1-africa.htm

"South Africa"

As we were about to leave the aircraft in Johannesburg, after our flight from Australia,
a South African businessman
seated next to us said,
"Welcome to a third world country"

We were quite taken aback and even more concerned for the welfare of the country after spending a day with some retired folk. They were very pessimistic, having lived through all the changes over the past decades, it was hard for them to see a bright prosperous future for their grandchildren.

The ones who are not already living overseas.
The suburbs we saw as we drove with Maurice and Hilda looked just like home but Maurice made sure the car doors were securely locked
before stopping at every "Robot".
Short for robotic policemen or as we know them stop lights.
Robberies were becoming quite common with the serious
unemployment in the city.

Henry and Mary Stein had arranged a luncheon party at their comfortable home in a large retirement village, in what is considered a safe suburb.
The roomy houses were surrounded by lovely gardens and there was a
bowling green for recreation.

There was also a high brick wall around the complex topped with a three strand electric fence and an armed guard at the boom gate.
More doom and gloom about Johannesburg greeted us
when we arrived at the train.
Don't leave the station as this is a poorer less safe area.

Ironically that afternoon we went to Sun City a ninety minute drive away where

the only six star hotel
in the world
charges R2,000
per night
for room only.

Soweto and Pretoria were much better choices. Johannesburg is just a dirty and in places dangerous city. Most big cities are the same with tall buildings and we drove around the outskirts of the central business district anyway so can say
we saw Johannesburg.
Thankfully the younger people we associated with for the rest of our stay in the country were full of hope and working hard to spread the message that South Africa was on the way back to resuming it's rightful place in the world.
How ever there is one proviso, Nelson Mandela and his chosen successor must continue in power. Should they loose control of the government white South Africans would expect bloodshed between the rival black South African factions.


	Soweto and Pretoria were much better choices. Johannesburg is just a dirty and in places dangerous city. Most big cities are the same with tall buildings and we drove around the outskirts of the central business district anyway so can say we saw Johannesburg. Thankfully the younger people we associated with for the rest of our stay in the country were full of hope and working hard to spread the message that South Africa was on the way back to resuming it's rightful place in the world. How ever there is one proviso, Nelson Mandela and his chosen successor must continue in power. Should they loose control of the government white South Africans would expect bloodshed between the rival black South African factions.

Pretoria

Victoria Falls // Pretoria // Swaziland // Zululand // Durban //
Kimberley // Worcester // Oudtshoorn // Wineland // Capetown

Shongololo Safari Train