South Africa Part II – Cape Town

May 26-27, 2024

$1= 18.4 Rand

Once we finally docked in Cape Town (11AM arrival), we disembarked and met with our guide for the next two days – Tim! Tim is the friend of a friend who had stayed at Liam and Alan’s places in Dorchester and Calpe, so developed a two day tour for friends. With the short first day – we concentrated on wineries.

Day 2 – with an early start, we explored more of the regular tourist sights and overlooks (but of course – dropped in for a little wine before returning to the ship).

History lesson

As mentioned in the prior blog, South Africa has been inhabited by humans since humans came to be, with one group displacing the previous. The early San people fell to the Khoikhoi, who herded cattle and planted seasonal crops, in turn, they fell to the Bantu and eventually the Zulu and other tribes ruled the region until the arrival of the Portuguese in 1488. Initially named “The Cape of Storms” – the Portuguese King did not like the name and changed it to the Cape of Good Hope. The Dutch were the first to start a settlement – creating nearby Cape Town as a place where sailors for the Dutch East India company could relax and restock their ships while en route between Europe and India. The Dutch continued to immigrate to the region, Dutch farmers – Boerem – shortened to Boers- claimed land further and further into the interior. As in much of Asia and Africa, the British saw the advantage of the land and eventually took it in 1814. The Boers moved further North and East to avoid British rule, and defeated the British in the first Boer War in 1880-81. The discovery of gold and diamonds deep into Boer territory brought the British in force, bringing all of South Africa under British rule in 1910.

The united South Africa became an independent nation in 1934, and immediately started a system of apartheid with four designated classes – White, Black, Indian and “Coloured”. Blacks who worked on farms or in mines needed a pass from their boss to leave an area, and forced to work for much lower wages than their counterparts. A series of uprisings in the 1970’s and the South African governments brutal response brought condemnation on the government from other countries – banning South Africa’s participation in the United Nations and the Olympics. Tighter and tighter International sanctions stressed the government and stymied profits, eventually convincing the white populace to vote in a new governmental leaders with a focus on dismantling apartheid. President F.W. deKlerk, elected in 1989, freed activist Nelson Mandela in 1992. In 1994, a new constitution brought in a new government where all had the right to vote – and Mandela was elected the first president under this new constitution.

Unfortunately, all is not rosy and Bishop Desmund Tutu’s vision of the Rainbow Government has not been fulfilled, as corruption and the economic inequality that pervades the country’s economy continues to limit the education and upward mobility of minorities. Currently, there is an unemployment rate of 33% (though may be slightly lower due to an often “gig” economy of many people), and one of the highest murder rates in the world (45/100,000 – the US is 6/100,000). Disillusioned, recent elections have unseated the ANC – the party of Nelson Mandela- from its hold on power. South Africa has an immense reserve of resources, but is floundering in trying to improve the lives of its people. But hopefully, new leadership can bring about the needed change.