INTO THE HEART OF AFRICA

After a 15-hour nonstop flight from New York over the Atlantic, African coast, Namibia and Botswana we landed at Johannesburg (“Joburg” in native-speak) Oliver Tambo International airport last September. Surprisingly, no form filling was required by immigration.

We stayed in Sandton, a Johannesburg suburb. The Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton offers exclusive shops, boutiques and fine dining. It hosts a six metre, 2.5 ton bronze statue of Nelson Mandela. Johannesburg is South Africa's business centre. The 284m-long Nelson Mandela Bridge that connects two business areas is worth a look.

Three cheetahs pondering their next move.

Joburg's Apartheid Museum was educational. In pictures and news reels it documents the struggle of anti-apartheid heroes like Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo and Govan Mbeki. Clips of Black Consciousness leader Steven Biko speaking were moving. It was nauseating to watch the tapes of the Justice Minister lie through his teeth after murdering Biko in 1977. Biko's assassination prompted President Carter to call for one man one vote in South Africa. Biko's persecution is portrayed in Richard Attenborough film, “Cry Freedom” (1987), starring Denzel Washington as Biko.

One room in the apartheid museum is dedicated to Ahmed Kathrada, the youngest political prisoner at Robben Island with Mandela. Kathrada is an anti-apartheid hero in South Africa, and probably why South Africa is so Muslim-friendly. I learned that the Afrikaners also suffered persecution. Once they were herded into a concentration camp by the British.

The black township of Soweto, which spearheaded anti-apartheid movement, and the nation's capital Pretoria, which is the preferred city of residence for many whites, adjoin Joburg. We utilized the taxi service “Uber,” which was cheaper and quicker to hail than a cab.

Surrounded by lions.

From Joburg we flew to Skukuza, located in the Kruger National Park. Skukuza is an award-winning, eco-friendly airport that meshes with its surroundings. After a two-hour drive through the park, we reached our game lodge.
Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa, covering 7,600 miles in northeastern South Africa, and extending into Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

Located near a watering hole, our lodge was part of the forest, with no fences barring animal entry or exit. Two 3.5-hour safaris were run by our lodge daily: from 6 to 9:30 A.M., and 3 to 6:30 P.M. The vehicle used is an all terrain land rover with high seats and huge tires. Besides the driver who carried a rifle, a tracker was perched atop a high seat in front, to look for animal tracks and listen for animal sounds.

A rhino blocking our way.

The “Big Five” at Kruger are: rhinoceros, buffalos, elephants, leopards and lions. We saw all five and lots more: cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles and numerous impalas.

Ten minutes into our first safari, we followed a leopard walking leisurely. It did not seem to mind. Suddenly, the tracker stopped the vehicle after seeing fresh lion tracks. He and the driver went looking for the lions, taking the rifle with them. I was thinking that if the lions realised we were defenseless, they would have made a meal…never mind!

The driver and the tracker returned all excited, and drove us fast to where the lions were. We were instructed not to talk or make sudden moves. Suddenly, we found ourselves surrounded by fourteen lions! Our driver knew how to approach them. Humans are not lions' natural prey; therefore, as long as they don't feel threatened, they tolerate humans.

As our younger son lowered the telescopic lens of his camera to take a ground level shot, I saw the mother lion watch him sternly! We communed with the lions for 15 minutes. On our way back, we met the same leopard, with mouthful of blood-dripping impala meat for his dinner! The forest looks so peaceful. Actually, it is very violent. All night we heard the piercing cry of the ferocious hyenas.

A leopard walking away.

On one safari we met three cheetahs, the fastest animal on earth. We saw zebras crossing in front of us, a rhino blocking our way, hippos bathing in ponds and giraffes munching on foliage oblivious of us. Nothing scared me more than the elephants. I had no idea elephants could be that huge. Just a nudge and our vehicle would have toppled over!

The New York Times calls Cape Town the “city to visit.” We drove around Cape of Good Hope, visited the world famous Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, and ate at some of the finest restaurants on the waterfront. The athletically-inclined scales the Table Mountain in about 3 hours. Our two marathoner sons did so in just over an hour. I too wanted to climb, but my wife, who is much more intelligent I am, reminded me that I suffer from vertigo; so we took the scenic route - by cable car.

The highlight of our visit was Robben Island, seven miles off Cape Town. Our first stop at Robben Island was a Muslim shrine, where a Shaikh was buried in the 17th century. Then we visited the limestone quarry, where the prisoners were made to work without protective equipment. (“Goggles are not a part of the prisoner's equipment,” they were told.) Finally, we visited the actual cells where Mandela, Walter Sisulu and Ahmed Kathrada were imprisoned. Two prisoner menus were on display: one for blacks (no sugar), another for Indians/coloreds. Whites were imprisoned in whites-only prisons.

Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe was a disappointment. Although a mile long, the fall is not as spectacular as the Niagara Falls. The barricades are flimsy and the entry fee is $30. The place is extremely expensive. We stayed at a lodge by the Zambezi River, which is crocodile-infested.

Our safari land rover.

Our last stop, Durban, is South Africa's largest port, and the city with most Indians outside India. South African Indians are generally from Gujarat. Many streets are named after Mahatma Gandhi in Durban, where he honed his political skills. South Africa also has a large Indonesian population because Indonesia was a Dutch colony, and the Afrikaners are of Dutch origin.

The hub of Durban is the “Golden Mile” (actually three miles) along the Indian Ocean. People--including many women in hijab--bike, exercise and walk along the beach. We also visited Victoria Market, which hosts an Indian bazaar. There we ate “Bunny Chow,” a local specialty (curry in a bowl of bread). All KFC and McDonalds in South Africa are halal, as are meats served in most restaurants.

South African whites complain about crime and corruption in black-ruled South Africa, and lament the passing of Mandela, who they say, should have been a two-term President and lived longer. But, many whites are returning to South Africa. Indians complain that blacks are getting all the good jobs. Yet, both Indians and Muslims are happy to live in South Africa.

South Africa is Africa's future. The “born frees” (those born in post-apartheid South Africa) are racially tolerant and forward-looking. It is a beautiful country, richly endowed, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual (eleven official languages) and the people are extremely friendly and hospitable. South Africa is well worth a visit.

The writer is a Rhodes Scholar.