magazines are spoilt for
choice in South Africa. There is something for every type of
reader in stores ranging from the large bookstore chains, to the
independent bookstores, quaint second-hand booksellers, stores
that cater for rare and out-of-print books, shops that stock classics
and collectables, technical and other niche bookstores, or even the inevitable
book table at every flea market.
In addition a number of very popular book and literary fairs, festivals and shows
are hosted around South Africa each year. Bibliophiles are by no means the dying
breed that some would mistakenly claim, although many have migrated to the
electronic book.
Discovering and exploring these bookstores is a journey well worth taking, for both
armchair and real travellers. Bookstores of every description are found in many
corners of the country – in large shopping malls, next to the fish-and-chips shop
on suburban high streets, inside museums, crammed into old houses or crumbling
shops in narrow side streets, in modern air-conditioned mall shops complete with
integrated coffee shops, or in quaint little country-town shops where you’d least
expect to find them. And of course there are the flea market tables stacked with
yellowing books that offer anything from Agatha Christie’s who-dunnits to an
Eleanor Hibbert romance novel or a Louis L’Amour Western.
My own love of books and bookshops started with the library of books of my
grandfathers, parents and uncles in our family home in the then small harbour
town of Mossel Bay. From there I ventured into town to the then century-old
C.W. Courtney & Co, a jam-packed family-owned bookshop, “news agent” and
sellers of “stationery of every description” and “fancy goods”, housed in a quaint,
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From art lovers to romantics, history buffs and avid
gardeners, the lure of the bookstore is an irresistible
one…even in the age of smartphones, e-readers and
instant online information. But it is especially the
independent bookstores – and those that have a large
second-hand collection plus out-of-print books, niche
titles and collectables – that hold a special kind of
magic for booklovers everywhere.
CoolR / Shutterstock
typical Mossel Bay brownstone building on the main street. A bit further down the
street was Rabinowitz’s Central News Agency, another treasure trove of books,
magazines, newspapers and bric-a-brac. Anything you could not find in the shop,
the cigar-puffing old Mr Rabinowitz would go and retrieve from a dark basement
below. Sadly, neither of these two shops have survived.
While the independent bookstores are often located in the most interesting little
towns, buildings, streets or squares, it is what it contains that truly justifies a couple
of hours of your time. Just think of it: there on a couple of shelves between four
walls are crammed in the entire lives, intellectual capacity, experiences, studies,
knowledge and emotions of thousands of authors whose work span centuries and
offer knowledge and entertainment on every possible aspect of human existence
and beyond. Some span histories across thousands of years; others exit in a future
that has yet to arrive.
Johannesburg
For those who lived in and around Johannesburg in the heady Sixties and
Seventies, who can forget the intoxication of Estoril Books, that family-owned
store in the then trendy Hillbrow, jam-packed with books from floor to ceiling
and even open on Sundays, at a time when all other shops had to close on the
Sabbath. Whether true or not, it was said at the time you could find every book ever
written in that store, even the many that were banned in South Africa back then.
Estoril Books is still open for business today, but is now located in smart upmarket
premises in the Cresta Shopping Centre and Fourways Mall in Johannesburg’s
leafy northern suburbs.
On Commissioner Street in downtown Johannesburg you’ll also find Bridge Books,
and independent store that sells new and second-hand books. The store carries
many international titles, but also focuses on African writers. You can get onto their
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Iakov Filimonov / Shutterstock
Phill Danze / Shutterstock
mailing list if you wish to attend the many events and workshops they host, just like
the art galleries do.
Still on Commissioner Street you can pop into Collectors Treasury, said to be
the largest second-hand bookstore in Africa, and one of the older ones. Apart
from their massive collection of used books housed in a warehouse, they also sell
magazines and a variety of other items.
In trendy Melville you will find Love Books, a quaint, homely little bookshop that
also hosts events, including for children. Another popular meeting place for book
and coffee lovers is Skoobs Theatre of Books located inside the Montecasino
complex. Apart from the many novels and business books the store stocks, it has
a champagne bar, coffee shop and a balcony where you can relax with a book,
some coffee and friends. One of the oldest bookshops in Johannesburg, having
been established in the pioneering days of gold mining in the City of Gold in 1904,
is Thorold’s which specialises in law books and Africana.
Other well-known independent bookshops around Johannesburg include
L’Elephant Terrible in Braamfontein which sells a wide variety of books plus coffee;
Kalahari Books in Orange Grove, specialising in out-of-print collectables, political
books, local fiction and crime fiction; Boekehuis in Auckland Park, one of the city’s
more intellectual bookshop, specialising in Afrikaans literature; and Collectables
and Collectable Books, in Parkview.
Cape Town
In Cape Town and surrounding suburbs a number of independent bookshops
stand out, all much beloved by locals and tourists alike. In Roeland Street, not far
from the historic jail, is The Book Lounge with its two levels or carefully curated
books and a wonderful children’s books section. Set in a restored old building
among other historical buildings, the store also regularly hosts literary events.
Then hop across town to the iconic Clarke’s Bookshop on Long Street, in the city’s
central entertainment, restaurant and art gallery district – a long-time favourite
among Capetonian bookworms. One of the city’s older bookstores – established
in 1956 – it stocks a wide variety of new, second-hand and out of print books on
Southern Africa, spread across two storeys of a characterful historic old building.
It also specialises in books on Southern African art and has an interesting range
of maps dating back to the 1600s, all of which are on sale. Clarke’s also issue two
catalogues a year of new publications on Southern Africa and out-of-print South
African titles. Comfortable leather chairs round off the experience. They also
regularly host functions and events, most notably their intimate poetry sessions.
Next, follow the road across the mountains to the picturesque False Bay fishing
village of Kalk Bay where you will find Kalk Bay Books, the bookstore with the
best view in the world, it is claimed. Opened in 2006 – and since then becoming
something of a landmark - the shop almost faced closure on occasion, not least of
all because of almost 5 years of road works that kept traffic and people away from
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GlebSStock/ Shutterstock
their doorstep. But it survived and the bookshop is as popular as ever. Regular
events and book launches are hosted, with one of their most recent ones being
the local launch of journalist Jacques Pauw’s headline-making The President’s
Keepers, a shocking exposé of political deceit and corruption in contemporary
South Africa.
Plonk yourself down in one of the comfortable couches, browse through some
books, or enjoy the occasional in-store concert, while taking in the view outside
of the tourist-crammed street, the busy little fishing harbour and the beautiful bay.
Durban
Durban too has its share of wonderful bookstores. One of the oldest, if not the
oldest, is Adams Booksellers & Stationers, started as Adams and Company in
1865 to serve the stationery, magazine and book needs of the colonial community.
Today the company has two stores, one in central West Street that specialises in
books for UNISA students and nurses while maintaining a good general range,
and the other in the upmarket Musgrave Centre. They also have two shops serving
students on the two campuses of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, as well as shop
in Pietermaritzburg in the heart of the city in a beautiful historic building.
Other popular independent bookshops in Cape Town include Tommy’s Book
Exchange, located on central Long Street since 1969 with lots of dusty books
and even old long-playing music records stacked from floor to ceiling and in every
nook and cranny; The Readers Den Comic Shop, located in the bustling Stadium
on Main in Claremont, home to just about every popular comic series that ever
existed; the charming little Select Books on Long Street, where it has been for
three decades selling Africana, books on the Anglo-Boer War, flora and fauna,
travel, hunting, art, and sport, as well as rare out-of-print books; and the unlikelynamed
Bikini Beach Bookstore on the beach at Gordon’s Bay, overflowing with
books of every title and description.
There are plenty more independent little bookshops like Fortunate Finds Bookshop
on Main Road, Kenilworth; the Quagga Shop, also on Main Road, Kalk Bay;
Buchhandlung Naumann on Kloof Nek Road, and catering to German speakers
and those interested in German culture; A is for Apple, based in Tamboerskloof
and specialising in children’s books; The Bay Bookshop, which has a branch
in Hout Bay and another in the Cape Quarter, Green Point; the charity CAFDA
Bookshop with stores in Sea Point and Cavendish Square, Claremont, that
through its proceeds helps uplift disadvantaged communities on the Cape Flats;
The Book Shoppe, a tiny second-hand book shop in Tokai; and a little further afield
in the lovely Franschhoek wine valley, The Armchair Explorer, filled with books on
history, and African and European military history.
Still in Cape Town, a visit to the Centre for the Book, a branch of the National
Library of South Africa, is a must. Its mission is to promote a culture of reading,
writing and publishing in local languages and easy access to books for all. It
coordinates book related activities nationally, such as book discussions, poetry
readings, book launches, writing workshops and conferences and also houses a
Children’s Reading Centre in partnership with Ukuhamba Nabatwana Trust. The
Centre for the Book is housed in a historic Edwardian building at 62 Queen Victoria
Street, Cape Town.
Ike’s Bookshop on 4th Road in central Durban is another amazing little bookstore –
some would say a hidden gem – that stocks old and new books on a great variety of
topics. Last Chance Books, at the Stables Lifestyle Market in Durban, offer around
4,000 titles for sale, while they also have an extensive private collection that can
be viewed by appointment and includes historical titles, limited, signed, and first
editions by authors such as Ian Fleming, Wilbur Smith, J.M. Coetzee and many
more. Other Durban bookshops include Books & Books, Books at Kensington, and
Kensington Book Exchange in Kensington Square, Durban North.
Other Cities
In Moreleta Park, Pretoria you will find Esanlu Book Shop with close to 16,000
books in English and Afrikaans, including rare and collectible books, first editions,
and new paperbacks and hardcovers. Like Cape Town, the city has a store
specialising in comic books, called Outer Limits and located in Menlo Park. The
shop regularly hosts card and board games too. In Nieuw Muckleneuk you’ll find
the PCH Bookshop, run entirely by volunteers selling second-hand books to raise
funds for the Princess Christian Home.
Rutland Books on Soutpansberg Road consists of 13 rooms containing over
50,000 second-hand books. Tall Stories is located in the Irene Village Mall in
Centurion, and offers Africana, publisher’s overstocks, collectibles, and secondhand
books. They would also love to buy your unwanted books. In Lynwood Glen
you’ll find what is reputed to be one of the top five second-hand bookshops in South
Africa, namely Sungardens Hospice Bookshop. Books donated by the public are
sold here to raise funds for the care of patients with progressive, advanced or
incurable diseases.
In Pietermaritzburg you’ll also find Sesifikile Booksellers on Longmarket Street,
Ladybeam Secondhand Books on Boom Street, Rehab Books & Technology on
Ridge Road, and CUM Books in the Midlands Mall, among more.
In Bloemfontein (Mangaung) you can pop into Protea Book Store in the Brandwag

Culture
Grobler du Preez / Shutterstock
Centre or the Hobby Bookshop on Vereeniging Drive. In Port Elizabeth in the Nelson
Mandela Bay Metro, Fogarty’s Bookshop has been serving the local community since
1946. Pickwick Books & Stationers on 5th Avenue, Walmer, sells school text books,
reading books, wall charts, maps, study guides, workbooks, games and stationery.
On the north-eastern outskirts of the city at Bluewater Bay you’ll find A Little Book All
About Me; in Central there is the quaint little Book & Bygones; and in Newton Park
there is Sizwe Books. ]
scenic road trips, and stop in the historic town of Barrydale for lunch and a visit to the
House of Books. Situated on Van Riebeeck Street, it is a treasure trove of secondhand
books. Deep in the heart of the Great Karoo, in the fascinating little town of Nieu
Bethesda near the Gariep Dam, and famous for Helen Martin’s Owl House, you’ll
find Dustcovers. It is a quaint and unexpected bookstore where you browse through
everything from collectables to the classics, coffee table books and many other new
and second-hand books. Coffee is also served under a grapevine in the courtyard or
in the icy winters next to a crackling indoors fire.
Small Country Towns
It is not only South Africa’s larger cities that cater for bookworms, travellers from afar
and armchair travellers. Travel around the country and you will be surprised with the
many unique little bookstores that await you in the most hidden away or remote little
towns and villages.
Travel from Cape Town to Oudtshoorn along Route 66, one of South Africa’s most
In the historic university town of Grahamstown, on High Street, you can stop at Fables
Bookshop which sells mainly African, out-of-print, academic and specialist books. If
you are visiting the seaside town of Hermanus on the south-western coast near Cape
Town, a visit to the Book Cottage is a must. The bookshop is located in a charming
cottage filled with a wide range of books from local to international best-sellers, niche
books and children’s books. They also host special readings and book launches.
Grobler du Preez / Shutterstock

South African Dining
Traditional South African menu with Cape Malay influences.
Award-winning wines and the best view in Cape Town.
South African Dining
Shop 156, The Wharf Centre, V&A Waterfront
Tel: (021) 421 7005/6
www.kariburestaurant.co.za

Culture
Book Fairs & Festivals
Finally, South Africa is also known for a large number of superb book fairs and
festivals. Literary events and discussions, as well as books for sale, regularly form
part of the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival in Oudtshoorn, and Grahamstown
Some of the better-known book fairs include the Time of the Writer International
Festival held annually in Durban at the University of KwaZulu Natal’s Centre for
Creative Arts. The project is among the largest and longest-running literature
festivals in the continent. Another is the South African Book Fair (previously the
Cape Town Book Fair) held as a collaboration between the Publishers Association
of South Africa (PASA) and the Frankfurt Book Fair.
In the Cape Winelands the Franschhoek Literary Festival takes place each year in
May and has gained recognition for celebrating South African books and authors
while fostering a culture of reading and writing among children. In Johannesburg
you can attend the annual Jozi Book Fair, co-hosted by Khanya College and Wits
University. The festival, held in August/September, encourages publishers, nongovernmental
organisations, readers, writers, artists and the public to take part as
exhibitors, in discussions and as hosts.
In Cape Town the annual Open Book Festival focusses on South African literature
in an international context. The diamond city of Kimberley also hosts the annual
Kimberley Book Fair. The Abantu Book Festival was launched in Soweto in 2016
to emphasise the importance of black South Africans telling their own stories,
and hosts novelists, playwrights, screenwriters, performing artists and children’s
writers from Africa and its diaspora.
So, whether you are an armchair traveller or a real traveller, toss away that
e-reader, start a fascinating tour of independent bookshops around the country,
and make sure you leave space in your rucksack for the many books you will
collect along the way.
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