Tour of South Africa 53 years earlier

Tour dates: August/September 1960
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Working in South Africa

Tom and I worked for a month at African Explosives, Modderfontein
 
Here a kind work colleague took us out for a drive at a weekend.

Later we worked for a month at the
Chamber of Mines Research Laboratory Johannesburg
 
Here is central Jo'burg on a Sunday

This photo might be from the laboratory window,
but I am not sure.


The Mine Dances

At the weekends there were "Mine Dances" organised
 
Miners competed to win the top prize

Some were spectacular
 
Some showed real talent!

All were good


Visiting Pretoria

We were able to hire a motor cycle from a colleague.
 
This meant we could travel.

This is the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria
 
 


Travelling from Johannesburg

One of our outings was to Magoebaskloof
 
 

I think all these were taken there
 
 

These, I think, were taken between Pretoria and Jo'burg
 
 


Coligny

One weekend we were invited to Coligny as guests of the Mayor
 
He was keen to show how the Whites were helping the Bantu
e.g. This housing project

It was fascinating to see the work in progress
 
especially this improvised concrete mixer

Our host even arranged an unsupervised meeting with Chief Laban Sithole
 
He was not ungrateful of the project, but hated the Apartheid system which left all the Bantu as permanently second-class citizens


Starting our journey

After two months working we set off for a one month tour of the country
 
 

In 1960 there were hardly any surfaced roads once outside the bigger towns
 
 

Some roads were quite hard to detect!
 
 


Swaziland

I have pleasant memories of the people
 
 

And of their way of life
 
 


Zululand and The Charles Johnson Memorial Hospital

Tom had an introduction to Anthony and Maggie Barker
who ran a mission hospital at Nqutu

We spent a fascinating week with them
 
We saw the life of the hospital and even made ourselves useful in the operating theatre (holding paraffin lanterns aloft after the diesel generator failed)

We went with Anthony on a rural clinic
 
 

The patients were as fascinating as the clinic work
 
 

Near the clinic there were some Bushman rock paintings in very good condition
 
 

Sadly the area was very poor
 
It was overgrazed, had soil erosion and people were often really hungry

At the weekend we visited a local kraal
where we were invited to a beer drink by the local chief.
 
We were also allowed to photograph one of his wives in her best finery.


The Garden Route

The beautiful scenery of the SE coastal route has changed little today
 
 

However, the rivers had no bridges - just primitive ferries
 
By one of the ferries we met these young musicians


Oudtshoorn

They farm Ostriches here
 
They used to catch them and let you ride

End of my first ride
 
Second ride


Road to the coast

A glorious ride on the motor bike
 
I have been unable to find it on the modern map. I think they now have a sort of motorway higher up on the cliff.


The Cape

We visited a vinyard
 
I cannot remember anything about it!

Did visit Cape Point and the photo shows Cape of Good Hope
 
In my memory the visit was wetter and more foggy than the photo!


Karoo Desert

A long straight road
 
One of the few with a tarmac surface


Basutoland (Now Lesotho)

An attractive country
 
Still not changed much

The roads can still be described as "interesting"
 
 

There are still oxen working
 
 

The people still cut a fine figure
but not as striking as in 1960.

The roads finally wrecked the motor bike.
 
It happened on the main road into Maseru. In the folowing hour and a half, only three vehicles went past! Happily the third was an empty pickup heading back to Johannesburg. So ended our journey!


View Photo Set 1/4 | Set 2/4 | Set 3/4 | Set 4/4 | Maps | 1960 visit