Nomad Africa Edition 13

Welcome 

TO AFRICA! 

aconcept was born from a passionate 

desire to dispel the negative 

perceptions, which the 

world has held of the African 

continent, and to replace them 

with a positive focus. That concept 

took form in the launch of the Nomad Africa 

project in 2012. The project involves using several 

media platforms to promote and celebrate the 

African continent. 

Nomad Africa celebrates life on the African continent 

and promotes its vibrant pulse through our 

Pan-Africanist ideology, to encourage the solidarity 

of Africans worldwide. It aims to foster a strong interest 

in the continent's cultural heritage, unique 

tourist attractions and countless business development 

and investment opportunities, with the millions 

of people living in, investigating or visiting 

Africa. 

Nomad Africa inspires and breeds a conscious, 

knowledgeable generation of visionaries among 

our own, and influences positive perceptions and 

appreciation for the true worth of Africa worldwide. 

The Nomad Africa project has created a unique advertising 

platform for clients wishing to promote 

business, investments and awareness of their services 

and products in Africa. 

Nomad Africa magazine, the print platform of the 

project, is an elegant, luxury magazine targeting the 

tourism, travel, social, political, cultural and business 

fields prevailing in Africa and is circulated across the 

African continent. 

Made available in most VIP lounges of international 

airports, business class sections of selected airlines, 

four- and five-star hotels, spas and casinos as well 

as luxury cruise liners that service the African coastline. 

Present distribution outlets across Africa are 

South Africa (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban & 

Port Elizabeth), Nigeria (Lagos), Ghana (Accra), Zimbabwe 

(Harare), Zambia (Lusaka), Namibia (Windhoek), 

Rwanda (Kigali) and Mauritius, Kenya and 

Seychelles to be added in the coming months. Distribution 

is continuously monitored by Media Support 

(PTY) Limited. 

Nomad Africa magazine retails exclusively in Woolworths, 

Checkers and CNA outlets. Retail distribution 

is monitored by On The Dot - the biggest multichannel 

media logistics company in Africa. 

The Nomad Africa e-zine, which is published digitally, 

is available on digital newsstand platforms like 

PressReader, Zinio, Magzter and on Android, iPhone 

and Windows app stores. The magazine is made 

available digitally to a worldwide combined audience 

of over 300 million and an extensive network 

of sponsored hotspots, which allows the magazine 

to be viewed and downloaded in more than 6,000 

hotels worldwide and over 16,000 libraries, universities, 

cruise ships, airlines, government and corporate 

offices, hospitals, and cafes around the globe. 

The Nomad Africa bi-monthly newsletter is sent to 

more than 65,000 subscribers internationally, with 

the number constantly growing. 

NomadTV is the online digital television division of 

the Nomad Africa project. It regularly features interviews 

with representatives of government and 

tourism boards across the continent of Africa and 

helps showcase their unique offerings and destinations. 

NomadTV is popularly employed to create advertorials 

for our distribution partners and advertisers. 

All our productions are showcased on our website 

and the NomadTV Youtube channel. 

For more details, how you can partner with us, or invest 

in this unparalleled project, please e-mail us at: 

thepublisher@nomadafricamag.com or call +27 11 

052 4597. 

Issue 12 | ...Celebrating the world’s richest continent | www.nomadafricamag.com | 5

10 | www.nomadafricamag.com | ...Celebrating the world’s richest continent | Issue 13

Faith Tourism: A Neglected Tourism Sector? 

Travelling has a way of humbling a person and broadens one’s perspective in multiple 

ways. People travel for various reasons: To escape a mundane life; to relax and unwind; 

to explore and seek adventure; for work and business opportunities; to learn something 

new and challenge oneself or celebrate and visit loved ones. But there is another motivation 

for travel that is as old as time itself and one which encourages vast masses to 

make frequent journeys. Faith tourism – or Religious tourism – as it is sometimes referred 

to, is a type of tourism where individuals or masses of people travel with a desire 

to participate in religious celebrations and ceremonies, to learn more about centres of 

worship and relics, to join fellowships or make pilgrimage to worship saints. 

This edition of the magazine presents us with an opportunity to deeply look into faithbased 

tourism and churches across the continent of Africa. Reports of pastors convincing 

worshippers to eat snakes, spraying insecticide into mouths of believers during fully 

packed sermons under the guise of God’s hand apparently, and even buildings that 

collapse due to poor structural engineering – there has been much strange activity, 

but no consequence. This makes us ask a single question; should churches not be regulated? 

(see page 76). 

Lorraine Masemola – a new addition to our editorial team, attended the Domba traditional 

dance of magical Venda in South Africa. This colourful python dance, held annually 

at a very sacred site, Lake Fundudzi, secures good rain for the following season 

(page 52). In another special feature, Martin Chemhere, in his piece, updates us on 

South Africa’s newly relaxed visa regulations. Will it significantly help boost tourism in 

that country? (page 62). 

To this extent, I will like to say that I am delighted to work with the talented team here 

at Nomad Africa as I assume the position as the new Managing Editor. It was a daunting 

idea to build something new in travel journalism - something brave, bold and exceptionally 

beautiful. Africa’s future is an open road and we’re picking up speed, so it is the 

perfect time to be joining. 

Good writing and engaging storytelling are the lenses through which we connect with 

the world. I look forward to exploring the various cultures, people, developments and 

trends impacting Africa’s travel and tourism industry. At a time when most online content 

tends toward the shallow and ephemeral, our stories will seek to deliver sustained 

engagement and value. As I work with the team to grow the company into a sustainable 

publisher of smart stories, dynamic insights and carefully curated thought leadership, 

I hope you find it resourceful and compelling. I am grateful to reimagine every 

single page with you. I look forward to the journey. I hope you enjoy the ride with us. 

Issue 13 | ...Celebrating the world’s richest continent | www.nomadafricamag.com | 11


Top 10 

TOP TEN MUST VISIT 

RELIGIOUS STRUCTURES 

IN AFRICA 

Recent years have seen a rapid mushrooming of religious institutions across 

Africa as more people grow in their faith or start a new life as believers. While this may 

paint a picture of a newly religious continent, the truth is, Africa has long been a 

continent steeped in religion. This is not only evidenced by the indigenous beliefs 

found across the continent, but also by the historical places of worship that have stood 

the test of time to tell the story of the continent’s beliefs in all its vibrant diversity. 

Words: MOZA MOYO 

africa’s famous sacred 

buildings are a source 

of great fascination. 

From the rich history to 

the unique architecture, 

there’s a lot that 

lends allure to these 

structures. This list of ten edifices from the 

ancient and modern world is in no way allinclusive, 

but it’s a fair representation of the 

extraordinary religious structures across this 

vast continent. 

The Great Mosque of Djenné 

The Great Mosque of Djenné in Mali is 

among the most astounding buildings in the 

world. The mosque, which is considered 

one of the greatest creations of the Sahelian 

architecture, was entirely built from mud, 

making it the world’s largest mud-brick 

building. In fact, the whole town of Djenné 

is made up of houses built from mud architecture 

since the 14th century. The building 

process involves drying clay bricks in the 

oven to harden and make them heat resistant. 

The bricks are stacked together to create 

walls, then plastered with mud. Over the 

decades, the Great Mosque has collapsed 

twice, and the one that stands today was 

completed in 1907. To keep the building 

from falling apart, an annual week-long festival 

is held, where residents come out in 

numbers to plaster and repair it. One of 

West Africa’s most important Islamic centres, 

the monumental structure has giant walls 

dotted with wooden beams that protrude 

through to the outside. The roof has several 

holes covered by terracotta lids, which 

serve as an inlet for fresh air during hot days. 

At the top of the pillars are conical towers 

capped with ostrich eggs — a symbol of fertility 

and purity. 

Ben Ezra Synagogue 

Egypt was once home to a thriving Jewish 

community of over 100,000 members. Now, 

following their mass exodus to Israel after 

1948, the numbers have dwindled to less 

than 50. But, the physical reminders of the 

North African country’s rich Jewish history 

remain. Egypt is dotted with synagogues 

that attest to its Jewish past. One of these 

houses of worship is the 9th Ben Ezra Synagogue, 

originally a Christian church in the 

9th century. Located in Cairo, the synagogue 

is believed to be on the site where 

the pharaoh’s daughter found baby Moses 

in the reeds. The building has been renovated 

numerous times over the centuries. In 

the 12th century, it was restored by Abraham 

Ben Ezra, rabbi of Jerusalem. In 1890, a hoard 

of historic papers was discovered in the synagogue, 

revealing the history of the North 

African Jewish community. 

Church of St. George 

The town of Lalibela, Ethiopia, is known for 

its extraordinary rock-hewn churches. Created 

between the 12th and 13th centuries, 

the 11 medieval churches were carved out 

of volcanic tuff rock – each one is literally 

cut out of stone, with its roof on the level of 

the ground. The churches are testament to 

the supreme level of Ethiopia’s ancient architecture. 

The finest of these Christian sites 

is the Church of St. George, standing at approximately 

12 metres high. It boasts a roof 

in the form of a cross, three doors, an interior 

decorated with remarkably done murals 

and carvings, as well as several arch-shaped 

windows. Some of these windows feature 

cross motifs. The church, along with others, 

was the brainchild of King Gebre Mesqel 

Lalibela, who reigned from 1181 to 1221. 

Yamoussoukro Basilica 

At 158 metres high and with a capacity of 

18,000 people in the interior and 300,000 in 

the yard, the imposing edifice is the world’s 

largest Christian church, having surpassed St 

Peter’s in the Vatican upon its completion in 

1989. The Yamoussoukro Basilica was constructed 

with marble imported from Italy 

and boasts 5,000 shades of stained glass 

windows from France. Each of the church’s 

7,000 seats has its own conditioning system. 

The church was commissioned for by Cote 

Issue 13 | ...Celebrating the world’s richest continent | www.nomadafricamag.com | 13

Top Left: The Nan Hua Temple in the bushveld town of 

Bronkhorstspruit, South Africa. 

Top Right: The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion. 

Bottom Left: The Yamoussoukro Basilica, also known as Our Lady 

of Peace of Yamoussoukro Basilica located in Côte d’Ivoire. 

Bottom Right: The Nizamiye Mosque in Johannesburg, South 

Africa. 

d’Ivoire’s former President, Félix Houphouët- 

Boigny. Despite the country’s ironically small 

Christian population, the church has become 

a national pride and one of the most 

important Roman Catholic shrines in Africa. 

The Yamoussoukro Basilica took five years to 

build and came with a price tag of US $300 

million. 

Nan Hua Temple 

Looking at the Nan Hua Temple, you would 

be forgiven for thinking you are in ancient 

Asia. This elaborately decorated temple, 

which looks like it’s been cut out of a Chinese 

postcard, is located in the bushveld 

town of Bronkhorstspruit, South Africa. It 

covers 600 acres of land, making it the 

largest Buddhist temple and seminary in 

Africa. The Nan Hua Temple is the African 

headquarters of the Fo Guang Shan, a Chinese 

Buddhist monastic order. The 

Bronkhorstspruit City Council donated the 

land to build the sanctuary in 1992, and construction 

began in October of the same year. 

The temple is open to visitors looking to immerse 

themselves in its peaceful splendour. 

There, you’ll find three large Buddha statues 

known as the Triple Gem Buddha. There’s 

also a meditation centre for anyone looking 

to absorb the transformational magic of the 

spiritual practice. 

Monastery of Saint Anthony 

As a nation deeply steeped in history, Egypt 

is home to some of the world’s best-known 

monuments. It is also where you’ll find the 

oldest monastery in the world: The 

Monastery of Saint Anthony. Planted deep in 

the Red Sea mountains, the church traces its 

origins back to the 4th century. The 

monastery was founded by the followers of 

Saint Anthony, the first Christian Monk. At the 

age of 34, Anthony chose to dedicate his life 

to God and started living a life of asceticism. 

He gave away his wealth and possessions to 

the poor and retreated to the desert, where 

he lived in solitude as a hermit. After about 

nine years in seclusion, the saint emerged 

from his retreat. In 313, when Christian persecution 

ended, he relocated to a cave in a 

mountain in the Eastern Desert, where the 

Monastery of Saint Anthony was established. 

Over the years, the monastery was increased 

in size. Today, the main parts include 

the Church of St. Anthony, the Church 

of the Apostles, the Church of the Virgin, the 

New Church, the Fort, and a guesthouse. 

There’s also a library, which houses an immense 

body of manuscripts, and a museum, 

which chronicles the history of the site. The 

monastery offers guided tours to tourists 

and is inhabited by more than 100 monks 

who live a life of prayer in the solitude and 

stillness of the desert. 

The Great Mosque of Kairouan 

The UNESCO World Heritage city of 

Kairouan, Tunisia, harbours one of the most 

significant mosques in the world. The Great 

Mosque of Kairouan, founded in 670, is a 

treasure trove of history and is at the heart 

of the city’s heritage. The mosque also enjoys 

recognition as the oldest Muslim place 

of worship in Africa. The structure was originally 

built by a general named Uqba ibn 

Nafi as a Friday Mosque used for communal 

prayers on the Muslim holy day. The establishment 

has gone through several transformations 

over the years. It was rebuilt at least 

twice in the 8th century. In the 9th century, 

Prince Ziyadat Allah I tore down the mosque 

and rebuilt it in more stable materials of 

stone, brick, and wood. Covering 10,800 

square metres, the ancient mosque consists 


Top Left: The great mosque of Kairouan is a UNESCO 

Heritage site in the city of Kairouan, Tunisia. The city 

harbours one of the most significant mosques in the world. 

Top Right: The Monastery of Saint Anthony in Egypt. 

Top: The great mosque of Djenne. 

Far Left: Church of St. George is located in the town of 

Lalibela, Ethiopia. The town is known for its extraordinary 

rock-hewn churches. Created between the 12th and 13th 

centuries, the 11 medieval churches were carved out of 

volcanic tuff rock – each one is literally cut out of stone. 

Left: Interior of the Ben Ezra Synagogue. 

of a courtyard, prayer hall with 17 naves and 

a pool known as the Old Cistern. The building 

is an architectural wonder that combines 

a range of influences, including pre-Islam, 

Eastern Islamic, Umayyad, Byzantine, and 

Roman. 

Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion 

Ethiopia’s Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion 

is one of the most famous churches in the 

world for a few reasons. It’s a historical treasure 

believed to have been built in the 4th 

century during the reign of Ezana, the first 

Christian King of Ethiopia. The church, located 

in the heritage city of Aksum, has 

been rebuilt several times since then. But 

despite its rich history, perhaps one thing 

that has made the structure known the 

world over is its claim that the church is in 

possession of the Ark of the Covenant. The 

legendary Ark is the gold-covered wooden 

chest that contains the Ten Commandments 

written on two stone tablets. For centuries, 

the holy object was kept in the Temple of 

King Solomon in Jerusalem. So how did it 

end up in Ethiopia? According to the Church 

of Our Lady Mary of Zion, the object was 

taken to the East African country during the 

reign of King Menelik I, believed to be the 

son of the superbly wise King Solomon and 

the Queen of Sheba. Although the church 

claims to possess the Ark, its whereabouts 

remain a bone of contention among researchers 

and scholars alike. Proof of the 

holy object’s Ethiopian location is not readily 

available as no one can see it except for a 

solitary monk who guards it for life. 

Nizamiye Mosque 

Located in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nizamiye 

is believed to be the biggest mosque 

complex in the Southern Hemisphere. This 

religious centre was built by Turkish businessman 

and philanthropist, Ali Katircioglu 

in 2012. Nizamiye is fashioned after the 16thcentury 

Selimiye Mosque in Turkey, a building 

that showcases the spectacular 

Ottoman design. The mosque boasts 21 

domes, with the main one framed by four 

towering minarets. More than 200 stainedglass 

windows adorn the building. The interior 

is a breathtaking sight, featuring intricate 

hand-painted designs. The complex includes 

community facilities such as a school 

that takes 800 pupils, a clinic, conference 

rooms, shops, bakery, bookshop, and a 

restaurant. 

Jummah Masjid Mosque 

There’s more to Mauritius than just stunning 

beaches, lagoons and reefs. The island nation 

of 1.2 million people is made up of diverse 

traditions and religions, including 

Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and 

others. One of the most prominent religious 

buildings in the Indian Ocean island is the 

Jummah Masjid Mosque, unmissable in the 

capital Port Louis. Formerly known as the 

Mosque of the Arabs, the edifice was built 

in the 1850s, combining Indian, Creole, and 

Islamic architecture. As the Muslim population 

grew in Port Louis, a larger mosque was 

needed. So, in 1857, more land was bought 

by Muslim merchants, leading to the expansion 

of the Jummah Masjid Mosque. 


PORT ELIZABETH 

A CITY WITH A BIG PERSONALITY 

My next turn was to the friendliest, pioneer people located in the 

Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth (PE). About 16 kilometres away from the Algoa bay in South Africa. 

Words: LORRAINE MASEMOLA 


Gallivant South Africa 


c 

hapman’s in a Humewood 

side trip is where 

you would probably be 

greeted by the warm 

smiles and the fresh 

smell of the ocean. Port 

Elizabeth is also known 

as the Ebayi, meaning (The bay) in Xhosa, 

and also as Nelson Mandela Bay, named 

after the famous late President Nelson Mandela. 

The best time to see this beautiful city, 

when the weather is at its best is during October 

to March. The busiest and most 

crowded months will be during January, 

August and September. Your accommodation 

rates are more likely to be expensive 

during these months. Humewood is surrounded 

by the blue flag beach and Hobie 

beach. It boasts a small specialist shop 

called Ocean Surf Store, where you can 

buy your swimming gear for ladies and 

gentlemen. 

Kings beach is excellent for people who 

want to do body surfing, long beach walks 

and sunbathing. It offers other facilities such 

as, the snack bar, changing area, life savers 

centre and parking area. Bayworld is where 

you find the Oceanarium, Snake Park, no.7 

castle hill, PE museum as well as the reptile 

park, which hosts lizards, snakes, tortoises 

and crocodiles. 

The Bayworld has other exhibits such as the 

dinosaur hall, maritime history hall, the marine 

hall, curiosity corner, the Xhosa gallery 

and the history of Algoa Bay. It opens from 

9am – 4:30pm Monday to Friday and is 

closed on weekends. 

Precious sites to see and most preferably 

enjoy is the beertopia, SA hot new food 

scene, cradle for creativity, visit the health 

spa, the shark rock pier, bottle nose dolphin 

capital of the world. 

Want to try something out of your comfort 

zone? Let a tour guide take you to the 

African township called the Motherwell, 

where you can try the best South African 

meat just prepared with hot water and salt 

‘iinyawo and umqala’ in Xhosa (chicken feet 

and necks). This dish is a definite come 

back for some more. At first you’d think 

“how does a person even eat such food?” 

but eventually after the first bite; you would 

want to start ordering more than you 


Think you have seen enough elephants in your lifetime? 

Think again. The Addo National Park is most famous for its African 

elephant population of over 500. The big Addo 7 is a tranquil and well 

conserved space for the elephant lovers. 

should. Be sure not to leave this city before 

having enjoyed the wildlife experience. For 

the little ones, there is a barn yard, where 

they can see the amazing animals. Think 

you have seen enough elephants in your 

lifetime? Think again. The Addo National 

Park is most famous for its African elephant 

population of over 500. The big Addo 7 is 

a tranquil and well conserved space for the 

elephant lovers. There are also zebras, hippos, 

impala, rhinos, lions and several other 

great varieties. Restaurants such as the 

Vovo Telo, Muse restaurant and the Backstreet 

grill are not far from the Jewish Pioneer 

memorial museum. So do grab a bite 

and go sight-seeing. For people who want 

to study the history of the area, there are 

the old Eastern Cape houses and monuments 

sites such as, the Donkin reserve, 

The Addo big 7 elephant reserve, horse 

memorial, and fort Frederick, and the 

masjid ul Aziz. Each place has its own special 

history and thus it was one of my best 

places of visiting. 

I stayed at The Chapman’s hotel and conference 

centre, which was just a 10 minute 

drive from the Port Elizabeth airport, I 

would advise that you get an airport shuttle 

to drop you off as it is literally just 10 minutes 

away. This amazing accommodation 

is a short distance walk from the beach. It 

has the panoramic Indian Ocean view, outdoor 

pool, bar and restaurant. Spacious 

rooms with a satellite television, bedroom, 

private bathroom, in-room breakfast at 

your request and it is a five minute walk to 

Kings beach. 

Port Elizabeth can have rapidly changing 

weather conditions and get quite windy. It 

is known as the windy city, so don’t feel 

bad when some shops close early during 

the day. Most shops are more likely to 


Donkin Lighthouse built in the late 1860-1880. 

close around 3pm. For people who love 

getting wet and enjoy the sea, there are 

various water activities that await you such 

as; water skiing, fishing, swimming, windsurfing, 

and scuba diving. Not a fan of the 

sea? That is also okay as there are activities 

on land that you can enjoy. Take a short 

walk up with the local Donkin Lighthouse 

which was built in the late 1860-1880. It is situated 

at about 10 kilometres away from the 

city and offers you a great view of the city. 

Other activities include the penguin patrol, 

horseback riding, Sacramento trail, animal 

touch farms, Humewood golf club. Should 

you be travelling with family and want to 

experience an activity that the whole family 

can take part in, come down to Planet 

Paintball. It offers the 6 combat arenas, 

shaded braai areas, covered seating, tuck 

shop, clean bathrooms, ample parking for 

the social, professional and corporate functions. 

Ever heard of the adrenalin Addo - 

the happy lands farm, Summerville Addo in 

Eastern Cape? Then ask your tour guide for 

more information regarding this exhilarating 

activity that will leave you breathless 

and pleased. Whilst queuing for my turn to 

experience this adrenalin Addo. I managed 

to get on and I must say it is the most 

breath taking enjoyable moment you could 

ever get. The adrenalin Addo is a 10 minute 

hike through the bush and it leaves from 

the departure tower to the 70 metres 

above the Sunday River. You can see the 

awesome view whilst on the zip line and it 

has brakes to best suit your cruising moment. 

The heavier you are, the faster it 

goes. There are three different tasks to pick 

from, the zip line, the canoeing and the 

giant swing. 

Port Elizabeth is the third largest port in 

South Africa. The city is not just about the 

sea but the historic hub, heritage trail, route 

67, private game reserves, Addo Elephant 

National Park, with affordable do it yourself 

and guided safaris. Port Elizabeth is one of 

the major cities in the Eastern Cape. This 

province lies between the Western Cape 

and the KwaZulu-Natal provinces and the 

capital is Bisho. There are many places to 

see in Port Elizabeth and many activities to 

do. The Tsitsikamma bungy jumping and 

the Otter trail are a few out of many other 

activities. 

Should you be on a strict budget, there are 

many fine spots in Port Elizabeth, where 

you can still go for a mouth-watering feast; 

such as your local plug, the valley market, 

hip Stanley Street, where there are over 15 

restaurants to choose from. Have a sweet 

tooth? Want to grab a bite at a delicious 

chocolate pudding and vanilla tart? Vovo 

Telo offers a wide range of menus to 

choose from. The bistro is open from 7am 

till 3pm. You surely don’t want to go home 

on an empty stomach, but with the last 

memory of why you need to return to this 

friendly city. 

PE in South Africa is well known for its warm 

welcome, its waterfront watersports, 

wildlife attractions, and friendly people. The 

tour bus that operates in Port Elizabeth is on 

standby between 8am until 3pm to assist 

you with all your tours and on budget and 

time. Do check online for bookings and 

schedules. Port Elizabeth is indeed one of 

the best cities in Africa and a city with a big 

personality. 


MAGICAL 

MATJIESFONTEIN 

Some three hours outside of Cape Town lays a one-street town with 

a surprisingly rich history and a quaint charm of a bygone era. Blink and you 

might just miss it. This is Matjiesfontein. Located just a couple hundred metres off the 

N1, it is in the perfect position for road trip stopovers for anyone travelling 

between Cape Town and Bloemfontein or Johannesburg. 

Words by: JANINE AVERY 




however it’s also a great 

destination in its own 

right! This unique spot on 

the map of Southern 

Africa is a charming little 

place that is well worth 

the visit. Join us on a journey 

back in time as we find out why… 

The history of Matjiesfontein 

For such a small place, Matjiesfontein has 

a rich history linked to Britain, battles, politics 

and surprisingly – cricket! At the centre 

of the history of Matjiesfontein sits a 

man named James Douglas Logan. He 

was responsible for founding the town 

and it was his dream of a Victorian style 

town in South Africa that gave this quaint 

town its charming appeal today. In fact, 

he was so devoted to his vision that many 

of the town’s features came from the 

home of Queen and country - even the 

lampposts are imported from London. 

And while Logan was responsible for establishing 

the town, Matjiesfontein itself 

originally focused around one central 

structure. And here, where today you can 

see a bare patch of grass, there was once 

a lush cricket pitch. It was placed at the 

centre of the town and the initial plans for 

the town actually once included a swimming 

pool and a golf course, completing 

the sporting ideal. It is at this cricket pitch, 

where some of the first games between 

South Africa and Britain were held. 

But aside from having a flair for fun and 

games, Logan also had political aspirations 

and Matjiesfontein was once a 

haven for imperial troops. At one stage, 

there was once even 10,000 troops and 

20,000 horses camped around the town. 

Logan’s private home, surrounded by an 

exotic cactus garden, which you can still 

see in Matjiesfontein, was also the first 

house in South Africa to have its own 

electricity supply and its own telephone 

line. The man sure was ambitious! 

After the war, the town was all but forgotten, 

until it was bought by hotelier David 

Rawdon in 1968 and the entire village was 

declared a National Heritage Site in 1975. 

Today, the Rawdon family runs the town 

through a trust in partnership with The 

Collection by Liz McGrath. Thanks to this 

man’s vision, the entire village was restored 

to its former glory and centred on 

tourism with a coffee shop, bar and gift 

shop set in the old Post Office building. 

Today, most of the town’s 400 residents 

play a role in catering to the tourist trade 

that visit Matjiesfontein. One of the best 

ways to discover the history of Matjiesfontein 

is through the VoiceMap app, 


which offers a free walking tour recorded 

by author Dean Allen. In fact, most of 

what I learnt about this quaint town and 

what is detailed here was through this 45 

minute sojourn around town! 

Our personal experience of the town 

Visiting the tiny town of Matjiesfontein 

was like being trapped in a time warp or 

stepping through the glass straight into 

some old photograph. Driving up the 

main street, the iconic Lord Milner dominated 

the landscape with its wide balconies 

and impressive façade. And 

parked outside its front in the dusty lot 

were vintage automobiles more than 

twice by age. My happy husband was instantly 

smitten. 

When I could drag him away from admiring 

the cars, we ventured forth to the 

towering Lord Milner. The picturesque 

building dates back to 1899 and was 

once the headquarters of those highranking 

army officials and even a British 

hospital. Stepping through the front 

doors of the lavish building, a sweeping 

red-carpeted staircase greeted us, invited 

us in and ever onward to our room. 

Here, a room almost the size of my 

whole house back in Cape Town greeted 

us with an even bigger balcony. And I 

knew that this was the epitome of luxurious 

living, with a touch of quaint Karoo 

country style, of course. I could just imagine 

that intrepid Logan sipping away on 

fine Scotch on the balcony as we waved 

the troops off to war. 

During our too-short stopover in Matjiesfontein, 

we just couldn’t get enough of 

the history of the town. After that interesting 

Voicemap tour of Matjiesfontein, 

we took in more of the old cars and trains 

at the transport museum, where we even 

got to step inside a traditional dining cart 

of old. We took some leisure time to 

browse through the variety of local arts 

and crafts in the gift shop and enjoy a 

drink in the Laird’s Arms. And then all the 

town’s visitors for the day were rounded 

up as we jumped on the famous red bus. 

This infamous tour is known as the shortest 

hop on, hop off bus tour in all the 

world. And it sure was a laugh a minute 

ride around the one street that makes up 

Issue 12 | ...Celebrating the world’s richest continent | www.nomadafricamag.com | 25

For a longer stay, there is even a tennis court, 

where you can play a game or two, while a variety of 

interesting hikes and mountain biking trails go up into the 

Witteberg Mountains that flank the town, where you can 

discover a variety of fauna and flora. 

magical Matjiesfontein! 

However, the highlight of our stay had to 

be the homemade Karoo cuisine. Sitting 

down to dinner in the grandiose dining 

room at the Lord Milner, we were warmly 

greeted by a roaring fire and the beaming 

smile of one of the traditionally attired 

porters. And while my husband tucked 

into his much-anticipated slow cooked 

Karoo lamp roast, my mouth watered at 

the sight of my perfectly pink Springbok 

loin… and it did not disappoint! The following 

morning, after a restful night in our 

sumptuous abode, a buffet breakfast of 

epic proportions rivaled the meal of the 

night before and set us well on our way 

as we headed back to the road and the 

journey onwards. 

Other things you can do in Matjiesfontein 

While most of what Matjiesfontein has to 

offer can be breezed through in a couple 

hours, this little town is still well worth a 

stop over for a night, or even a relaxing 

weekend getaway. Really relaxing and 

enjoying the slow Karoo lifestyle is a treat 

for the soul. During your down time and 

to relieve the toll the busy national road 

can take on one’s patience, you can wile 

away the hours in the traditional coffee 

shop and bar or take a leisurely stroll 

through the magnificent gardens behind 

the hotel. And while Matjiesfontein occasionally 

experiences snow flurries in winter, 

the pool, watched over by a typical 

Karoo metal windmill, provides a cool 

respite from the scorching summer 

months. 

To spend some time in the footsteps of 

James Logan, you have to head for the 

Lord Milner’s opulent lounge and bright 

yellow room. Here you can sink into the 

plush chairs and see some relics from 

days gone past, including the original trophies 

from those famed South Africa- 

England cricket matches. If you keep a 

keen eye out for any movement in the 

shadows, you may even see the ghost of 

Lady Milner that is said to haunt these 

parts. 

For those who really want to be immersed 

in the history of the town, the 

Marie Rawdon museum is like heaven for 

antique junkies. Room after room houses 

an elaborate collection of everything and 

anything, including old cooking equipment, 

ancient density equipment, private 

letters, cameras from all ages, period 

clothing, penny-farthing bicycles, historical 

documents and more. This is one of 

the biggest privately owned museums in 

South Africa and one could get lost in the 

sheer magnitude of the collection that 

once belonged to David Rawdon himself. 

For a longer stay, there is even a tennis 

court, where you can play a game or two 

while a variety of interesting hikes and 

mountain biking trails go up into the Witteberg 

Mountains that flank the town 

where you can discover a variety of 

fauna and flora. Matjiesfontein also plays 

host to a number of interesting cooking 


events and music festivals throughout the 

year or you can simply book out the entire 

town for your own celebration. And 

when the sun goes down, the stars put on 

their own show with Matjiesfontein offering 

such little light pollution. Head back to 

that bare cricket pitch if you really want to 

take in the heavens in all their splendour. 

When you do need to lay down your 

head, the town actually offers a few accommodation 

options to suit all budgets. 

Aside from the grand Lord Milner, you 

can stay at the Olive Schreiner Cottage, 

which was once the private home of the 

South African author of the popular book 

“Once Upon a Farm”. For those who want 

to live life authentically, a number of suites 

are dotted around the town in the old historic 

buildings, such as the Post Office or 

in the Reston Villa, the original home of 

Logan’s son. Alternatively, check into the 

garden rooms at Matjies Motel and enjoy 

a drink as the sun goes down over the 

charming chapel. 




Coming Home To 

MOUNT 

CAMDEBOO 


Rounding the corner, we came face to face with a game drive vehicle. 

The guide had his hand out the window, fanning it up and down in an over 

exaggerated motion. He was gesturing for us to stop. Following his gaze and his 

now outstretched hand, which pointed to our left, we kept keen eyes trained on the 

bushes as we edged slowly forward. And as the last of the trees cleared from 

our view, we saw her. 

Words by: JANINE AVERY 



not more than five metres 

from our vehicle lay a female 

cheetah, totally nonplussed 

by the excited 

humans staring at her. 

Cameras were quickly 

dug out of bags, joyous whispers were 

shared and thumbs ups and thank yous 

were offered to the guide. We had just arrived 

at the spectacular Mount Camdeboo 

Private Game Reserve and were enjoying 

our second introduction to what would be 

an out-of-this world safari in the Great Karoo. 

Earlier that day and an introduction to the area 

Our first introduction to the area was no less 

spectacular, and it too took our breath away. 

That is because not an hour earlier, we were 

soaring over the Camdeboo landscape in a 

helicopter with Fly Karoo. 

Taking off from the Graaff-Reinet golf 

course, the historical town dropping out 

below us, our jaws hung agape. The landscape 

stretched for miles in every direction, 

with undulating mountains breaking the flat 

plains. 

To our right, the Nqweba Dam bled into the 

Sunday’s River, which formed a natural 

horseshoe, giving Graaff-Reinet its unique 

shape. In the town itself, historical buildings 

lined the streets – Graaff-Reinet being home 

to more national monuments than any other 

city in South Africa. However, up ahead the 

Valley of Desolation is what really beckoned 

to us. And as our helicopter pilot swooped 

in for a closer look, we could see with 

minute clarity the stunning rock formations 

that make up this unique part of our country. 

Some 120 metres below us, the dolerites 

merged into the national park and tiny people 

taking selfies on the edge of these spectacular 

mountains came into view. But up 

close and personal for us was Spandau Kop, 

where we circled the summit of rugged 

rock, enjoying a bird’s eye view of this geological 

beauty. Up in the sky on that crystalclear 

day, the Karoo spread out below us, it 

dawned on me how little I knew about this 


part of my own country. And what a real hidden 

gem it was turning out to be. 

Back at Mount Camdeboo Game Reserve 

After coming back to earth, both literally and 

figuratively, there was a short tar road and a 

45-minute dirt track before us, complete 

with jumping kudus, the cutest steenbok 

and even a majestic bird of prey or two, before 

we came face to face with that cheetah 

at Mount Camdeboo. 

Completely at ease in her desert landscape, 

we watched as she prepared for a hunt, before 

our tummies too were grumbling. Leaving 

our spotted friend behind, we pushed 

on to the manor house and our accommodation 

for the next two nights. Here, a high 

tea for two had been set up and we delighted 

in gourmet finger foods on the terrace 

of a place that already felt like home. 

Overlooking the lush green garden, mountains 

rose up in the distance and the 1800s 

Cape Dutch house sat behind us. Bathed in 

blissful luxury and enjoying the utter peace 

and quite, the uniqueness of this safari experience 

became clear. 

Mount Camdeboo wasn’t strictly developed 

to provide big-five seeking tourists with the 

safari experience. The property was actually 

privately owned as a holiday destination for 

one lucky farm-loving family. 

Today, the director and owner of the reserve 

(the son of the original owner) is still passionate 

about family and the Karoo. He has 

painstakingly tended to the old buildings 

and land so that they can resemble their 

glory days some 200 years back. Internal 

fencing has been removed, a number of 

game species have been reintroduced and 

the homesteads lovingly restored. However 

you won’t find any typical safari paraphernalia 

or thatched roofing here. It is as if this luxury 

oasis has somehow been dropped in 

from the streets of the Cape Winelands or 

the gardens of Constantia, offering a plush 

safari experience I never dreamed possible. 

And the opulence continued as we discovered 

we had our game drive vehicle all to 

ourselves. 

Travelling mid week in winter meant the 

property was quiet, but this personal experience 

is something that Mount Camdeboo 

endeavours to provide to each guest, no 

matter when you visit. If they can’t give you 

your own vehicle, they will pair you with likeminded 

guests, who are bound to become 

fast friends in no time at all. 

And with a number of different accommodation 

options spread out around the farm 

and only four rooms in that elegant manor 

house, it really is like you suddenly have 

friends with a safari ranch, rather than being 

guests at a hotel. The food is also an ab- 

From Graaff-Reinet you can either hop on a private 

helicopter with Fly Karoo and arrive at the reserve in 

pure style, a road transfer can be arranged or you can 

drive yourself. The last 45 minutes to the reserve is on 

a gravel road, but it is good enough to be managed by 

most cars and when you get there, all game drives are 

conducted in the reserve’s vehicles so you won’t need 

to use a car. 


solute highlight of a stay here and our meals 

included three course decadent affairs with 

the meaty mains warming the spot. Gin and 

tonics are served mid way through game 

drives, with biltong and dried fruit snacks, 

while lavish lunches can be enjoyed under 

the trees in the garden. 

At the end of the evening, with full bellies 

and bleary eyes, the fire in the lavish lounge 

beckons, where Amarula is served from the 

self-help bar. This is the high life. 

The safari experience at Mount Camdeboo 

But it’s not just the magnificence of the accommodation 

that makes the safari experience 

at Mount Camdeboo so unique. 

Surrounded by dramatic mountain vistas, 

and located in one of the last areas of pristine 

natural beauty in South Africa, the environment 

is the reserve’s real calling card. In 

fact, the 14,000 hectare private game reserve 

was one of the first to sign into the Mountain 

Zebra-Camdeboo Protected Environment 

back in 2012 and it is pioneering an innovative 

programme that aims to preserve this 

beautiful natural environment for years to 

come, while promoting eco-tourism activities. 

A safari on the reserve is just as much about 

seeing cheetah, jackals and giraffe as is it is 

about taking in the natural beauty of the 

property. Here, every picture you take will 

be back-dropped by the most stunning 

mountain formations and soon enough you 

will find that the animals themselves actually 

play second fiddle to the majesty of what 

surrounds you. That is not to say there isn’t 

amazing wildlife to see here, Mount Camdeboo 

is home to a variety of unique species 

you won’t find in some of South Africa’s bigger 

game reserves, such as oryx, aardvark, 

sable and Cape mountain zebra. There are 

also plans underway to introduce lion and 

elephant to the reserve in the coming 

months, bringing the big five back to the 

karoo. 

The personal touch offered here means that 

you can tailor-make your drives according to 

what you want to see. For instance, our stay 

including visiting some cheetah cubs in the 

boma (they had been injured and abandoned 

and were being cared for before 

strong enough to release), tracking cheetah 

on foot, embarking on an epic 4x4 route to 

a magnificent look-out point over the mountains, 

searching for aardvark at night and 

even an overland adventure to see some of 

the old Anglo-Boer war sites that dot the 

property. While too cold to use during our 

time at the reserve, an inviting pool has great 

views of the mountains and looks like the 

ideal place to cool off in the heat of the summer. 

We also enjoyed a short walk through the 

gardens that stretch between the two 

manor houses and the reserve does have 

plans to extend these trails into a 1,6km safe 

running trail for the more active traveller. In 

addition, the team here can also organise 

private helicopter flights and tours to discover 

the history of Graaff-Reinet. 

Getting to Mount Camdeboo 

Off the beaten track, this part of the karoo is 

a must visit for any of South African or international 

visitors to the country looking for 

something different. 

Lying almost mid way between the N1 and 

N2, it is the ideal road trip stop and a safari 

at Mount Camdeboo can easily be combined 

with a tour of the Garden Route or a 

longer trip to Johannesburg, the Drakensberg 

or Cape Town. Or simply visit for a 

magical weekend getaway to celebrate 

something special. 

For those who can’t face the long drive, 

Mount Camdeboo was also directly responsible 

for spearheading the launch of a new 

6-day weekly scheduled flight between Plettenberg 

Bay airport and Graaff-Reinet. From 

Graaff-Reinet, you can either hop on a private 

helicopter with Fly Karoo and arrive at 

the reserve in pure style, a road transfer can 

be arranged or you can drive yourself. The 

last 45 minutes to the reserve is on a gravel 

road, but it is good enough to be managed 

by most cars and when you get there, all 

game drives are conducted in the reserve’s 

vehicles so you won’t need to use a car. 



Gallivant Tanzania 

KILWA KISIWANI 

RUINS OF EAST AFRICA’S GREATEST EMPIRE 

Eight hundred years ago, the Great Mosque of Kilwa was a spectacular tribute to 

the richest state on the East African coast. Today it is a playground. The children are a ragtag 

bunch with split trousers, climbing over broken walls and running under ancient alcoves tinged 

yellow with age. They delight in the camera. They skip between old stone pillars, shout under the 

domed roof of the mosque, pose in the alcove, which faces Mecca, just to be seen through my lens. 

Their home is in the Unesco World Heritage Site of Kilwa Kisiwani, on the southern 

coast of Tanzania. 

Words & Photographs: MATHIEU DASNOIS 


the little village on the island in 

Kilwa Kisiwani is home to 

barely 1200 people, a tenth of 

the number who used to 

sleep behind its walls. Today, 

most survive on fishing and 

tourism. Kilwa was once a 

thriving port city straddling 

the trade lanes of East Africa, 

rich from the trade in Great Zimbabwe's 

gold. 

The city claimed dominion over most of the 

islands and city-states of the east coast, all 

the way to Mombasa in modern day Kenya, 

across to Madagascar, and south to Mozambique. 

The town’s wealth was legendary, mentioned 

by Milton in Paradise Lost; its beauty 

was praised by the Arab explorer Ibn Battuta 

and the Portuguese captain Francisco 

d'Almeida; it traded with the Middle East, 

India, and even China, as early as the 11th 

century. Today, the great round towers of 

the 18th century Omani fortress provide 

shade for boat repairs. We meet the children 

in the 12th century Great Mosque, playing 

unsupervised in their ruin. The Great Palace 

of Husuni Kubwa, also built in the 12th century, 

is only kilometres away, but we barely 

make it on foot. 

It is mid-morning during the hottest part of 

the year, and the heat is alive. A blanket of 

humidity, a tangible presence around us cut 

by rivers of sweat. It eventually inches into 

us as we dehydrate, invading our head with 

tendrils of pain starting above the neck and 

working forward. 

We guzzle our water as fast as we can, while 

our guide refuses any. He says he is fine and 

needs no water. I will come to miss this 

humid blanket when I leave Tanzania, but 

now I want only to hide from it. Along the 

narrow winding footpath we glimpse villagers 

drawing water from a centuries-old 

well, deeper and cleaner than the new one. 

Though these tours are touted as “community 

tourism” and the proceeds supposedly 

go back into the community, the people of 

the island are entirely uninvolved, and appear 

largely uninterested. Information about 

the village and villagers is given when asked, 

but not volunteered. 

Perhaps most tourists care only about the 

past. The palace, Husuni Kubwa, is disappointing. 

Of its one hundred rooms, courtyard 

and octagonal pool built on the ede of 

a cliff, only the foundations are visible. The 


walls and roof are long gone. But what is clear is its 

scope. It was huge. There was probably a fishing 

community here before Persian settlers from Shiraz 

got rich taxing the trade of the Swahili coast. Fruit 

was grown locally as it is today. Meat was imported 

from the mainland, as it is today. 

Sail-powered mashua dhows still ply the channel between 

the village and the mainland, as they did then, 

carrying goods and people. Today, there are fish 

traps along the coast under the palace pool. Kilwa 

Kisiwani has gone from a small local fishing village, 

to a huge Persian trading hub, to a Portuguese outpost, 

to an Omani town, and back to a small fishing 

village. 

North of Kisiwani, is the sandy harbour town of Kilwa 

Kivinje, whose wealth was tied to the slave trade, 

long after its southern island neighbour had fallen to 

ruin. Caravans snaked across the dry hinterlands to 

the coast, where the slaves were packed into ships 

headed for Zanzibar, Madagascar or Reunion. 

Today's big jihazi dhows ply the waters to the north 

and south with very different cargo. Villagers walk at 

low tide to the dhows at the water’s edge, returning 

with bright green buckets filled with fish. Thousands 

of tiny black crabs scuttle across the sand. 

Families catch boat rides to the islands of Songo 

Songo or Mafia, or south to Lindi. The town bleeds 

history. Intricately carved doorways in the old Swahili 

style rot in the blistering sun, the old German boma 

has long lost its roof. Families have taken shelter in 

yesterday's colonial administration, a child shooing 

us away as we tentatively approach. Behind the 

boma are Swahili houses with broken walls, trees 

melting into walls melting back into trees, rubbish for 

floors. Pockmarked walls are a reminder of the mangrove 

poles that would once have supported a roof 

here, a stairwell there. 

Open stone stairs lead into broken archways, giving 

a view over nothing but broken walls. Residents 

wander through the ruins wearing bright yellow T- 

shirts made in China. Conservatively dressed Muslim 

women lead wide-eyed children, their toy a stick 

with a plastic water bottle at one end. We meet a 

local elder, Simba, who's name means “lion” in 

Swahili. 

He is a welcoming, kind, gentle, and bitter old man 

of 69 years. He has lived through colonialism to independence, 

Uhuru, to Nyerere's socialist Ujamaa, 

to the IMF-friendly policy that the country has today. 

In all these years, he says, through all these disparate 

policies, Kilwa Kivinje did not change. "I had 

a teacher, long time ago. He told me, we [Africans] 

just help each other to die. I remember... Now we 

are all waiting to die. There are no factories here, no 

work". He sees our fascination with his town, doesn't 

resent us for it, nor, I suspect, does he believe 

that a few factories will truly revive the picturesque 

old town's fortunes any more than will a few tourists. 


Sail-powered mashua dhows still ply the channel between the village and the 

mainland, as they did then, carrying goods and people. Today, there are fish traps 

along the coast under the palace pool. Kilwa Kisiwani has gone from a small local 

fishing village, to a huge Persian trading hub.

When we leave, he asks us for money, apologising 

as he does so. His tone suggests an 

intense dislike for this part of the 'job', and I 

suspect he would show us his town for free, 

if he could. The hub of the region now is 

Kilwa Masoko. Historically the least interesting 

of the three settlements, this is now 

where the money is. Masoko is the place to 

find a decent hotel, with a half-dozen 

beach resorts providing fishing trips, safaris 

to Selous game reserve, or excursions to 

the nearby islands. We stayed on the 

beach, in a bright blue chalet with wonderful 

sunrise views across the sea and excellent 

food, coconut calamari and grilled 

tuna. Cheaper but decent lodging can be 

found in town, where the few restaurants 

serve the standard fare of ugali (maize 

meal) or chips with some kind of meat in 

tomato sauce or fried fish. It is almost as 

good as it is cheap, and is eaten with the 

hands in the Swahili style. In sharp contrast 

to Kivinje, Masoko is modern, solid, and 

clean. Banks have replaced empty houses, 

restaurants have replaced crumbling walls, 

accountants saunter past the market in crisp 

suits. It's a useful gateway to the region in 

general and to Kisiwani in particular. It's 

from here that the local boats and the expensive 

tours from the big hotels leave for 

the old ruins. In the microscosm of time that 

is Kilwa, Masoko is the new, Kivinje is the 

old, and Kisiwani is the eternal. 




FEEL @ HOME 

I N S O U T H A F R I C A 

I love to travel. For me, living out of a suitcase is a dream come true. Eating out at 

a different place every night, driving long distances over lonely roads, and even 

sipping on gin and tonics in airport lounges: these are the things I dream of. But I also 

understand what a blessing it can be, just to come home. 

Words: JANINE AVERY 


Molded by the airs and graces of fine dining establishments and world class hotels, 

both abroad and back home, William himself is a lover of all things luxurious. And 

it’s something I noticed as soon as I stepped through the door. Crystal chandeliers 

dripped with dainty hand-crafted flowers and an open plan kitchen looked out over 

a lounge to an infinity pool. 

there is nothing quite as relaxing 

as putting your feet up on 

a worn old coffee table at the 

end of a long journey, putting 

on those comfy pajamas and 

holey socks, and just chilling 

out. But what a pleasure when 

my two loves collide and I find 

a place far away from home, 

where I simply feel like I belong. 

There is no better place than one where 

newly met guides and guests, feel like long 

lost family members and staff quickly become 

the best of friends. Its gems like these 

that South Africa offers in abundance and 

on my recent trips I discovered just a few of 

these unique properties. Let me introduce 

you to just a few of them… 

Something delicious in Simon’s Town 

Drive through the historic town of Simon’s 

Town and you will be transported into a 

world where old-timey naval history combines, 

with natural attractions, such as the 

penguins at Boulders or even swimming 

with seals. 

Located high up on a hill, with the most 

spectacular views of the bay, is a guesthouse 

quite unlike any other. It is here, 

where I met Monsieur William French. 

Molded by the airs and graces of fine dining 

establishments and world class hotels, 

both abroad and back home, William himself 

is a lover of all things luxurious. And it’s 

something I noticed as soon as I stepped 

through the door. Crystal chandeliers 

dripped with dainty hand-crafted flowers 

and an open plan kitchen looked out over 

a lounge to an infinity pool. 

This in turn overlooked the ocean. But it was 

opulent without being stuffy. A chatty Chihuahua 

yipped at my heels and I was 

warmly enveloped by, not only the home 

and my beautiful room, but William himself 

who is the highlight of a stay here. The 

evening was spent flitting between kitchen 

and dining room as William cooked up a 

storm in his very own house. 

Guests from near and far joined the conversation 

as we discussed everyone’s plans for 

the next day. Plopping down into a beanbag 

to enjoy a cup of tea out of a hand 

painted cup as dark clouds rolled in over 

the ocean, I wrapped my duvet around me 

and couldn’t have felt calmer, sitting in the 

eye of the storm as the lightning lit up the 

sky. 

A homely manor in Hout Bay 

The republic of Hout Bay is a hidden gem 

onto itself. Nestled between the sprawling 

winelands of Constantia and the epic vistas 

offered by the Cape Town peninsula road, 

this tiny suburb has so much to offer. 

Whether you’re sailing on its seas, tasting 

treats at the local brewery or discovering 

the scenery on the back of an e-bike or 

horse, Hout Bay will leave you enchanted at 

every turn. And just where the mountains 

roll into the valley, lays an elegantly refurbished 

Cape Dutch manor house. 

Stepping through the doors of Riverside 


The Drakensberg is one of South Africa’s premier tourist attractions, but visiting 

this monumental mountain range can be headache-inducing. There are so many different 

sections to choose from (North, Central or South), each one offering a unique 

feel, a wide array of hotels and guesthouses and so many adventurous activities. 

Boutique Hotel, I immediately felt welcome. 

My puppy-loving self was delighted 

to find not one, not two, but six lovable 

dogs all lounging around in the warmth of 

the foyer. Stepping over them to reach the 

reception desk, each one vying for some 

attention, I knew I couldn’t help but be 

happy here. 

In the room next door, the fire place was 

going, wine was flowing and the flamboyant 

manager provided great conversation. 

And while for many a tourist this secret gem 

may seem at first like it’s a bit out of the 

way, the Cape Town city sightseeing bus 

stops right outside. You don’t even need a 

car to explore the surroundings or get into 

town to experience the sights and sounds! 

What a pleasure after a tiring day on my 

feet to escape to a tranquil haven, where 

the sounds of the birds and bees and the 

wind in the trees, lulled me to sleep. 

Up in the trees, with a mountain view 

The Drakensberg is one of South Africa’s 

premier tourist attractions, but visiting this 

monumental mountain range can be 

headache-inducing. There are so many different 

sections to choose from (North, Central 

or South), each one offering a unique 

feel, a wide array of hotels and guesthouses 

and so many adventurous activities. 

It is enough to leave you totally bewildered. 

However, the minute I met Chris and 

Magda Hearne who live in the Drakensberg, 

I had an inkling I was on to something 

special. They are passionate about the little 

piece of heaven they get to call home and 

one question about visiting the Drakensberg 

had them all fired up. Ideas were flowing 

and somewhere in there it was 

mentioned that Chris had handcrafted a 


Not all safaris are created equal. With so many 

magnificent lodges dotting the Kruger National Park, Sabi 

Sands, Timbavati and endless surrounding game reserves, 

finding the perfect safari spot can be like picking a 

needle out of a haystack. 

wooden treehouse on his property. I simply knew I had to see it. 

Chris’ descriptions didn’t do it justice and while I had expected a 

little rough and tumble cottage on stilts, what greeted me was a 

pure masterpiece. Standing on the wooden deck of this allwooden 

house in the trees, the views were the cherry on top. The 

Bahati Tree Lodge sits on the Hearne’s property and I felt like I had 

the place to myself as I enjoyed a Jacuzzi bath, marveling at the 

tree, which runs clear through the bathroom, before relaxing with 

a glass of wine, looking over the lake and onto Cathkin Peak beyond. 

As they run the local tourist office, staying with the Hearnes also 

provided the best local experience money could buy. They knew 

exactly, which activities were right for us, where and what to eat 

and the easiest walks for us not-so-fit travellers to enjoy. 

Tented wonders in the Timbavati 

Not all safaris are created equal. With so many magnificent lodges 

dotting the Kruger National Park, Sabi Sands, Timbavati and endless 

surrounding game reserves, finding the perfect safari spot can be 

like picking a needle out of a haystack. From tented camps, to selfcatering 

bungalows and even big five star hotels, the options are 

a dime a dozen. 

Touching down in the Timbavati, I immediately felt like I was at 

home. Our car had given endless troubles on the way, but a quick 

call to Tanda Tula and problem sorted – the manager himself 

would come and collect us! Owned by one lovely couple, and 

managed by another, this tented camp offers all the trimmings and 

delights you would expect from a top-notch safari lodge with one 

added bonus – guides and staff that you can call family. During our 

short time at the lodge, we enjoyed many a laugh with our field 

guide, while looking out for leopards, sipped Amarulas and chatted 

about the trials and tribulations of raising a family in the bush with 

the managers and learnt how to cook a fine fillet, while dealing with 

trouble-making honey badgers with the lodge’s resident chef. The 

East-African style tent we stayed in was just one of twelve so even 

through the camp was full, as it so often is; we were guaranteed a 

personal experience and an intimate stay. And if you really want to 


not only feel at home, but escape to a location, 

where your friends and families are 

the only other guests, then they have a remote 

field camp for people who want to 

do just that! 

A magical town steeped in history 

Many a traveller probably doesn’t even 

know that Matjiesfontein exists but those 

who do visit will discover something extraordinarily 

special. Here in the Karroo 

lies a tiny town that seems to have been 

forgot by time. Home to a car museum, 

old train station and a street of old buildings 

- from a cute coffee house to an old 

post office, this one horse town is a must 

stop on any road trip. 

Stepping through the doors of the proclaimed 

grand old dame of the town, the 

Lord Milner Hotel, a sweeping red staircase 

beckoned me in. Climbing the stairs 

to our room, tales of ghost stories and 

haunted houses wafted through my ears. 

Looking at my four poster bed whose 

bedspread matched the drapes, and the 

black and white checked bathroom, it was 

like being back at my grandma’s house – 

only better! As a man in top and tails took 

us on a tour of the town, serenaded us in 

the bar and showed us photos of his family, 

many of who had worked at the hotel 

over various generations, I couldn’t help 

but smile. 

As dawn greeted me the following day 

and I stepped out onto the massive balcony, 

crafted way back when in 1899, I realised 

that homely hospitality really isn’t 

that hard to find. You just have to know 

where to look! 


FROM 

GRAPE TO GLASS 


Food & Wine 


Fryerscove is considered one of the second best-selling wines in South Africa. 

The wine brand has been in existence since the past 14 years. The wine company 

itself called Vinimark, was formed by Tim Rands in 1985 and has become the largest 

independent wine specialist company in South Africa, marketing, distributing and 

selling more than 50 of the country’s best-known wine brands. 


the company is also the sole 

distributor of a number of 

exclusive French champagnes 

as well as the popular 

FAT Bastard wine range in 

the region. 

Headquartered in Stellenbosch, 

the company has regional 

sales management, 

warehousing and administration teams in 

the major centres, offering a professional 

and nationwide footprint and service. 

“Our success lies in the fact that we’re focused 

solely on the wine category. This 

single-mindedness has allowed us to 

gain extensive wine industry operational, 

distribution, marketing and sales experience. 

We couple our creative excellence, 

foresight and business acumen with an 

extensive and dynamic wine portfolio,” 

says Francois Janse Van Rensburg, the 

marketing manager of the company. 

Nomad Africa recently witnessed the unfolding 

of the new Doringbay wine label 

launch. To commemorate the event, the 

company released the Doringbay Sauvignon 

Blanc with a different packaging. 

Doringbaai is a city in West Coast District 

Municipality of the Western Cape 

province in South Africa. Naming the 

wine Doringbay was a unique way to attract 

people who might not be able to 

pronounce it. The white wine went with 

food pairings; goat cheese with beetroot. 

The wine costs about R95 ($6.71) in a grocery 

store. It has a fantastic tinder fresh, 

crisp, steely, grassy, ripe, tangy, tropical 

fruit taste. 

The Doring bay is home location for the 


fryer’s cove winery. The winery is 

perched on the jetty that juts into the 

cold South Atlantic Ocean. The unique 

winery building is an old crayfish factory. 

The salty minerality are observed, there 

is currently less than 100 bottles shelved 

in stores at the moment. The wines are 

premium range from the hectares in 

Cape Town, Western Cape in South 

Africa and are packaged in a batch of six. 

Bamboes bay (Sauvignon Blanc) costs 

about R260 ($18.36) per bottle. It costs a 

bit more than other wines in its range because 

of its exclusive taste. Recommended 

to be served with oysters, each 

bottle comes in unique packages. Inside 

the package is a nicely placed handwritten 

letter from the maker himself thanking 

the customer for purchasing his wine. 

The Hollebaksstrandfontein wine costs 

about R295 ($20.83). It is best served with 

poached salmon and guacamole. 

Strandfontein is also a location in the 

West Coast District Municipality of the 

Western Cape province in South Africa. A 

small sea side village situated at the 

mouth of the Olifants river. It has evolved 

from a small area to a bustling tourist hub. 

The final wine, The Bamboes Bay (Pinot 

noir) wine being the red wine, costs 

about R295 ($20.83). The wine has been 

harvested in recent years. It is best 

served with mushroom risotto spiced 

duck. The wine is best when kept for at 

least two years before its release. It is also 

believed that red wines have better 

health benefits than white wines. The fine 

red grapes are ripe and handpicked at 

optimum sugar levels. The resultant 

berries are healthy and well packed with 

flavour. 

The wine maker’s expectation was to exceed 

customer’s expectation and be 

voted second best wine maker on the 

continent. “We strive to promote a culture 

of responsible wine consumption as 

part of the enjoyment of life. Our 

founder's enthusiasm for wine and dedication 

to service excellence is entrenched 

in our culture and we aim, with 

the support of our suppliers, to continue 

in this vein for many years to come,” Francois 

Janse Van Rensburg concluded. 

Fryerscove is a well-known wine brand in 

stores across South Africa. Want to have 

a delightful taste of these unique wines? 

Be sure to visit www.fryerscove.co.za. 


Existence 

AFRICA’S 

THE DOMBA 

TRADITIONAL DANCE OF MAGICAL VENDA 

All roads lead to the Venda land annually. The trip to this magnificent place is gratifying. 

It took me about close to six hours from Johannesburg, which is 437 kilometres to actually 

set foot on the fine dusty roads of the Vhavenda tribe, well known as the Vhagona. 


having stayed at the 

Mashovela bush 

lodge which is located 

on the Louis 

Trichadt, Southpansberg 

Mountain, 

Makhado just near the 

magnificent view of 

the satisfactory mountains 

and the nature on its own was 

breath-taking. This lodge is divided 

into different rondavels that have their 

own fencing. The lodge is a few kilometres 

away from the shopping malls, 

banks, ATMs (automated teller machine), 

bars, post offices and the airport. 

I hoped that this will be one of my 

best trips, yet scary too, considering 

the fact that most people believe that 

you have a 50/50 chance of making it 

back alive from this destination. I am 

on a journey to witness the annual 

Domba (python dance) traditional 

dance ceremony of the Venda tribe. 

The Venda (Vhavenda or Vhangona) 

are a Southern African people living 

mostly near the South African-Zimbabwean 

border. The bantustan of Venda 

was created to become a homeland 

for the Venda people. The Venda people, 

like their Tsonga neighbours, are 

one of South Africa's minority groups, 

they currently number 700 000 in 

Limpopo Province, while the Tsonga at 

their doorsteps number 900 000 people, 

also in Limpopo province. 

Women of this tribe are taught to behave 

in a certain way, especially when 

addressing, greeting or giving food to 

the opposite gender. When handing 

over food to men, the woman needs 

to place the bowl on the floor or table 

and bow down. It is only once the man 

is happy with the food that the woman 

may get up and leave. 

The cultural practice also forbids 

women to look men in their eyes, especially 

when talking to a man. This, in 

turn, shows respect for the men and 

the elders. Only men are allowed to 

be the heads of the family units. 

Married women are required by tradition 

to feed their husbands at all times, 

even when he comes back home late. 

She is expected to get a bowl of water 

and cloth for him to wash his hands 

and bow down after giving him his 

plate. She must wait for him to finish 

eating then takes away the dishes and 

wash them clean. She may only go to 

sleep when her husband notifies that 

it is okay for her to go to bed. 

Young women are taught this practice 

from a tender age and they are required 

to learn from their mothers on 

how to behave in front of their husbands 

and elders. 

The Domba (python dance) traditional 

dance is held once yearly at the Fundudzi 

lake, which lies between Thohoyando 

and Louise Trichadt. This is 

where the Venda women go for initiation. 

At the initiation ceremonies, these 

women form a long sequence, singing 

and dancing around in a circle, holding 

each other’s elbows, wearing small 

aprons that cover the back and front 

with tasselled ornaments called the 

Thahu. 

Only young women who have started 

their menstruation cycles and have 

been perceived as mature, strong 

woman are allowed to take part in the 

rituals. The significance of this is so 

that they can bring good luck for the 

next seasonal rain and the ritual is 

above all, their preparation for womanhood. 

The Venda culture is built on a vibrant 

mythical belief system that water is an 

important theme. The tribe believes 

that rivers and lakes are sacred and 

that rains are controlled by the python 

God. One of the most sacred sites of 

the Venda is the Lake Fundudzi. Here 

annually, the Domber python dance is 

held. An offering of beer is poured 

into the lake and young maidens at the 

final stage of their initiation into womanhood 

line up in a single line and 

dance in long winding lines. 

Trips to the lake are rarely granted to 

visitors, which is probably just as well 


as it is said to be infested with crocodiles. 

So sacred is the lake that the 

newcomers have to turn their backs on 

the lake and view the water from between 

their legs. The experience was 

very scary, especially when you are 

told the story behind what would happen 

and the past outcomes of the 

people who visited the same place. 

Drums are often given personal names 

and are always played by women and 

girls, except in possession dances 

when a man may play them. 

The drums form an important part of 

the Venda culture and symbols linked 

to them. 

Women are seen as the pure people 

for their manner of respect towards 

people in and around the Limpopo 

province. The women here are very far 

different from any other culture; they 

will lie on the ground and greet you. 

The Tshikanda ladies go to the lake 

once every year to perform rituals to 

thank the ancestors. They come out in 

large numbers and most of the time, 

the chief will be there to celebrate this 

awesome event with his/her people. In 

this specific culture, a chief can also be 

a woman. They believe woman can 

lead the throne because of their strong 

personality and respect, they are capable 

of leading the people. There are 

other rituals in this culture such as the 

Vhusha, where a girl needs to go for a 

virginity test as soon as she is consid- 


Drums are often given 

personal names and are always 

played by women and girls, 

except in possession dances, 

when a man may play them. 

The drums form an important 

part of the Venda culture and 

symbols linked to them. 

ered mature and has started her cycle. 

The beautiful Venda culture may go 

hand-in-hand with other South African 

cultures, mostly Zulu/Swati, where 

they also perform virginity rituals for 

young females called the 

Umhlanga/Reed dance. The dance 

celebrates her womanhood and at the 

ceremony, men attend the occasion 

particularly to pick a wife. 

Being part of this wonderful ceremony, 

where you get to witness this 

old tradition is a fantastic experience, 

especially for a woman like myself. 

Being celebrated by the majority is 

something phenomenal and it is important 

to say that there is no other 

feeling like seeing a man respect and 

honour his woman. 

Domba is a very sanctuary moment 

for the Venda people. They celebrate 

and embrace their culture and traditions, 

thus passing it down to generations 

to come. 

If you want to see and experience this 

phenomenal culture, do remember to 

visit the North Eastern region of South 

Africa. You will learn to appreciate not 

only their culture, but the fine land and 

colour it brings. 

I do have to say that there is nothing 

as fulfilling as being invited and experiencing 

this beautiful moment. The 

Venda culture is one that I truly love 

and respect. 


MEET THE 

SHONA TRIBE: 

ZIMBABWE’S LARGEST ETHNIC GROUP 

For decades, the Shona people have been our most incendiary tribe, 

all thanks to former President Mugabe. But while a long history of countless 

national failures, the Shona people have long been adored as the smartest and 

most peaceful Africans. While they have remained aloof, enigmatic and outside 

the star system, I went on an epic journey of cultural discovery for an 

unexpected epiphany. 

Words: MIRIRO MATEMA 


To many, the afterlife is a different state of 

the same existence, just as water can be a 

solid and a gas at one stage or another. 

These spiritual ancestors, “Vadzimu” play an 

important role in society, who not only stand 

as mediums between the people and their 

ancestors, but also to their god, “Mwari”. 

The Shona also believe the vadzimu are 

good spirits that protect the family. They influence 

the day-to-day lives of their descendents. 

They give and take, reward and 

punish, protect or leave you vulnerable. One 

of the most important ceremonies in Shona 

culture is called “Kurova guva”, which literally 

translates to “beating the grave”, but technically 

means “welcome the spirit home”. 

This all night ritual usually occurs a year after 

the passing of a loved one and symbolises 

the concept of life after death and the integration 

of the living with the deceased. Another 

highlight of the Shona tribe and the 

longevity of their culture is the Totem, or in 

other words, the family crest. Sigmund Freud 

in his book Totems and Taboo defined a 

totem as an animal either edible or harmless 

or dangerous and feared, more rarely it is a 

plant or a force of nature (rain, water), which 

stands in a peculiar relation to the whole 

clan. You’ll find this same dynamic culture 

flamboyantly shown in Polynesian and Native 

American tribes too. Known as Mutupo, 

the totems identified clans within the tribe either 

through an animal or a body part for exi 

first realised my knowledge of 

African culture had changed dramatically 

while sitting outside a pub 

a few weeks ago. It was the point 

on a Friday night when drinks begin 

to linger on the table as everyone 

privately debates whether to go 

home. It wasn't a moment worth 

remembering, but when someone 

wearing a brightly coloured blazer with 

matching shoes began to dance, everyone 

tried to figure out, where they were from 

and what kind of fabric they were wearing. 

Glasses were moved aside and hand gesturing 

became the hallmark of a deep conversation. 

Once I'd seen how visible and 

existentially critical this conversation was to 

my own identity, I saw it in everything: the 

sweat inducing dance-floor performances, 

the body language among friends, the 

heart-warming prayers of faithful believers. 

If you pulled back the curtain, I wondered, 

how much of our traditional culture has impacted 

our modern behaviour? 

I needed to know more about my heritage, 

and more importantly, how that culture has 

changed me and the more than 9 million of 

us around the world. In an effort to discover 

my roots and attract a different perspective, 

I opted for the spontaneous and ephemeral 

counsel of renowned African journalist, Godfrey 

Mutizwa. Like most things do, in the soft 

light of a relaxed Tuesday morning, I got my 

chance fuelled by irrational optimism and 

unlimited time. “I heard about this thing,” I 

say to him, “that Shona people do.” 

He raises an eyebrow and takes another 

glug of coffee: “Before we jump onto the 

technical aspects, how about we start from 

the beginning?” Good point. 

The Shona tribe, whether by nature or by design, 

are a peaceful group of people who 

don’t stray too far away from home, having 

the most populations in neighbouring countries 

like Botswana, Zambia and South Africa. 

Meanwhile back home, those who held their 

ground through the worst of storms, represent 

a whopping 80% of the Zimbabwean 

population. And if that wasn’t fascinating 

enough, I discovered that the word “Shona” 

came into effect in the 19th century due to 

this tribe’s skill of disappearing and hiding in 

caves when attacked. As such, the infamous 

ruler Mzilikazi named them amaShona, 

“those who disappear”. 

The Shona tribe as we know them, are a 

merger between five uniquely similar language 

groups, that is, Korekore, Zezuru, 

Manyika, Ndau, and Karanga. Like many languages, 

“deep” Shona, which is rich in 

proverbs and has a vocabulary all its own, is 

the language of spirituality and art. Speaking 

of spirituality, it is said more than 60% of the 

population is Christian. Despite this, traditional 

beliefs such as ancestral “worship” and 

totemism are still an integral part of society.

Traditionally, the mbira had many uses. Its’ arresting melodies 

were required to bring rain during drought, chase away harmful spirits 

and cure illnesses. The mbira was played as a celebration at 

weddings and to guide wandering spirits at funerals. 



ample Mbizi (Zebra), Shumba (Lion) or Moyo 

(Heart). Totems in Zimbabwe are not a thing 

of the past despite the changes that have 

come with time. Many people are still identified 

by their respective totems. 

For example, it is used in addressing people, 

by and large the elders, and is associated 

with family dignity and respect. It has also 

been used in praise poetry, thanksgiving and 

even in times of mourning. It is critical to 

know which totem one belonged to, as people 

from the same clan are deemed to be related 

and as such, cannot marry. Imagine that 

awkward situation after a handful of delightful 

first dates. But there was merit to their distaste 

for inter-totem unions. Firstly, it was 

thought to result in a weaker species being 

born. Besides being physically weak, such 

children were usually a source of trouble to 

the parents and society at large. 

Long ago, when traditions were strictly adhered 

to, a marriage of that nature would require 

a special cleansing ceremony to 

solemnise the union in order to appease the 

ancestral spirits who would have been angered 

by such unbecoming behaviour. 

The ceremony included among other rituals, 

the slaughtering of a white beast; referred to 

as “mombe yecheka hukama”. It signified the 

termination of all relations between the two 

wedded parties in as far as the totem was 

considered. “And you must know,” Godfrey 

continues, “how important that is for roora 

negotiations.” Of course. I have attended a 

few in my day and this part I am quite familiar 

with. Roora or more commonly known as 

lobola/dowry, is the gift a man pays to his future 

bride’s family in exchange for her hand 

in marriage. 

Common across Southern Africa, this ceremony 

takes place in a number of stages and 

each stage has its own traditions and small 

amounts to pay. Often a lengthy a complex 

process, the roora is never paid in full or at 

once. Traditionally, cattle were the currency 

of the age and it goes without saying, the 

more you owned, the wealthier you were. 

With this in mind, roora was paid in cows. 

Though the practice is declining somewhat 

in my generation, the negotiation and payment 

of roora is still by far the most widely 

observed and socially significant traditional 

ceremony. Sure, the religious and civil marriage 

ceremonies may be performed in addition 

to roora, but these ceremonies are 

considered as incidental or extra. no substitute 

for the more meaningful, socially binding 

traditional practice of negotiating the 

bride price. 

“And what’s a wedding without a little music 

huh?” I chime in, in jest. While many of the indigenous 

sounds have been watered down 

by international styles like rock and pop, the 

Shona people still hold on dearly to some of 

their traditional music. The mbira, or thumb 

piano, is a common instrument and local 

style of music. 

This small instrument is not found anywhere 

else in the world, to my knowledge. Its full 

name is the “mbira dza vadzimu” (voice of 

the ancestors), very significant and sacred in 

Shona religion and culture. It is usually played 

to facilitate communication with ancestral 

spirits. My singular experience at a mbira 

concert was an utterly alien one, my primary 

urge to sing along to a song I knew was softened 

from roar to whisper by the legend 

Ephat Mujuru. And that new kind of stillness 

was infectious. 

Traditionally, the mbira had many uses. Its arresting 

melodies were required to bring rain 

during drought, chase away harmful spirits 

and cure illnesses. The mbira was played as 

a celebration at weddings and to guide wandering 

spirits at funerals. 

During Zimbabwe’s journey to liberation, notable 

musician, Thomas Mapfumo was a 

champion in the war for independence. His 

popularity as the leading liberation musician 

was fuelled by his band’s adaption of the 

mbira, thus drawing on the power of the 

spiritual realm for protection and victory. 

Dance occupies a crucial place in Zimbabwean 

culture, tradition, spirituality and history. 

As an elaborative illustration of their rich 

ethnic diversity, the Shona tribe had dances 

to suit different purposes. For example, Dinhe 

is performed to praise ancestors, while 

Shangara and Mbakumba is an active part of 

the after-harvest thanksgiving ceremony. The 

Mbira is a very powerful dance practice to 

invoke the ancestral spirits, and the Mhande 

is performed during the kurova guva ceremony 

to welcome the return of a deceased 

family member’s spirit, in addition to the rainmaking 

ceremony. 

The Jerusarema dance, for example, is a 

dance style practised by the Zezuru Shona 

people living in eastern regions of the country. 

With eyebrow raising circular motions, 

jaw dropping acrobatics and a smile curling 

drum beat, the Jerusarema is one of the most 

important and distinctive dances of Zimbabwe. 

Performed at rituals and ceremonies, this 

dance form is most significant for its role in 

guiding the ancestors into the spirit world. 

“We certainly should touch on the Shona 

people’s most impressive quality.” he remarked 

as he finished his second cup of coffee. 

“Which one is that? There are so many 

after all,” I replied. In the back of my mind, I 

knew what he was talking about. The Shona 

people are known worldwide, not for their 

gyrating waistline, nor for their astute fashion 

sense, but for their handcrafted stone sculptures. 

Regarded as spectacular workmanship for 

decades, each piece can be found selling for 

extremely high prices in many galleries 

around the world. And yet, in local markets, 

these stone marvels are as elusive as they are 

far from ingratiating. Sculptors thus find their 

muse in the mystery of the spiritual realm as 

well as nurturing beauty of womanhood. The 

nude torso, the dancing girl, and the mother 

and child are depicted in a myriad of ways. 

What’s more, the detail achieved using serpentine 

stone is exquisite. 

While we realise that the origins of these remarkable 

sculptures date back no further 

than the 1950s, it has been time enough to 

gain a global reputation not just as great 

African art, but great art in the broadest 

sense. 

Looking back at my younger, and granted 

more naive years, my view of Shona customs 

were that it had no tangible role in my existence: 

but it seems to me more compelling 

as a narrative and more historically revealing 

of my own self worth. I suspect as more 

Africans become self aware of their origins 

and begin to embrace the lost history that 

makes them African, we will begin to see a 

modern appreciation and integration of tribal 

heritage in mainstream media. 


WILL RELAXED VISA REGULATIONS BOOST 

TOURISM 

IN SOUTH AFRICA? 

This is the question many people across the South African tourism 

industry have begged answers for, against the African tourism giant 

experiencing unusual low tourism arrivals. 

Words: MARTIN CHEMHERE 

predictable, for a country 

that in recent times has 

seen millions of visitors 

from both traditional 

and emerging source 

markets descending on 

South Africa to experience 

a combination of 

man-made and natural 

wonders, dotting its length and breadth. 

Many outsiders arriving in the country on 

business trips, especially those unaware of 

the country’s infrastructural facilities and 

standards, comparable with the first world, 

returned to their homes with lasting impressions 

to tell remarkable stories of world 

class development. However, despite the 

reputation of its famed allure, South Africa’s 

tourism industry began to experience 

gloom. That reality left the tourism industry 

fraternity struggling with the situation. Industry 

business owners and executives 

who had become accustomed to brisk 

business and massive profits were experiencing 

sleepless nights. 

UPDATE ON NEWLY RELAXED SA VISA REGULA- 

TIONS 

The low tourism statistics were attributed to 

the visa regulation passed in 2015. It required 

parents to carry unabridged birth 

certificates for accompanying children, as 

well as letters of permission from parents 

that were not travelling. Concerns were ardently 

raised by most tourism industry players. 

They pointed out that the South African 

government’s decision to introduce unfriendly 

visa regulations was largely to 

blame for “hurting” tourism businesses. 

Amid loud outcries, the ruling hit the 

tourism industry hard, threatening its vibrancy 

and viability. The fact that global entertainer 

and British actor Idris Elba’s 

daughter was a victim of the new requirement 

further amplified the calls to revisit the 

entry prerequisite. To avert further escalation 

of the crisis, an intervention was 

needed, to save the industry from further 

decline and job losses. Tourism Business 

Council South Africa (TBCSA) say that the 

tourism industry, which employs more than 

1.5 million people has been identified by 

the government as one of the sectors that 

are potential growth engines and that can 


Focus Africa 

lift the South African economy out of the 

recession, by creating jobs and reducing 

high unemployment. The industry generates 

about R400 billion ($28 billion) estimated 

at 10% of its GDP. Therefore, the 

South African Government could not pretend 

to be blind to the negative impact of 

a law hurting its wealthy economy. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s then announced 

amendments as part of a broader 

economic turnaround strategy focused on 

moving the African continent’s most advanced 

economy out of a slump. Then 

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba reportedly 

expressed the need to relax some 

immigration rules. This covered the inclusion 

of visa waiver agreements with additional 

source markets, all geared at 

improving investment into the country and 

tourism. That was a prudent move, considering 

his department is responsible for 

about 10 million visitors, including tourists, 

business travellers, investors and neighbours. 

Visitors from all over the world, including 

significant growth source markets 

like China and India were to enjoy newly 

regulated travel policies that offer them access 

to 5-year multiple entry documents. 

The two Asian countries would have people 

travelling for business and to invest, 

enjoy arrangements, where 10-year visas 

would be processed in just 5 days. Furthermore, 

changes covered a three-year, multiple 

visa for frequent, trusted travellers to 

SA and a 10-year visa for African region 

business people and academics. Waiver 

accords for visitors from the continent, as 

well as other regions like the Middle East 

and Eastern Europe and countries like 

Qatar, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE 

were also included as well as selected categories 

of visitors from African countries 

like Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda. The new 

visa move was made to unlock uninhibited 

interest and to come into effect from Oc- 

Allowing applications via courier means it will be much easier 

for potential travellers to obtain a visa, and we are confident that this will 

increase tourist numbers from some of our most important untapped source 

markets.” 

tober were designed to see tourists coming 

to South Africa in increasing numbers. 

TOURISM INDUSTRY RESPONSE TO THE RELAXED 

VISA 

As is usual in such situations, leading 

tourism industry experts and organisations 

then sprung into action. 

Tim Haris, CEO at Wesgro Tourism, Trade 

and Investment said that his organisation 

welcomed the amendments as ease of 

travel and movement across borders is a 

fundamental building block of the global 

economy. “The relaxed visa regulations include 

a number of measures that will boost 

tourism,” he said. He pointed out several 

things such as, for example, relaxing the requirement 

for travellers to apply for a visa 

in person in countries like China and India 

will make a very big difference to ease of 

travel for visitors from these countries, as 

will long-term multiple entry visas. The 

other factor he mentioned was that since 

2014, travellers from countries that require 

a visa for South Africa have had to travel to 

a South African visa application centre in 

person in order to apply: In large countries 

this meant travelling very far distances just 

to obtain a visa, discouraging potential 

tourists. “Allowing applications via courier 

means it will be much easier for potential 

travellers to obtain a visa, and we are confident 

that this will increase tourist numbers 

from some of our most important untapped 

source markets”, he said. 

Mr Haris further explained that effective implementation 

will be the greatest challenge. 

He referred to the relaxation of 

documentary requirements for foreigners 

travelling to South Africa with minors as 

having the potential to have a much 

needed positive impact on travel to the 


China and India were to enjoy newly regulated travel 

policies that offer them access to 5-year multiple entry 

documents. The two Asian countries would have people 

travelling for business and to invest, enjoy arrangements 

where 10-year visas would be processed in just 5 days. 

country, especially family travel. However, 

he also suggested this will require specialised 

training for airport security and 

boarder controls operating at these posts. 

“The level of success, however, will be entirely 

dependent on how it is put into practice. 

The changes will need to be executed 

in a manner that avoids confusion and encourages 

certainty for potential travellers to 

South Africa. “These measures are ‘quick 

wins’, they are simple and quick to implement 

and do not require significant resources 

to put into effect. The measures do 

ease travel for many visitors, and will improve 

tourism numbers; however we see 

these amendments as a first step in the 

right direction. There is still a lot more that 

needs to be done, and to truly boost numbers 

and maximise the economic development 

potential of tourism it is going to take 

a concerted national effort,” he said. 

Professor Ciná van Zyl, Acting COD: Department 

of Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain, 

Transport, Tourism and Logistics Management, 

College of Economic and Management 

Sciences, UNISA weighed in, saying: 

“According to reports, the dropping of the 

visa requirement for Russian citizens resulted 

in an immediate increase in arrivals 

from that country by 25%. Iran, Saudia Arabia, 

Egypt, the UAE and Qatar are among 

the most promising markets for which the 

visa requirement will reportedly be 

waived.” 

She explained that the most important 

change is the easing of the process for application 

and its impact on the two large 

markets of China and India but noted that 

this however, remains to be seen how it 

would work out in practice and whether 

the requirement to be able to prove 

parental consent in the case of travelling 

minors remains an obstacle. 

“Moving towards an electronic visa system, 

to be trialed for New Zealand citizens from 

April 2019 is a positive step and South 

Africans themselves will benefit from the introduction 

of electronic passport control 

systems to ease their way through airports,” 

she added. Her observation was that in 

general, relaxing visa regulations has excellent 

potential for increasing tourist arrivals 

in South Africa, but it is not clear whether 

the new proposed regulations go far 

enough. 

“The new regulations appear to ease all aspects 

of obtaining permission to visit South 

Africa, but it is possible that challenges will 

arise related to the e-visa application 

process in New Zealand and in training airline 

and immigration staff to accept the e- 

visa. “If we look at South Africa's tourist 

arrivals, compared to those of Thailand (for 

example) the trends over the past five years 

have been similar, although South Africa's 

are more seasonal (source: Trading Economics). 

Although the regulations about 

travelling minors and the visa requirement 

for New Zealanders have impacted on arrivals, 

I do not think the impact has been 

huge and I do not expect the latest regulations 

to do much more that reverses this 

modest change,” she said. Asked whether 

government’s move was adequate to realise 

high tourist arrivals, her response was 

that a huge impact will be achieved only if 

the application process becomes very easy 

for major markets such as China, India or 

Nigeria (possibly even using the e-visa) or 

even if a further relaxation waives the visa 

requirement for those countries. At the 

same time, she was concerned that the 

changes do not go far enough to provide 

a major boost to tourist arrivals. 

“At the moment, the majority of recorded 

tourist arrivals are from the SADC countries 

(mainly Zimbabwe and Lesotho) and the 

traditional Western tourism markets. The 

Netherlands (population 17 million) still 

sends more tourists than China (population 

1, 4 billion) to South Africa, for example,” she 

further said. Professor Van Zyl further highlighted 

that the major source of overseas 

arrivals remains the old colonial power, the 

UK and to properly capture the tourism demand 

in the rapidly developing countries 

of Africa and Asia will require more farreaching 

changes. Today, Australia welcomes 

18 times more tourists from China 

than South Africa does and therefore for 

South Africa, the target should be to at least 

equal that. TBCSA acknowledged steps 

taken by government, however adding that 

the industry still had a very long way to go 

on easing immigration regulations. CEO of 

the TBCSA, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa in a 


These measures are “quick wins”, they are simple 

and quick to implement and do not require significant resources 

to put into effect. The measures do ease travel for many visitors, 

and will improve tourism numbers; however we see these amendments as a 

first step in the right direction. There is still a lot more that needs to be 

done, and to truly boost numbers and maximise the economic development 

potential of tourism it is going to take a concerted national effort.” 

- Tim Harris, CEO, Wesgro Tourism 

statement said “We, as the industry, are and 

have been ready to come to the table to 

grow the economy, create jobs and assist 

with transformation, but we need the government 

to allow us the space to do that. 

Therefore, we welcome the progress in 

visa waivers for selected countries, but we 

need this to happen quickly with the holiday 

season fast approaching. ”He stressed 

that the issue of unabridged birth certificate 

for minors travelling is still a huge concern 

for the industry. “We raised this issue 

four years ago and we have engaged with 

government on the negative impact of 

these regulations, we further asked the department 

of Home Affairs to share with us 

the statistics on child trafficking through international 

airports, which never happened. 

We have said from the very beginning 

that unabridged birth certificates have 

created a large barrier for tourism in and 

out of South Africa. 

“The (government) announcement doesn’t 

change anything; Home Affairs is once 

again circling around this issue. We want 

this regulation to be completely removed 

to re-encourage the movement of people 

into South Africa if we are serious about 

creating jobs”, commented Mr. Tshivhengwa. 

“President Ramaphosa, through 

his stimulus package, recognised tourism 

as one of the key sectors in stimulating the 

economy and creating jobs. What was announced 

by the Minister of Home Affairs is 

still the same policy that will not grow 

tourism. We need bold moves to fully remove 

regulatory barriers and not endless 

discussion”, added Mr. Tshivhengwa. 

He said that off the back of the President’s 

announcement of pending amendments 

to these regulations, many have come out 

to strongly criticise the lack of action in this 

regard. 

“The Association of Southern African Travel 

Agents (ASATA) has also been left frustrated 

and disappointed by the President’s 

failure to directly address the known issues 

at hand,” further noted the TBCSA statement. 

It also mentioned that the Association 

of Southern African Travel Agencies 

(ASATA) CEO, Otto De Vries, was familiar 


We, as the industry, are and have been ready to come 

to the table to grow the economy, create jobs and assist with 

transformation, but we need the government to allow us the 

space to do that. Therefore, we welcome the progress in visa 

waivers for selected countries, but we need this to happen quickly with the 

holiday season fast approaching.” 

- Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, CEO, 

Tourism Business Council South Africa (TBCSA) 

with the challenges. “The controversial requirement 

for travelling families has stifled 

outbound tourism, as it is making it difficult 

for local families to travel internationally. 

Why would you continue to apply a policy 

that will hamper and frustrate them?” De 

Vries said. De Vries summed up his statement 

by saying, “South Africa’s government 

needs to remove the requirement for travel 

with an unabridged birth certificate for all 

passport holders.” 

Tshivhengwa has echoed these sentiments, 

and have questioned the lack of urgent and 

genuine action by the South African Government. 

He has been stern in stating what 

the country needs to bolster the economy 

from a tourism point of view. Tshivhengwa 

expressed that tourism is ready to and can 

play a key role in boosting the country’s 

economy, if the correct measures are put in 

place. In the same statement by the TBCSA, 

CEO of Southern African Tourism Services 

Association (SATSA), David Frost expressed 

his frustration with the Minister’s announcement 

saying his organisation has long been 

at the forefront of one of the pioneering 

campaigns to abolish the need to carry 

unabridged birth certificates since its inception 

in 2015. The TBCSA noted that 

South Africa is faced with a difficult economic 

condition with declining economic 

growth, tourism arrival declining, and 

tourism business confidence at its lowest 

for years. “Removing these immigration 

barriers will go a long way in increasing 

tourist arrivals, increase employment, and 

contribute positively to the economy” said 

Tshivhengwa. 

“As the TBCSA, we remain open to having a 

robust discussion to move this economy 

forward.” The head of TBCSA also voiced 

his concern at the need to avoid self-inflicted 

entry regulations that were benefiting 

other countries at the expense of South 

Africa and as a result thought that it was important 

for the new regulations to be put in 

place as a matter of urgency. Perhaps time 

will tell whether the strategies prescribed 

by government will be effective in bringing 

back the good old days to South African 

tourism. 



Special Feature 

RELIGIOUS TOURISM: AN 

USD$18 BILLION 

INDUSTRY? 

In the grand tradition of planning vacations to places where 

people have met their tragic ends—Pyramid of Giza, Auschwitz, the 

ruins of Pompeii—one of the oldest forms of tourism is taking the 

continent by storm. 

WORDS BY: MIRIRO MATEMA 

in a seemingly faithless climate, 

where secular media has questioned 

and swayed the very core 

of religion, comes a uniquely 

growing trend that could be beneficial 

to Africa’s collective economy. 

Whether you are seeking 

spiritual enlightenment or a contingency 

to discover the religious 

and often lesser known sites, faith-based 

tourism is growing in numbers. The journey 

to finding oneself, sharing one’s belief or 

receiving providence is not as affordable 

as should be the case. 

Many a traveller have saved for months 

and even years to embrace the spirit behind 

one’s faith. Mission-based, humanitarian 

trips such as World Race have 

contributed to hundreds of travellers each 

year touring to countries like South Africa, 

Zimbabwe, Malawi and Kenya. For 11 

months, groups of young and impressionable 

travellers move from country to country, 

feeding the homeless, building shelters 

and sharing their beliefs. Per person, this 11 

month crusade to inner peace costs a staggering 

USD$19,200 which is fundraised socially. 

And you would imagine these passionate 

travellers are older, set in their careers and 

looking to mix a restful vacation with a faith 

bolstering experience. You’d imagine 

wrong. There has been a shift in the type 

of traveller into Africa, not only are they 

much younger, but they are drawn to self 

awareness through spiritual guidance. Indeed 

- they could be part of an elaborate 

mission trip into the middle of a rural village 

or they could be singing praise songs at a 

mega church evangelism conference. 

David Frost, CEO of the Southern Africa 

Tourism Services Association (SATSA) said 

46% of international arrivals into South 

Africa were between the ages of 18 and 35. 

Be that as it may, faith in itself can mean different 

things to different people. Just ask 

the tens of thousands who flock to TB 

Joshua’s Synagogue, Church of All Nations 

(SCOAN), Sacred Music Festival in Fez, Morocco 

or the serene Ethiopian town of Lalibela, 

renowned for its eleven medieval 

churches. Those searching for moral certitude 

are bound to find it on this rich continent. 

Africa has a diverse religious community 

thanks to our ancient tourists. Through 

a long history of colonisation and mission 

trips, one can find oneself in the festivals, 

retreats and religious sites available. 

It must be stated, there is economic significance 

in these festivals and faith-based 

community development trips, which our 

tourism leaders need to pay particular attention 

to, as it cannot be underestimated, 

neither can it be ignored. 

Religion and tourism share a very close relationship, 

where religion motivates people 

to travel, while religious spaces serve as attractions. 

Take Mali for example. The Great 

Mosque of Djenné in Mali is among the 

most astounding buildings in the world and 

one of Africa’s most revered religious monuments. 

Constructed almost entirely from 

sun-dried mud bricks coated with clay, it is 

the largest surviving example of a distinctive 

style of African architecture. Over the 

decades, the Great Mosque has collapsed 

twice, and the one that stands today was 

completed in 1907. To keep the building 


from falling apart, an annual week-long festival 

is held, where residents and visitors 

come out in droves to plaster and repair it. 

Each year, during the last three weeks of 

October, over 30,000 followers of the 

Some churches in Nigeria, West 

Africa can hold over 200,000 

worshippers and, with their 

supplement business empires, 

constitute a significant section of 

the economy, employing tens of 

thousands of people and drawing 

in large amounts of tourist dollars. 

But how much of the half a trillion 

GDP they make up, is difficult to 

determine, since the churches are, 

like Africa’s oil sector, a largely 

opaque entity. 

Shembe church gather at the Judea temple 

near Eshowe for an annual festival of healing 

and blessing. 

Tens of thousands of faithful pilgrims gather 

and resurrect this dormant Zululand village 

with hundreds of family shops opening to 

sell items from food to religious paraphernalia. 

In this very vibrant and colourful village, 

a hive of economic activity prevails 

within a formal religious programme. It 

would be a sin to bring up religion without 

sharing some thought on Nigeria’s vibrant 

and wealthy religious community. Some 

churches in Nigeria, West Africa can hold 

over 200,000 worshippers and, with their 

supplement business empires, constitute a 

significant section of the economy, employing 

tens of thousands of people and 

drawing in large amounts of tourist dollars. 

But how much of the half a trillion GDP they 

make up, is difficult to determine, since the 

churches are, like Africa’s oil sector, a 

largely opaque entity. “They don’t submit 

accounts to anybody,” says Bismarck Rewane, 

economist and CEO of Lagos consultancy 

Financial Derivatives. “At least six 

church leaders have private jets, so they 

have money. How much? No one really 

knows.” In a research paper, Timothy and 

Nyaupane suggest that religious tourism in 

Africa will continue on an upward trajectory 

with economic significance only when 

given full recognition by tourism industry 

leaders, academics and governments in 

Africa, and will only realise its true potential 

once taken seriously as a socio-economic 

tool for development. 

World Religious Travel is one of the fastest 

growing segments in travel today. Religious 

travel is estimated at a value of US$18 billion, 

involving 300 million travellers. Based 

on estimates provided by the United Nations 

World Tourism Organization (UNTWO) 

in 2014, there are over 600 million religious 

travellers around the world. And with national 

debt on the rise, this could be a bailout 

option for a number of countries facing 

the sting of creditors lining up. Looking to 



the future and the potential of tourism on 

the continent, UNWTO forecasts show that 

by 2030, the number of international arrivals 

in Africa is expected to more than double, 

growing from 50 million to 134 million, increasing 

the global market shares of Africa 

to 7%. The African continent is gifted with a 

rich diversity, an abundance of untouched 

resources, natural beauty, cultural heritage 

and historical sites, wildlife, safaris, beaches, 

deserts and much more that, if channelled 

correctly, could provide considerable opportunities 

for development. 

But let’s look at the pros of faith-based 

tourism in Africa. Firstly, it is resilient to recessions 

and is more open to repeat business 

than your regular leisure travel. 

Because faith-based travellers are committed 

to the cause, they tend to save for 

these religious or spiritual experiences and 

travel despite the state of the economy. 

A trip from South Africa to Nigeria for 

SCOAN, can cost over USD$2,000. What’s 

more, the reason people travel is varied. 

For example, the faith-based tourists often 

travel as part of a religious obligation, to fulfil 

a spiritual mission or to show support for 

a particular cause. So it goes without saying, 

during economically difficult times, 

faith-based travel can provide a steady 

flow of income to a distressed economy. 

Faith-based travel isn’t only great for the 

transport and hospitality industries, but also 

has a significant influence over local arts 

and crafts entrepreneurs. From musicians, 

clothing designers to wooden and stone 

crafts, faith often leads to spontaneous 

spend to boost the overall experience of 

the journey. Say it’s your first time to the 

Mosque in Mozambique, it would be imperative 

to dress modestly before arrival. 

As such, the nearest market would gladly 

offer the finest garments to suit the occasion. 

“Rural tourism engenders national 

cohesion and alleviates poverty through 

the distribution of income from urban rich 

to the rural poor”, Mr. Ekow Sampson, Regional 

Director, Ghana Tourism Authority 

said. The reality is, these travellers spend 

more per trip than the average tourist, 

and while they are interested in value, 

price is rarely their top priority. As a result 

they are eager to pay for “eye-catching” 

extras. And if it wasn’t already clear, these 

They don’t submit accounts to 

anybody. At least six church leaders have 

private jets, so they have money. How 

much? No one really knows.” 

- Bismarck Rewane, Economist & CEO, Lagos 

Consultancy Financial Derivatives. 


World Religious Travel is one of the fastest growing segments in 

travel today. Religious travel is estimated at a value of US$18 billion, 

involving 300 million travellers. 


visitors are not brand loyal, but are 

among the most loyal and resilient of all 

travellers, being less influenced by the 

ebbs and flows in tourism demand. These 

travellers want to travel together to provide 

fellowship and community as well as 

to enrich their lives and their religion. 

Destinations that can fulfil these desires, 

are well positioned to develop and expand 

their religious tourism offering and 

uplift their community. Faith-based 

tourism is not all rainbows and butterflies 

as it can be risky business. From insanely 

large crowds to political instability, any 

normal traveller wouldn’t put their lives 

on the line to visit a country in turmoil. 

Yet, religious travellers are beyond being 

deterred. Siima Simon Peter, a tour and 

travel consultant at Prime Safaris & Tours, 

says, “It can be risky sometimes, people 

would rather die at the sites in quest of 

their lifetime spiritual fulfillment”. 

Another challenge facing economies is 

the consistency of these trips. For a community 

located in the outback of society, 

regular visitors can be a lucrative annual 

event. But beyond that, the community 

can be a few tumbleweeds shy of becoming 

a ghost town. Consistency is important 

to a thriving community and 

more so to the development of a tourism 

industry. Looking deeper, some factors 

such as lack of hospitable facilities, 

chances of accidents, too basic security 

are slowing down the volume of pilgrims 

to an extent. 

Although governments are coming up 

with innovative solutions to overcome 

the hindrances, limitations such as seasonal 

rush, shortage of rental transportation, 

over-occupancy of rooms, serious 

crowding of the holy sites and unorganised 

facilities hinder the growth of faithbased 

tourism. Additionally, slow visa 

facilitation; a wide capacity gap in the 

Because faith-based travellers are committed 

to the cause, they tend to save for these 

religious or spiritual experiences and travel 

despite the state of the economy. A trip from 

South Africa to Nigeria for SCOAN, can cost 

over USD$2,000. So it goes without saying, 

during economically difficult times, faithbased 

travel can provide a steady flow of income 

to a distressed economy. 

David Frost, CEO, Southern Africa Tourism 

Services Association (SATSA). 

hospitality service industry; and underdeveloped 

infrastructure are major impediments 

to tourism growth and 

sustainability. In essence, what should be 

a standard 6-hour trip from West to 

Southern Africa can take as long as two 

days! 

This and many other infrastructure inefficiencies 

are costing Africa billions of dollars 

annually and are stunting its rapid 

growth. Although still a work in progress, 

the African Union (AU) is moving forward 

with its plans to scrap travel restrictions 

for citizens of all 55 member states, thus 

making it easier and affordable for 

Africans to travel within the continent. According 

to the African Development Bank 

(AfDB), the free movement of people is a 

cornerstone of regional integration. 

When travellers move freely across the 

continent, they bring higher levels of 

capital investment, fresh, diverse skills 

and they expand the range of goods and 

services on offer. 

Faith-based tourism can be one of the 

most effective tools to foster inclusive 

and sustainable development, for three 

reasons. Firstly, religious tourism raises 

awareness of our common heritage, 

which helps to ensure its preservation. 

Religious heritage sites across the continent 

have immeasurable value in exploring 

our identity, while driving that same 

knowledge and education in younger 

generations. And in these modern times, 

when young people find their identity in 

technology and the social apps, a little 

learning can go a long way. 

Secondly, faith-based tourism can contribute 

to community development and 

empowerment. When tourists meet and 

show interest in the unique values of local 


It can be risky sometimes, people would rather die at the 

sites in quest of their lifetime spiritual fulfillment”. 

communities, these communities feel empowered. 

Tourism helps them to take pride in themselves, 

in their history, traditions and environment. 

But this only happens, if 

communities are fully engaged and integrated 

in the tourism experience around 

them. 

Thirdly, religious tourism builds cultural understanding 

and peace. Tourism breaks 

down cultural barriers and builds bridges 

between people, communities and nations; 

the very foundation of peace. Religious 

tourism attracts millions of people 

united in respect and reverence for the 

world’s great religions. 

These are the very same values needed for 

cross-cultural understanding, for peace 

building, and to ward off the forces of 

darkness that threaten our sector. Religious 

heritage sites are important meeting 

grounds for visitors and hosts. These encounters 

are fundamental to maintaining 

tourism as a force for good, for everyone, 

in all corners of the world. Unfortunately, 

faith-based tourism is not well researched, 

nor is it documented effectively. Few reliable 

statistics are available regarding its 

size and value within the tourism sector as 

a whole, mainly because only a handful of 

countries measure tourist arrivals as religion. 

In most cases, faith-based tourists are 

combined with other leisure visitors, with 

most being boxed into either “holiday” or 

“business”. 

Therefore it is critical to become active in 

our pursuit to capitalise on this phenomenon. 

In Africa, the economic and social opportunities 

of faith-based tourism is limitless. 

It’s only a matter of time until we can begin 

to fully understand and appreciate the scale 

of this fascinating form of travel. 


CHURCHES OF AFRICA 

RIPE FOR REFORMATION? 

The division of state and church has always been a contentious issue 

ever since before and after the time of Martin Luther, the father of 

Evangelism. The issues of regulation and reformation of the church, 

specifically looking at denominations on the African continent, are 

controversial and exciting, and indeed a sign of the times in the age 

of digitalisation and information dessimation. 

WORDS BY: DIETER GOTTERT 

most recently, Pesident 

Kgame’s 

government of 

Rwanda has 

been clamping 

down on 

churches. In 

South Africa, the government-appointed 

Commission for the Promotion and Protection 

of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic 

Communities (known as the CLR Rights 

Commission) summoned 40 churches to 

find out what is going on and make recommendations 

and a report. 

Reports of pastors convincing worshippers 

to eat snakes, spraying insecticide into 

mouths of believers during fully packed sermons 

under the guise of God’s hand apparently, 

and even buildings that collapse 

due to poor structural engineering – there 

has been much strange activity, but no consequence. 

Yet, when a government imposes an inquiry, 

or summonses religious leaders – it is 

comparable to throwing fuel onto an already 

smouldering fire. 

No doubt, it is a very delicate debate – 

should churches be taxed and regulated, – 

and their donations and collections be scrutinized 

and laid bare? On the other hand, 

can we ask that political parties declare their 

benefactors - the answer to both is similar 

on a balance of scales – both church and 

politicians would definitely not want the real 

truth revealed? 

Some African Government have adopted a 

tough approach, voicing strong opinions on 

how churches need to be controlled or regulated, 

depending which side of the fence 

you are sitting on. 

Kenya’s Government uttered a call for regulation 

recently of churches. 

"They are thieves and not preachers. We 

have to consult and know how to remove 

them," President Uhura Kenyatta told 

Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation. The 

Kenyan Government says the move is 

aimed at closing down bogus churches. 

According to Zambian Pastor Conrad 

Mbewe, of the Kabwata Baptist Church in 

Zambia, charismatic churches seem to 

dominate on the continent because 

"Africans are hugely spiritual". 

One would be led to believe, according to 

Pastor Mbewe, that Africans are not critical 

and do not question the existence of God 

or a higher power, as opposed to worshippers 

from Western religions. 

There is a real concern from Zambian leaders 

of suspicious financial transactions and 

sexual abuse in the churches. Leaders are 

aware that among the “legitimate” or more 

well-known churches, are a plethora of obscure 

ones too – but the crux of the matter 

seems to be that sexual abuse happens in 

any church – well known or not. The 

Catholic Church is a prime example. 

Issues of unemployment, poverty, guidance 

and a way to salvation are key to many worshippers 

- a perfect recipe for manipulation 

of people who are desperate and will do almost 

anything to alleviate their suffering 

under the promise of a better life. 

Careful not to paint with one brush, not all 

churches fall in this category – the trick is to 

root out the corrupt ones, and the fact that 

churches are attracting government attention 

too close for comfort is a sign of how 

powerful and influential some churches 

have become. 

Rwanda is also clamping down on the 

church - Rwanda's Government is busy closing 

hundreds of churches, mosques and 

places of worship. What are the reasons for 

this? 

Building and safety standards are not being 

adhered to and the government is cracking 

the whip as they ought to. As an elected authority, 

they are empowered to enforce 

safety standards. 



Interior view of Rivers Church, Sandton, 

Johannesburg, South Africa. 


Reports of pastors convincing worshippers to eat snakes, 

spraying insecticide into mouths of believers during fully packed 

sermons under the guise of God’s hand apparently, and even 

buildings that collapse due to poor structural engineering – there 

has been much strange activity, but no consequence. 

For instance, the installation of a lightning 

rod is now mandatory – this after a lightning 

strike in March killed 16 worshippers and injured 

140 at a Seventh-Day Adventist church 

in the south. 

Close to one hundred mosques have been 

shut down, according to Mufti Sheikh Salim 

Hitimana, leader of the country's Muslim 

community, he told AP news agency. 

He admitted: "We are now trying to fix what 

the government told us to do”. 

Some religious leaders, among them some 

evangelical, actually support the government 

crackdown, with the protection of 

lives of churchgoers being very important, 

as well as having qualified and trained 

church leaders. 

President of the Evangelical Free Church of 

Rwanda and a leader with the Evangelical 

Alliance of Rwanda Esron Maniragaba said: 

"Our government’s efforts to have churches 

build better structures are welcome to all of 

us," with calls from some quarters for government 

to supervise churches and take action 

against exploitative pastors. 

Not everyone has welcomed this bold 

move by the authorities, with human rights 

groups complaining about freedom of expression 

transgressions by Kgame’s government. 

Some church leaders who protested 

against church closures were arrested for illegally 

gathering “with bad intentions”. This 

has led to an inadvertent fear of speaking 

to the media. 

Rwanda's predominantly Christian population 

of 12 million people will soon see proposed 

legislation aimed at regulating faithbased 

organisations separately from civil 

society organisations. 

Among the proposed laws will be a requirement 

for pastors to have a theology degree 

before starting their own churches in order 

to properly teach the correct doctrine. Pentecostal 

churches are particularly in the firing 

line, whose leaders often claim to have 

received a calling to preach supposedly 

from a higher power. Detractors, however, 

have voiced their concern, citing financial 

limitations since studying and acquiring 

proper qualifications will entail spending 

too much money. 

Numerous churches hold religious gatherings 

in tents or houses that are not 

equipped to be safe enough, many of them 


Issues of unemployment, poverty, guidance and a way to salvation 

are key to many worshippers - a perfect recipe for manipulation of 

people who are desperate and will do almost anything to alleviate 

their suffering under the promise of a better life. 


Among the proposed laws will be a requirement for 

pastors to have a theology degree before starting their own 

churches in order to properly teach the correct doctrine. 

Pentecostal churches are particularly in the firing line, whose 

leaders often claim to have received a calling to preach 

supposedly from a higher power. Detractors, however, have 

voiced their concern, citing financial limitations since 

studying and acquiring proper qualifications will entail 

spending too much money. 

said to be Pentecostal houses of worship, 

with countless charismatic pastors getting 

rich at the expense of poor and impoverished 

believers, who believe the words of 

salvation from their pastor. 

Authorities have observed noise pollution 

and safety transgressions. Anastase Shyaka, 

who heads up the Rwanda Governance 

Board regulating faith-based organisations, 

told AP news agency: 

"Prayer houses were found in such poor 

physical conditions, and we are not targeting 

any religion. We are closing prayer 

houses of all different denominations and 

asking them to meet existing health and 

safety standards for their followers." 

The government respects freedom of worship, 

but protecting lives of people comes 

first”. According to him, churches that meet 

the required safety standards will be reopened. 

In recent times, there have been calls on 

government to take decisive action against 

pastors who enrich themselves and exploit 

their followers. 

It can be argued that the question of regulation 

is especially relevant in countries such 

as Nigeria, where Pentecostal churches in 

particular address the spiritual and material 

wants of their followers. According to published 

research document “Religion, Culture 

and Political Corruption in Nigeria” by Dhikru 

A. Yagboyaju, “their aggressive approach, 

which includes the use of radio, television 

and such other social media platforms as 

well as other public self-advertisement outlets 

in the newspapers, through handbills 

and billboards, among others, they promise 

the people life-changing miracles and 

breakthroughs.” 

The research explains that “ordinary citizens 

are made to believe that demonic forces or 

spiritual attacks are behind illnesses, 

poverty and other misfortunes, the political 

and bureaucratic elite as well as public office 

seekers are told of how these evil 

forces could also deter political victories 

and career advancement”. Fire and brimstone 

stuff indeed, sound familiar? 

The document further explains the Nigerian 

religious landscape: “It exposes the majority 

of the poor people to exploitative acts, in 

their search for the elusive breakthroughs 

and miracles, while, on the other hand, it 

emboldens venality and misconduct by 

public officials who enjoy protection largely 

because of the easy adaptability of Nigeria’s 

age-long patron-client networks and clientele 

politics to such abuses.” 

Can one say that this type of religious playing 

field be a candidate for regulation? You 

be the judge. 

Precisely this is what the South African Gov- 


Their aggressive approach, which includes the use of radio, 

television and such other social media platforms as well as 

other public self-advertisement outlets in the newspapers, 

through handbills and billboards, among others, they promise 

the people life-changing miracles and breakthroughs.” 

ernment is busy doing right now with its appointed 

Commission for the Promotion and 

Protection of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic 

Communities (known as the CLR rights 

Commission)C 

Since the government-appointed Commission 

began its work 2015 to investigate the 

commercialization of religion and abuse of 

people’s belief systems, it has gained supporters 

and detractors alike from various 

groups in South Africa. 

Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva, Commission 

chairperson, said the investigation was conducted 

following “controversial news reports 

and articles about pastors that have 

left a large section of society questioning 

whether religion has become a commercial 

institution or a commodity to enrich a few”. 

Currently, the Commission’s report has 

been tabled before Parliament, recommending 

that all religious practitioners be 

registered with the Commission through an 

accredited umbrella organisation of their 

choice. 

The report states: “This was necessitated by 

the fact that currently there is no comprehensive 

register where the communities 

can verify who is a bona fide religious practitioner 

… This register will also ensure that 

the religious leaders are compliant with the 

various laws of the country.” 

Normally, any sane person would welcome 

such a register, which can provide a measure 

of safety and recourse should worshippers 

feel that they have been aggrieved 

and abused by a church or its priest or pastor. 

Do not doctors, lawyers and accountants 

all have regulatory statutory bodies? It 

begs the question - why would churches 

be any different? 

Executive director of Freedom of Religion 

South Africa, Michael Swain, said: 

“It is not true that religion is not regulated. 

We live in a society that has the rule of law. 

We are all subject to those laws. Those laws 

are there for our protection. The problem is 

that these laws are not being enforced.” 

He and others have called on the churches 

to regulate themselves. So too does Favour 

Mary Stephens, secretary general of the 

South African Union Council of Independent 

Churches, echo the call for self-regulation. 

Edward Mafadza, the Commission’s chief 

executive officer, had this to say: “The commission 

is a constitutional body … Nowhere 

in its recommendations does the Commission 

say that the state must interfere in the 

religious affairs of any religion. Instead, the 

recommendations encourage self-regulation.” 

“We are aware that the matters that the 

Commission is dealing with when it comes 

to religion are not easy and we do expect 

some individuals to be uncomfortable. This 

is due to the fact that accountability … takes 

the powers back to the people that are 

being served, rather than the religious 

leader having absolute control over people.” 

In covering all bases Mafadza states:, “The 

Commission’s door is open for all faiths that 

genuinely want to drive the agenda of promoting 

and protecting the religious rights of 

communities.” 

With support and co-operation from major 

church denominations, some independent 

Christian churches took issue with the Commission 

and its report. 

Nokuzola Mndende from the Eastern Cape 

(in South Africa)-based Icamagu Institute 

said the Commission does not value traditional 

African religions. “It still defines us like 

they did during colonial times — under ‘culture’.” 

Vuyani Cetywayo, chairperson of Icamagu 

Spirituality, a body that represents traditional 

indigenous African religions, also slammed 

the Commission:. 

“We appeared before the Commission, but 

with the types of questions they asked us, it 

was clear that they were unfortunately using 

a wrong template. It was all about Christianity, 

not religion at large. So we have really 

lost interest in the Commission.” 

However, “the Commission is inclusive” says 

Commission chief executive officer Edward 

Mafadza and “was never meant to marginalise 

any religion, including traditional 

African religious leaders”. 

It is now up to the South African Government 

and political powers to enforce the 

political will needed for the report’s recommendations 

to have any effect. 

In conclusion, among all the rhetoric and religious 

rivalry and the saying “honour 

among thieves”, dare we ask: Is it indeed 

possible for churches to regulate themselves? 




RELIGIOUS TOURISM IN WEST AFRICA: A 

TB JOSHUA 

A F F A I R ? 

Religious tourism, a pilgrimage, faith-based travelling – call it 

what you like - has been around for centuries in the world. The lifelong ambition to 

travel and conduct worship and pay homage to a holy site or city has been a 

human need ever since mankind existed. 

Words: BRUCE GERMAINE 

whether you are 

a Muslim going 

to Mecca, 

Christians making 

your way 

to Jerusalem, 

or a Hindu travelling 

to Varanasi, tens of thousands of people 

globally migrate to countless holy 

places, resulting in huge economic benefits 

to a specific regions. 

Over the last decade, Africa in particular has 

seen a massive growth in religious tourism, 

particularly with the emergence of charismatic 

leaders to whom the masses flock to 

for spiritual enlightenment. Inevitably, a pilgrimage 

will intertwine with conventional 

tourism servicing local markets and hospitality 

industries by providing a massive influx 

of financial upliftment. 

This has become especially prevalent during 

economic instability, where believers 

will still want to fulfil their lifelong ambition 

of going on a pilgrimage to a faraway place 

– it has, in fact, become a big religious business 

(pun intended) with worldwide faithbased 

tourism generating a value in excess 

of US$ 18 billion with well over 300 million 

travellers. No wonder salivating travel booking 

agents rub their hands with glee since 

faith-based travellers have a preference for 

travelling in groups with, for example, an estimated 

25% of US-based tourists constituting 

religious tourism. Outside of Africa and 

among Western faith-based travellers, Israel 

is still considered to hold top spot as a holy 

land tourist destination, but it is right here in 

Africa where charismatic leaders and socalled 

prophets have developed their own 

religious markets and followers. 

Looking at just some of the most powerful 

men of the cloth in Africa, Zimbabwe’s Emmanuel 

Makandiwa and Walter Magaya 

have both established a vast following 

among believers, allowing them to wield a 

vast amount of influence and economic 

power in their country. For example, ever 

since Zimbabwe’s Emmanuel Makandiwa’s 

Judgement Night events started, filling up a 

whole football stadium with well over 

150 000 followers, he has attracted international 

worshippers from various regions 

such as South Africa, Zambia, Kenya and 

even Europe. 

Before we get to the real elephants when it 

comes to being a prophet’s prophet, any 

normal thinking person would want to ask 

why would people and even masses gather 

in their thousands to hear a sermon by another 

fellow human being? We can ask ourselves: 

Is it perhaps the fear of death, our 

common need for social interaction based 

on a shared faith-based goal perhaps, or 

maybe an uncertain future during hardship? 

There are a multitude of reasons, but according 

to renowned American psychologist 

Stephen Reiss, no less than 16 reasons 

exist that satisfy the need in human beings 

to believe in a higher power. Reiss espoused 

the view that religion attracts followers 

because it satisfies all of the 16 basic 

desires that humans share. 

Based on extensive research in the 1990s by 

surveying thousands of people, his team 

identified 16 basic desires that we, as humans, 

all share: acceptance, curiosity, eating, 

family, honour, idealism, independence, 

order, physical activity, power, romance, 

saving, social contact, status, tranquility and 

vengeance. (This research is described in 

Reiss’s book “Who Am I? The 16 Basic Desires 

that Motivate our Action and Define 

Our Personalities”). According to Reiss, apart 

from having the same 16 goals , the key lies 

in how much we value each reason – this 

varies from one individual to the next. Without 

further going into the psychology of 

why people choose to follow and believe 

another human being’s words of conviction, 

who is able to emotionally sway not hundreds 

but thousands of independent minds 

at one given time, let us rather examine the 

personalities themselves, where one of the 


Described as “Nigeria’s 

biggest tourist attraction”, it is 

said that well over 2 million 

worshippers visit his SCOAN 

headquarters every year to 

attend services offered by his 

church. Statistics released by 

the Nigerian Immigration 

Service confirm that 6 out of 10 

tourists are SCOAN members. 

most prolific of prophets comes to mind. A 

man so revered by his flock that his country’s 

own government has had to request him not 

to relocate his headquarters, because of a 

looming economic loss if the steady influx of 

faith-based worshippers to the country were 

to come to a halt . It is said that 6 out of every 

10 tourists visiting Nigeria in West Africa are 

ardent followers of SCOAN – the Synagogue 

Church of All Nations, headquartered in the 

Ikotun-Egbe suburb of Lagos. 

From its beginning 30 years ago, the church 

has grown to be one of the most prolific and 

influential denominations – where there is a 

daily flow of visitors that come to the headquarter 

every day from all over the world, 

most from Africa in particular. TB Joshua as 

he is famously known – born Temitope Balogun 

Joshua , is the leader and founder of the 

Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) , 

in Lagos, Nigeria. 

With an ever-growing presence online, presence 

such as YouTube and Facebook, as well 

as broadcasting on its own television channel 

Emmanuel TV, the innovative pastor has taken 

religious business to an extremely profitable 

level. Described as “Nigeria’s biggest tourist 

attraction”, it is said that well over 2 million 

worshippers visit his SCOAN headquarters 

every year to attend services offered by his 

church. 

Statistics released by the Nigerian Immigration 

Service confirm that 6 out of 10 tourists 

are SCOAN members. The has led to speculation 

that TB Joshua’s organisation commands 

the top spot for the most visited 

religious destination in West Africa. Various 

airlines have also got on board, so to speak, 

and increased their flight routes to Lagos in 

order to capitalise on influx. According to his 

supporters, his church and his organisation, 

which include Emmanuel TV, are synonymous 

with acts of kindness such as charity, 

healing and humanitarian efforts across the 

world. 

YouTube’s most popular pastor, as some 

would have us believe, was awarded the Officer 

of the Order of the Federal Republic 

(OFR) by the Nigerian Government in 2008, 

and also been named as one of Africa’s 50 

most influential people by Pan-African magazines, 

The Africa Report and New African 

Magazine. No mean feat; yet, among all the 

religious fanfare, adulation and hullabaloo, 

much controversy surrounds TB Joshua. Not 

surprisingly, rival Pentacostal pastors in Nigeria 

have slammed TB Joshua for various reasons, 

from allegations to him being an 

occultist to being a fraud for claiming to instantly 

heal people that have a terminal illness. 

The biggest news that thrust TB Joshua into 

the limelight however, happened on 12 September 

2014. A multi-storey guesthouse belonging 

to the Synagogue Church of All 

Nations in Ikotun-Egbe, Lagos, literally imploded 

and literally crumbled to the ground 

– with SCOAN worshippers inside. 116 SCOAN 

tourists perished in the disaster and much 

controversy and international news coverage 

followed after this incident, ranging from 

poor Nigerian medical and emergency services, 

withholding of information about the accident, 

no movement in the legal arena about 

if and when prosecution will ever take place. 

Three Nigerian government agencies, (the 

Nigeria Building And Road Research Institute 

(NBBRI), the Council for the Regulation of Engineering 

in Nigeria (COREN) and the Building 

Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG) examined 

the collapsed building and concluded that 

the building had transgressed numerous 

structural engineering guidelines – it was a 

disaster waiting to happen. Since 2014, TB 

Joshua nor SCOAN have had any tangible 

legal charges processed against them, this 

within a quagmire of unsettled legal 

processes pursued by Nigerian authorities 

with SCOAN’s well-paid lawyers acting on 

behalf of the their famous client. 

Yet, if one were to believe Steven Reiss’ theory 

that all 16 reasons are catered for when it 

comes to why we as humans believe in a 

higher power – millions of SCOAN worshippers 

cannot be all misguided? Among the 

backstabbing, rumour mongering and behind 

the scenes intense religious political rivalry 

that Nigeria and its colourful pastor 

personalities offer, faith-based tourism commands 

a steady stream of visitors into West 

Africa’s most populated country. 

TB Joshua and his empire, which is built on 

the beliefs of millions of people using a Christian 

belief system, continues to grow and 

prosper. If anything, the 2014 tragedy has 

thrust SCOAN into the spotlight more than 

ever before, much to the chagrin and delight 

of his detractors and supporters alike. 

There is no doubt of how religious tourism 

affects a region. This is evident in the mushrooming 

of hotels and accommodation establishments 

that cater to the needs of 

worshippers. Havana Hotels, Pavilion Lodge, 

Paradise hotel, White Royal Hotel are just but 

a few among the hospitality industry that 

have developed in recent years not far from 

SCOAN’s headquarters in Lagos. Apart from 

the enormous revenue that the church is 

generating in taxes for the Nigerian Government, 

one can only hope that there is no link 

between the fact that there are no repercussions 

for SCOAN regarding the building collapse 

disaster, TB Joshua’s utterances of 

setting up shop in Israel - and the governments 

pleas for him to remain In Lagos, 

Nigeria. 


Marriott International 

REVEALS ROBUST EXPANSION PLANS ACROSS AFRICA 

marriott International 

recently 

announced 

rapid expansion 

plans across 

Africa. Strong 

demand for select-service 

brands and conversion opportunities 

are driving the momentum of 

growth for the company, amplified by five 

new hotel signings. The new signings will 

further consolidate Marriott International’s 

presence in Ghana, Kenya, Morocco and 

South Africa and mark the company’s entry 

into Mozambique. The signings put Marriott 

International on track to increase its portfolio 

by 50 percent with over 200 hotels and 

38,000 rooms by 2023, estimated to generate 

12,000 new job opportunities. Marriott 

International’s planned growth reinforces its 

commitment to Africa and underscores the 

substantial emphasis that countries across 

Africa are placing on the travel and tourism 

sector. The company estimates that the five 

new projects signed will drive investment of 

over $250 million by the property owners 

and will generate substantial economic activity. 

“Marriott International’s acquisition of 

Protea Hotels followed by the acquisition of 

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has 

given an impetus to our organic growth on 

the continent. Today, we are seeing strong 

owner interest in our brands, backed by our 

combined loyalty programme, the collective 

strength of our global platform and our 

highly-experienced, local teams,” said Alex 

Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, 

Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. 

“African economies have sustained unprecedented 

rates of growth, which have mainly 

been driven by a strong domestic demand, 

improved macroeconomic management 

and increased political stability. The continent 

is still under capacity as far as branded 

hotel supply is concerned, presenting us 


Tourism Updates 

with a fantastic opportunity to grow our 

brands and enhance our footprint,” he 

added. Currently, Marriott International is 

present in 21 countries on the African continent: 

Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, 

Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, 

Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, 

Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, 

Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia. The company 

is set to expand into new markets including 

Benin, Botswana, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, 

Mozambique and Senegal. 

Conversion Strategy Spurs Growth 

Marriott International continues to see increased 

interest from owners looking to 

maximise the value of their assets quickly, 

with many conversion opportunities across 

Africa. “The increasing demand for conversion 

deals from new and existing partners is 

a strong reflection of Marriott International’s 

powerful network, loyal customer base and 

commitment to deliver value for owners,” 

said Kyriakidis. 

“We've developed a conversion-friendly 

strategy, which allows us to deliver value to 

our partners through a flexible, cost-efficient 

process that yields almost immediate results. 

“That strategy gives our partners access to 

world-class reservation systems and our loyalty 

programme." Recent conversions to the 

company’s brands include Four Points by 

Sheraton Nairobi, Hurlingham, Four Points 

by Sheraton Arusha, The Arusha Hotel, Tanzania 

and the iconic Mena House, Cairo 

which joined the Marriott Hotels and Resorts 

global brand portfolio earlier this year. 

Amongst new conversion deals, Marriott International 

has signed the Marriott Marrakech 

Hotel in Morocco. With over 360 

rooms, the hotel is intended to be rebranded 

in 2020. 

Select-Service Brands in High Demand 

Marriott International’s select-service 

brands, including Four Points by Sheraton, 

Protea Hotels by Marriott and AC Hotels by 

Marriott, are experiencing unprecedented 

demand with vigorous expansion in both 

mature and emerging markets. 

Marriott International has signed two new 

hotels under the Protea Hotels by Marriott 

brand including Protea Hotel by Marriott 

Accra Kotoka Airport, Ghana and Protea 

Hotel by Marriott Nairobi, Kenya. Protea 

Hotel by Marriott Accra Kotoka Airport is 

planned to be a 200-room hotel strategically 

located in the prestigious airport residential 

area of Accra offering a restaurant, a 


As cities evolve and 

grow into 

flourishing urban 

centres, we will continue to see a lot 

of activity in this space. An 

international hotel brand can bring 

cachet to a project that positions it 

significantly above its peers. Our 

portfolio of diverse brands lends 

itself to grow in all markets, 

providing developers the flexibility 

and choice to identify the right 

brand for the right location. We 

believe this also provides an 

incredible opportunity to develop 

branded residences with our luxury 

brands.” 

lobby bar and lounge, small conference and 

meeting facilities, an air-crew lounge, a gym 

and a roof-top pool bar and lounge with uninterrupted 

views of the city. 

Protea Hotel by Marriott Nairobi will be located 

approximately 5 km from Jomo Kenyatta 

International Airport on Mombasa Road. 

Expected to open in 2021, the 250-room 

hotel will include a restaurant, a bar, a fitness 

centre, a pool and 600 square metres of 

meeting space. Earlier this year, Marriott International 

signed Protea Hotel by Marriott 

Pretoria Loftus Park, South Africa, which is intended 

to open later this year. 

The company also signed Four Points by 

Sheraton Nampula, Mozambique, which will 

be its first hotel in the country. The hotel, expected 

to open in 2023, is part of a mixeduse 

development consisting of a shopping 

centre, apartments, residential homes, a hospital, 

offices and the hotel. 

The 185-room property includes 100 hotel 

rooms and 85 extended stay units, food and 

beverage facilities, conferencing facilities, a 

fitness centre and a pool. Later this year, Marriott 

International will debut the AC by Marriott 

brand into Africa with the opening of the 

188-room AC by Marriott Cape Town, Waterfront, 

conveniently located just minutes away 

from the buzzing Victoria & Alfred Waterfront 

and just a 25-minute drive from Cape Town 

International Airport. 

The company has also signed its second AC 

by Marriott hotel in Africa, AC by Marriott 

Umhlanga Ridge, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. 

The 205-room hotel will be a part of a mixeduse 

development comprised of offices and 

high-end residential apartments and boasts 

dramatic views of the Indian Ocean. 

Intended to open in 2023, the hotel is within 

easy access from major highways and in 

close proximity to the King Shaka International 

Airport. The company expects to introduce 

some of its other well-known 

select-service brands like Aloft Hotels, Element, 

Courtyard by Marriott and Residence 

Inn by Marriott with hotels already under development. 

It is also looking for opportunities 

to bring Fairfield by Marriott to the continent. 

Speaking on the increased interest in mixeduse 

development projects, Kyriakidis said, “As 

cities evolve and grow into flourishing urban 

centres,, we will continue to see a lot of activity 

in this space. An international hotel 

brand can bring cachet to a project that positions 

it significantly above its peers. Our portfolio 

of diverse brands lends itself to grow in 

all markets, providing developers the flexibility 

and choice to identify the right brand for the 

right location. We believe this also provides an 

incredible opportunity to develop branded 

residences with our luxury brands such as The 

Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis and W Hotels and we are 

actively pursuing this. Today, our brands account 

for nearly 60 percent of the global hospitality-branded 

residences market.” 

“Africa is a very compelling story for us. With 

our history on the continent, our footprint and 

strong pipeline, a diverse portfolio of brands 

and a robust management infrastructure, we 

believe that we enjoy the trust and the confidence 

of Africa’s hotel development community,” 

he added. Marriott International is 

enjoying a strong year of new hotel openings 

in Africa, which includes its first hotel in Mali - 

Sheraton Bamako - as well as the first Marriott 

Hotel in Accra. 

The company also debuted the Protea Hotel 

by Marriott brand in North Africa with the 

opening of Protea Hotel by Marriott Constantine. 


AFRICAN HEALTH MINISTERS 

commit to ending cholera outbreaks by 2030 

african Health Ministers 

have pledged to implement 

key strategies 

for ending cholera outbreaks 

in the African 

region by 2030. Fortyseven 

African countries 

adopted the Regional Framework for 

the Implementation of the Global Strategy 

for Cholera Prevention and Control at the 

68th session of the World Health Organization’s 

Regional Committee for Africa, which 

is taking place in Dakar, Senegal. 

“Cholera is a symbol of inequity,” said Dr 

Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director 

for Africa. “It’s an ancient disease, which 

has been eliminated in many parts of the 

world. Every death from cholera is preventable. 

We have the know-how and today, 

countries have shown that they have the will 

to do whatever it takes to end cholera outbreaks 

by 2030. “Cholera is a major global 

public health problem, but the burden and 

impact of the waterborne disease is greatest 

in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2017, more than 

Cholera is a major global public health problem, but 

the burden and impact of the waterborne disease is greatest 

in sub-Saharan Africa. 

150 000 cholera cases, including more than 

3 000 deaths, were reported in 17 African 

countries. This year, there has been a spike 

in cholera cases across Africa, with eight 

countries currently battling outbreaks. 

The region is vulnerable to cholera for a 

range of reasons. Ninety-two million people 

in Africa still drink water from unsafe 

sources. In rural areas, piped water is often 

unavailable and people practise open defecation. 

Humanitarian crises, climate change, 

rapid urbanisation and population growth 

are also increasing the risk of cholera 

spreading. 

In adopting the Regional Framework, countries 

pledged to reduce by 90 percent the 

magnitude of cholera outbreaks, particularly 

among vulnerable populations and in humanitarian 

crises. They agreed to take evidence-based 

actions, which include 

enhancing epidemiological and laboratory 

surveillance, mapping cholera hotspots, improving 

access to timely treatment, 

strengthening cross-border surveillance, 

promoting community engagement and 

the use of the Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) 

as well as increasing investments in clean 

water and sanitation for the most vulnerable 

communities. 

“WHO is working hand in hand with countries, 

providing key technical expertise and 

guidance,” said Dr Moeti. “The oral cholera 

vaccine has been shown to be highly effective 

and WHO has facilitated the vaccination 

of millions of people across Africa. We must 

continue to expand use of this new strategy. 

”From 2013 to 2017, WHO supported 65 

cholera vaccination campaigns and supplied 

more than 16 million doses of vaccines 

to 18 countries globally, including 11 in Africa. 

Many of the campaigns in Africa have taken 

place in the context of a humanitarian crisis 

or natural disaster. 

Many of the risk factors for cholera such as 

poor sanitation and rapid urbanisation lie 

outside of the health sector and so WHO is 

working with a broad coalition of partners 

to engage with all relevant sectors to build 

a comprehensive and sustainable response 

throughout the region. 


NAS and RwandAir partner 

To Provide Premier Lounge Services 

National Aviation Services (NAS), the fastest growing aviation services 

provider in the emerging markets, announced a joint venture agreement 

with Rwanda’s national flag carrier, RwandAir. 

the Joint Venture (JV) titled 

NAS RwandAir Limited, will be 

the exclusive lounge management 

company at Kigali 

International Airport (KIA). 

NASRwandAir is tasked with 

the construction and development 

of two new lounges 

at KIA, the RwandAir Dream 

Lounge dedicated to the airline’s premium 

passengers and an arrivals lounge. The JV 

will also take over management of the existing 

NAS Pearl Lounge in the departures 

area, which caters to other airline passengers 

as well. 

“The NASRwandAir JV is part of many initiatives 

RwandAir is putting in place to upgrade 

its business class service across its 

value chain, from dedicated areas at its 

town offices to fast track and quality services 

at airports, upgraded amenities and 

full-flat bed seats in our wide-bodied aircraft.” 

said Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO of 

RwandAir.” She added, “Business class passengers 

are extremely important to us and 

we have chosen to partner with NAS due to 

their track record in delivering results to premier 

customers.” The different lounges at 

KIA offer arriving and departing passengers 

an opportunity to relax, refresh and enjoy a 

meal before heading out of the airport or 

onwards to other destinations. For those 

wishing to catch up on work, the lounges 

are also fully equipped with Wi-Fi and business 

services. 

NASRwandAir will also extend meet and assist 

services to passengers at the airport, allowing 

for smoother passage through 

check-in and immigration processes. Hassan 

El Houry, Group CEO of NAS said, “By 

partnering with RwandAir, one of Africa’s 

fastest growing airline, we have reaffirmed 

our commitment to the aviation sector in 

Rwanda. Rwanda, as a country has demonstrated 

remarkable development and is an 

important geography for NAS in Africa. As 

we grow our footprint in the region, we 

continue to drive efforts to bring high quality 

international services into the country 

and further contribute to its growth.” 

From its hub at the heart of Africa at Kigali 

International Airport, RwandAir is reputed 

for its excellent on-time performance, customer 

service and safety, and has one of 

the youngest fleet on the African continent. 

RwandAir, an IATA member airline renewed 

its IOSA certification and has been ISAGO 

and EASA certified. 

With a fleet of twelve aircraft, including two 

wide-body Airbus A330 acquired last year, 

the airline currently reaches out to twentysix 

(26) destinations across East, Central, 

West and Southern Africa, the Middle East, 

Europe and Asia. Last year, RwandAir started 

Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO of RwandAir. 

flights from Kigali to Mumbai, Harare, London 

(Gatwick) and Brussels as well as Dakar 

from its new hub in Cotonou. RwandAir also 

introduced flights to Abidjan, Libreville and 

Brazzaville from its Cotonou hub. “In April 

2018 RwandAir started flights to Abuja in 

Nigeria, and Cape Town in South Africa 

joined our network effective 16th May, 2018. 

By the end of this year, RwandAir will spread 

its wings to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. Next 

year, Guangzhou, Tel Aviv, Bamako and 

Conakry will also be added to our expanding 

network. RwandAir also plans to enter 

the American market with flights to New 

York, in the USA, the same year.” 



Nature+Wildlife 

A RARE RHINO HORN 

HARVESTING EXPERIENCE 

Most people might not know that rhino horn can be harvested and 

regrows at about 20 centimetres, annually. The removal of rhino horn is generally 

associated with poaching that involves first killing the rhino and then mercilessly 

chopping off its horn, leaving an unsightly and bloody hole on its head. 

Words: EMMANUEL KORO 

when the world’s 

biggest rhino 

breeder, South 

Africa-based 

John Hume, invited 

some 

South African 

journalists to his rhino breeding ranch this 

week, to witness rhino harvesting, they all 

said it was their first time to witness live 

rhino horn harvesting. 

The rhino harvesting work started at 7am. 

After the rhino horn harvesters at Mr Hume’s 

ranch, the Buffalo Dream Ranch (BDR) had 

travelled about two kilometres, five white 

rhinos burst into sight surrounded by two 

rhino camp masters on horseback. 

Their job involved restricting the movement 

of the rhino targeted for horn-harvesting so 

that darting would be easy. Suddenly, the 

sound of darting gunshot rang in the air and 

a white syringe could be seen stuck on the 

bum of the targeted rhino. 

After darting the rhino with great accuracy, 

the BDR Wildlife Veterinarian, Dr Michelle 

Otto, ordered the car she was in to stop and 

so did the others behind it. It was time to 

wait for the rhino to be sedated. Once hit by 

the dart, the rhino kept running with the 

other rhinos. About three minutes later, the 

darted rhino became visibly sedated. It 

started moving very slowly as if it was stuck 

in the mud. At this stage, Dr Otto swung into 

action again. This time not to dart the rhino, 

but to help the sedated animal lie gently on 

its feet. A team of rhino rangers involved in 

the rhino harvesting work jumped off the 

back of the four bakkies (small trucks), followed 

by journalists whose cameras kept 

on rolling till the horn was harvested. 

The rhino horn harvesting process took 

three minutes only. The rhino did not feel 

any pain. There was not even any blood on 

the horn as Mr Riaan Calitz, the BDR Section 

Manager, harvested it, using a reciprocating 

saw, while one staff member was pouring 

water on the horn to prevent any heat from 

being generated by the saw. 

Then the BDR General Manager, Mr Johnny 

Hennop, measured the weight, length and 

circumference of the horn, while other staff 

members took blood samples for DNA 

records of the rhino that would be sent to 

the Pretoria-based South African Genetic 

Laboratory. Moments later, Mr Hennop 

packed the horn quickly and almost secretly. 

It seemed to be a reminder that we were 

witnessing a rare harvest of one of the 

world’s precious commodities under threat 

of extinction – the rhino horn. 

About a minute after the harvest, the rhino 

was back on its feet, broke into a trot and 

quickly reunited with its group. No pain, no 

blood and most importantly, no killing of the 

rhino. The harvest continued perfectly as it 

started until 18 rhinos had their horns harvested. 

“We can harvest rhino horn after 

every two to three years,” said John Hume. 

“Some of the rhinos have had their horns 

harvested up to five times.” One needs to 

apply to the Government for a permit before 

harvesting rhino horn. Two officers 

from South Africa’s Department of Environmental 

Affairs supervised the rhino harvesting 

process. Rhino horn harvesting is not 

very expensive if it is done without the use 

of a helicopter. 

The harvest at Mr Hume’s ranch involved the 

use of bakkies (small open trucks) at a total 

cost of up to US$320 per rhino. “We harvest 

about 600 horns annually and are currently 

enjoying a population growth rate of 200 

rhinos annually,” said Mr. Hume. However, 

Mr. Hume is a unique harvester. While most 

harvesters and particularly farmers, harvest 

knowing when and where exactly they are 

going to sell their produce, Mr. Hume harvests 

with the hope that one day he will be 

allowed to sell his rhino horn as permits to 

sell rhino horn “are the most difficult thing to 

be issued with by the Government.” “Now 

we prefer the new term as rhino harvesting 

not dehorning because it better portrays 


John Hume - the world's biggest Rhino breeder. 


Our white rhino project has an excellent breeding 

and protection rate. Over the past 10 years, we have had 

an overall 9.7percent population growth.” 

what we do – we save the rhinos’ lives and 

not the horn,” said Mr Hume. “To save the 

rhino, you have to harvest and sell its horn 

but I am currently a hopeful harvester of 

rhino horn, as I currently can’t trade in about 

7 000 kilogrammes of rhino horns that I have 

harvested so far. Unfortunately, hope does 

not pay for the staff salaries, rhino security, 

buy supplementary rhino feed and the 

other million expenses that I have to meet.” 

He said that it was taking long for him to get 

permits from the Government to sell his harvested 

rhino horns. 

In September 2017, Mr. Hume attracted local, 

regional and international media attention 

with his world-first legal online rhino horn 

auction. “The Government’s delays to issue 

permits to the buyers unfortunately resulted 

in them asking for their money back and the 

exercise did not bring the much anticipated 

success,” said Mr. Hume. Mr Hume said his 

“primary purpose is to save the rhino from 

extinction” and not only to “profit” from the 

sale of horn. Therefore, the income from the 

rhino horn sales is very important to his continuing 

rhino conservation efforts, as it 

would be used to cover security, veterinary 

bills, rhino supplementary feed, staff and 

range expansion costs. 

Meanwhile, Mr Hume is currently paying 

about US$160 rhino storage fees, excluding 

insurance. His annual rhino security system 

bill is about US$2 million, excluding the 

salaries of rangers and other staff. He recently 

purchased an over US$3 million security 

system through a loan that is not fully 

paid yet. However, Mr Hume draws a lot of 

comfort from this security system that can 

spot poachers or trespassers, while they are 

half-a-kilometre away from his rhino ranch 

fence boundary. 

“Last week, we spotted an intruder, while he 

was 500 metres away from the ranch, said 

Mr Hume. “If a poacher gets in and shoots a 

rhino, he would be arrested within minutes 

because the entire area is covered by radar 

security system.” Mr Hume has so far spent 

about a U$100 million lifetime fortune on 

rhino breeding. Therefore, he cannot wait till 

the Government issues him with permits to 

trade in his approximately 7 000 kilogrammes 

of stockpiled rhino horn. 

“At the same time we keep positive,” said Mr 

Hume who recently offered to share his 

white rhino breeding skills with Southern 

African rural communities so that they too 

can contribute to rhino conservation. “Our 

white rhino project has an excellent breeding 

and protection rate. 

“Over the past 10 years, we have had an 

overall 9.7 percent population growth. I believe 

that this project is a blue print for restocking 

our national wildlife reserves when 

they have done away with the poaching crisis 

and even to restock Africa’s rhino populations.” 

i ABOUT THE WRITER 

Emmanuel Koro is a Johannesburg-based international 

award-winning environmental journalist who has 

extensively covered conservation and development 

issues in African countries. 


WOMEN 

THE FUTURE OF AFRICAN CONSERVATION? 

Gender inclusivity is becoming increasingly relevant in 

today’s professional world and changing the dialogue around the role of 

women in the workforce. On the African continent — whether it is through 

farming, politics, economics, or conservation — new programmes geared 

towards empowering women are surfacing. 

w 

ith decades of 

experience 

working in 

various landscapes, 

the 

A f r i c a n 

Wildlife Foundation (AWF) recognises that 

conservation holds immense promise for 

the growth and empowerment of women. 

Not only do women joining conservation 

double the number of able people protecting 

biodiversity, but they also get the oppor- 

Words: EMMA SOLLITT 

tunity to capitalise on the unique relationship 

that they have with the natural environment. 

According to AWF’s Fiesta Warinwa, “African 

women are the natural custodians of the environment. 

“They pay the price when it comes to the social 

and economic effects of factors associated 

with environment and conservation.” 

Women are more directly affected by the 

degradation of the environment. Much of 

the livelihood of African women relies upon 

the stability of the environment around them 

and its decline has impacted women disproportionally 

to men. 

An Ecofeminist Approach to Conservation 

Ecofeminists believe that patriarchal societies 

exploit both nature and women according 

to the same male-centered 

framework. They examine the effect of gender 

categories to demonstrate the ways in 

which social norms exert unjust dominance 

over women and nature. As such, involving 

women in conservation — a resistance 


Many examples of the success and perseverance of African women in 

conservation provide hope for generations to come. From the 

Black Mamba majority-female anti-poaching group in South Africa, 

the Akashinga all-female anti-poaching group in Zimbabwe, and the 

female rangers in Virunga... 

against the ongoing destruction of natural 

resources — not only has the potential to 

empower them, but also to positively 

change their future. Many examples of the 

success and perseverance of African 

women in conservation provide hope for 

generations to come. 

From the Black Mamba majority-female antipoaching 

group in South Africa, the 

Akashinga all-female anti-poaching group in 

Zimbabwe, and the female rangers in 

Virunga, Africa’s women are showing the 

world that protecting natural resources provides 

opportunities to rise from social and financial 

oppression. There are also women 

like eco-activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner 

Wangari Maathai, who led the fight 

against deforestation in Kenya, and continues 

to inspire thousands more like her to 

plant more trees. It is strong individuals like 

her who are redefining how the world treats 

both women and the environment. 

What is Gender Mainstreaming? 

Around the world, women, men, girls, and 

boys have different relationships with the environment 

— roles and responsibilities differ 

as well as their needs. They also derive different 

benefits from their natural surroundings. 

With various opportunities and 

challenges, the participation of both men 

and women in decision-making is vital at 

multiple levels — from the household and 

community levels, all the way through national 

and international spheres. 

Evidence shows that enhancing women’s 

and girl’s empowerment and promoting 

gender equality can trigger transformative 

impacts across sectors, resulting in increased 

food supply, improved health and economic 

security, as well as innovation and efficiency 

in forestry, climate change mitigation, plus 

protected area and water management. 

Gender mainstreaming systematically integrates 

gender perspectives into all areas of 

the professional world, allowing various 

ideas to be equally implemented and acknowledged 

in decision-making processes. 

Institutionalised discrimination and cultural 

biases based on gender uphold some of the 

most pervasive inequalities in the world. Although 

the fight for gender equality often 

prioritises women and their engagement 

and empowerment, it does not necessarily 

mean that feminism represents the needs of 

women only. Nor does it mean that men 

cannot be active allies, advocates, and 

agents for change. Men must be continuously 

engaged to understand issues of discrimination, 

(in)equity, and (in)equality and 

play their part in the betterment of all. 

In urban and rural Africa, the recognition of 

the opinions of women is important — they 

must be included in decision-making 

processes, starting at home and extending 

into the workplace and the field. 

Empowering women early on at the community 

level will allow them to excel in the 

workplace with more confidence and skills. 

With the close relationship that women 

share with the environment, the African 

Wildlife Foundation recognises that it is especially 

important to achieve gender mainstreaming 

in all of its programmes and 

policies. 

In response to the Sustainable Development 

Goal 5 on gender equality, the AWF seeks to 

promote a more inclusive approach to advance 

equality across the continent. The 

comprehensive framework must improve 

the positions of all people, and particularly 

those of marginalised or disenfranchised 

groups. 

i 

ABOUT THE WRITER 

Emma Sollitt interned at African Wildlife 

Foundation, supporting Kathleen Fitzgerald, 

Vice President Programs East and Southern 

Africa. After spending one month at African 

Wildlife Foundation's headquarters in 

Nairobi, she continued her work from the 

Washington DC office. Emma is an undergraduate 

going into her third year at St. 

Lawrence University with a double major in 

History and Government and a minor in 

African Studies. She is originally from Jackson 

Hole, Wyoming. 


Back Seat 

Where Else in Cape Town 

IF NOT TABLE MOUNTAIN? 

Cape Town is one of the few cities in Africa (if not the world) 

that effortlessly blends together vibrancy, local culture, fine cuisine and dining, 

beaches, outdoor activities and a rich history. 

WORDS: LORRAINE MASEMOLA 

this spectacular city has 

breath-taking views that 

would leave you wishing 

for more. The fine mountains 

are the most daring to 

see. As you get to Cape 

Town, you are able to see 

the flat-top of Table Mountain. 

During your time in the city, be sure not to 

miss the most prestigious fine architectural 

lions head on the mountain, which is rarest 

and amazing to find. This city is most definitely 

worth the experience. There are lots 

of activities to do here. When hiking, be 

sure to carry a warm jersey, and wear comfortable 

closed shoes, running shoes. I 

would recommend your trail running 

shoes. It turns to be windy on top of Table 

Mountain, so I would strongly recommend 

you bring a warm jersey and a bottle of 

something to drink. 

As you reach the top, you are able to see 

the whole city from Table Mountain and 

the city stretches right around the foot of 

the mountain in all directions. Going up by 

cable car may be an ideal option, but 

could involve a long wait in prime tourist 

season. 

Once you have reached the top of Table 

Mountain take a moment to just see the incredible 

Signal Hill, Devils Peak, and Lion’s 

Head and all the way to Robben Island and 

out. Including the largest informal settlement 

called Khayelitsha. Cape Town is one 

of the most beautiful cities. It has too many 

tourist attractions that make you want to 

just spend the whole day wishing it never 

ends. Head for the V&A Waterfront to 

catch the red sightseeing bus; the golf 

course, the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, 

Boomslang Walkway, which makes 

its way to the arboretum canopy, company’s 

garden which has the library. 

In the parks on the south you find SA planetarium 

and museum. Just a few steps 

away you’ll see the National Gallery. A few 

blocks away is the District Six. For your history 

knowledge The Waterfront is also the 

gateway to the famous prison on the 

Robben Island. 

The place is a small island away from the 

big city, where Mandela was locked up for 

almost 18 years of his life during the 

apartheid era. If you find yourself in Cape 

Town just for a weekend of alone time or 

family time, I would most definitely recommend 

Table Mountain. This place offers so 

much and at an affordable price. Things 

you can do here are very interesting; catch 

a cable car, grab a bite on the top of the 

mountain, enjoy the view, retail therapy, 

Wi-Fi lounge, go hiking, watch the sunset. 

There are simply so many things to do 

even in limited time. Seeing it all at night is 

the most amazing feeling ever. Want to 

take a stroll just to stretch your legs but also 

enjoy the place be free to walk on the Milnerton 

beach. The Eastern side of your 

Cape Peninsula you’ll be sure to find the 

slightly warmer sea by the False Bay. --Bokaap 

would most probably be your most 

calm sensational feeling with its different 

vibrant multicolour apartments. Being on 

the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront you’re 

most likely to see the Two Oceans Aquarium 

and Indian oceans. 

A little further South, you will encounter the 

most expensive houses and hotels such as 

your V&A Waterfront beach hotel. Camps 

Bay beach will leave you more dazzling 

with over 20 restaurants and cafes. Most 

visitors take the leisurely approach and 

catch the cable car straight to the top of 

this Natural Wonder of the World, but consider 

hiring a mountain guide and setting 

out to climb Table Mountain on foot. With 

a huge network of hiking trails, unique fynbos 

vegetation, secret forests, dams, waterfalls, 

isolated valleys and phenomenal 

views to discover, a day spent climbing 

Table Mountain is sure to be a highlight of 

your Cape Town holiday. 

Besides Table Mountain experience, you 

have guest house, hotels, bed and breakfast 

accommodation to suit your every 

need. I had the best choice of moving in 

the guest house, which was closer to the 

Table Mountain, it has the magnificent view 

from the Alta Bay Guesthouse which, if you 

are looking for free Wi-Fi, quiet time, spectacular 

view, comforts, value for money 

then I suggest look no further than this 

awesome “home” called Alta Bay. You 

won’t be missing out on anything. The famous 

late Nelson Mandela once said that 

“wherever you are in Cape Town, Table 

Mountain is there”

Nomad Africa Edition 13

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