Oh how time flies! Thirty years ago today I was on a Swiss Air flight that originated in Zurich with a stopover in Geneva before beginning the long ride south to Nairobi and my destination Johannesburg. I had gone with great fear to the South African consulate in Berne, Switzerland to apply for my visa. I was surprised when a young Afrikaans woman gave me a pleasant interview and quickly approved my visa.
I was on "the red eye" flying at night from Switzerland to darkest and most mysterious Africa. We landed early in the morning in Nairobi, Kenya. We were not allowed to get off the plane. I did get hold of the local Nairobi newspaper for the day. I studied it with great interest. What sticks in my mind was a story about a couple of European residents murdered by Africans. We got airborne again. We began our descent into Johannesburg a little after eleven in the morning. I looked down at a city with nice suburbs and swimming pools all around. It looked like the American city of Denver. I was sitting next to an American man named Jerry Walker from Miami, Florida. He owned a US/South Africa trading company. I'm sure that he was actively involved in "sanctions busting." I'm sure he made a good tax- free income doing it. Jerry was right behind me as I fronted up at passport control. A large Afrikaans man in a white uniform was there inspecting passports and visas. He noted that I did not have a return ticket out of South Africa. He demanded that I buy a ticket out of South Africa. I was short of funds and there was no way that I could do it. Jerry pulled me over to the side and got all of my airline ticket stubs together. He showed the immigration officer the pile of papers and assured him they were MCO's with enough value to buy a return ticket. He told him that I needed to go to an airline office and spend several hours getting this administrative matter worked out. Grudgingly the immigration officer "bought" Jerry's story. He stamped my passport and I was admitted to the Republic of South Africa.
My knees were still shaking and I was most grateful to Jerry Walker. He gave me $150 US pocket money. We went to baggage claim. I had come with several bags and one suitcase was missing. I was assured that it would be recovered in a few days. I took the remainder of the luggage and walked outside. It was a cool fall day with a bright sun in the sky. I had expected to see elephants, African porters and heavily-armed men like a Rama of The Jungle movie. I was surprised to see a modern city like any in Europe and the US. I had come from living some years in the military dictatorships of Latin America. I did not sense the sadness and fear I had experienced in places like Argentina.
A shuttle for the Holiday Inn came by and stopped near me. I had no hotel reservations. I flagged it down and caught a ride to the hotel. I was surprised to find myself in a room soon after arriving. Like almost any one after a long flight, I organized my things and took a shower. I rested for a while. I reflected on where I was and what an accomplishment it was to be here.
In the evening I went down to the hotel dining room. It was named The Confederate room and had a decor from the American South. I found this ironic in a state reviled in most of the world for Apartheid would have a dining room with a strong reference to the American South. I met a great couple from Canada named Graham and Sue Harris. They lived out in Benoni. We had dinner and hit it off fabulously. I was invited to their home for dinner a couple of days later.
My readers in that time long ago one dollar equaled one rand. A good bottle of Nederberg wine was $1.00 US or R1. Gold was selling for $850 US per ounce (It would be $2,000 US per ounce today). Money flowed through the streets. Jobs were plentiful. In those days before AIDS, the social life was wild, If a man took a woman out on a date and did not try to take her to bed on the first date, his sexual orientation was questioned. There was a party every night. The attitude was: "Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we may die." South Africans at that time deeply feared the old Soviet Union. They were sure that the Soviets were planning to invade South Africa to seize its mineral wealth and its strategic sea lanes. People were sure that the US and Europe would not risk World War III to defend South Africa against this invasion. There was a feeling that it was just a matter of time until the Soviets over ran South Africa and put Communism in control of all of Sub Saharan Africa.
During my five months in Johannesburg in 1981, I found wonderful and friendly people with incredible energy and determination. I have never had so much fun in my life!!! I'm so relieved that South Africa had a good transition to democracy and is the great nation it is today. Africa always has a special place in my heart and always will.
I would like to say a special thanks to Barbara Broadhurst ,her late mother Elsie, and Paul Tingley who were so wonderful to me during my five month stay iun South Africa in 1981.
No comments:
Post a Comment