South Africa Blog

“On the Journey of Remembrance (JOR) former freedom fighters take you back to a time when incidents as the Trojan Horse and Gugulethu Seven were common in South Africa. On our time together, we visit sites that are etched into the memories of the people who live on the Cape Flats.

You will see the Cape Flats through the eyes of those who lived this experience and survived it and see the realities of Cape Town as it is today. The excursion is an integration of the experience of former soldiers – who live in different townships across the Cape Flats – into a movement of speaking, listening, exchange and understanding. The excursions have opened up spaces for former freedom fighters to start the process of healing and reconstruction”

From http://www.sa-venues.com/no/travel_packages.htm.

Photograph: Excursion leader Lizo Ndzabela

 This is an enlightening experience for our foreign tourists and a great learning experience for us local South Africans too. Contact the DACPM (Direct Action Centre for Peace & Memory) for details on joining a tour or for additional info on +27 (0)21 448 – 5760.

Also see their web page at Direct Action Centre for Peace & Memory for more details about the DACPM and the Memory Excusions.

Welcome to the playground of the Zulu Kingdom! Durban, or eThekweni, is a city that enjoys year round good weather, temperate warm waters of the Indian Ocean, golden beaches and tropical vegetation. 

Durbs (as it is fondly called by the locals) has something to offer everyone.  If your ideal holiday is lying on the beach, then pick your spot of sand on any of the 6kms of beaches along the Golden Mile. If golf is your game, book a round at the world renowned golf course of the Durban Country Club. The city is sports crazy, and hosts various international contests, including test cricket at Sahara Kingsmead Stadium and Super 14 rugby matches at The ABSA Stadium. Don’t forget to shop!  Gateway Theatre of Shopping is located just outside Umhlanga.  The mall has a wide variety of shops, restaurants, theatres and an iMax cinema.  It should keep you entertained for hours.

Durban is an ideal base from which to explore the game reserves and the Drakensberg Mountains.  Both destinations are only a few hours drive away. Hluhluwe Game Reserve is a relatively short 3 hour drive up the North Coast.  Established in 1895, and set in the heartland of Zululand, it is the oldest reserve in Africa and boasts the ‘big five’. Or you can visit the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park. Set in the majestic mountain range, this World Heritage Site is also one of South Africa’s prime eco-tourist destinations. Take your hiking boots with you and enjoy the spectacular scenery as you walk the well laid out paths from the all the major camps. 

Visit Durban - you’ll be glad you did!
For Fun and Interesting Activities visit Things to Do in Durban
Find a place to stay at Durban Accommodation

What’s happening around the Country this weekend besides the Big Event at 9pm on Saturday 20th? You’ll want to stay close to a Television set to watch the Boks play in the Rugby World Cup 2007. There will be plenty of World Cup watching parties happening Country Wide, but what to do whilst waiting for it to start on Saturday?

If you are in Cape Town, head down to Muizenberg Beach and watch the International Kite Festival. Every year thousands of visitors (including international kite flying teams from around the world) gather here to witness spectacular show kites in all their glory, live entertainment, schools’ competitions and much more. Fun for the whole family and the kite’s should be spectacular to watch.

In the Eastern Cape there is the Annual Addo Rose & Garden Show. Unique to this Rose show, is the Variety Tent, where a minimum of 100 rose specimens are displayed and labelled for the serious rose lover (and all flower lovers!). Still on the subject of Roses, if you are in Bloemfontein visit the Bloemfontein Rose Show. Most of the events are held at the Mimosa Mall including the Champion Rose Competition, exhibitions of wide varieties of roses, and a bus tour to all the rose competition’s winning gardens. Oh, and a ”Miss Rosebud Competition” will also be held!

In Durbs, if you have the energy, ride the 45km or the 20km Asishove Mountain Bike event on the Saturday and then ride the 106km or the 40km great Family Fun ride on the Sunday. Giba Gorge is the new mountain bike park just outside Hillcrest where these exciting new events will be held.

 Go Bokke!!

Join Cape Town’s hottest fusion band, CODA, for a free show in Johannesburg this coming Friday.

CODA could well be from another Universe …Borrowing a house beat from Goldfish and an ubuntu (translation: black sound) from Freshly Ground, CODA is, quite simply, the hottest new act to hit the stage since the latter – OVERTONE 

CODA is just so hot right now …You simply cannot think about having a party without at least trying to sign them up for the evening’s entertainment … CODA is the city’s most in-demand band.- CAPE ARGUS. 

Date: Friday 12 October 2007
Time: 8pm
Venue: Lekgotla, Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton
Cost: Free

Related Links:
CODA Web Site
Johannesburg

Nelson Mandela will again host a star-studded concert in South Africa in December. Madiba will bring together the world’s greatest musical acts for the show which is scheduled to take place at Ellis Park Stadium in Jo-burg on World AIDS Day on 1 December 2007.

2007 marks the fifth concert Nelson Mandela has organized under his 46664 campaign (named after his prison number from the 27 years he spent in jail on Robben Island). The campaign raises awareness about HIV and AIDS.

“We are grateful that the City of Johannesburg has made it possible for 46664 to stage our first concert on World AIDS Day. Johannesburg has long asked for a concert to be held here and I am happy that we can now deliver to the people of Johannesburg. We look forward to being joined by thousands of citizens on that day”, said the Former South African President.

The Johannesburg concert is set to feature 35 world-famous artists and is expected to attract +/- 50,000 music fans. This will contribute substantially to the $3million already raised for AIDS awareness through the 46664 concerts. Mandela said, “The 46664 campaign has done great work in putting the global spotlight on the issue of HIV and AIDS. We will continue to use celebrities from the world of music, sports and entertainment to speak to the youth about the disease.”

The line-up for the December concert is expected to be announced on October 15, 2007 – Watch this space!

Gary Naidoo, star of ‘Let’s Mix It’ and ‘Ghoema’, is proud to present his brand new show ‘Footsteps to Freedom’ that will run at the Theatre @ The Pavilion (previously IMAX) from 13 December 2007 to 26 January 2008, Thursday to Saturday nights.

The show is a musical history lesson through the years of oppression into the new regime, our beloved democracy (or new South Africa). Starring alongside Gary is Kyle Petersen, Darren Petersen, Karl Herring, Byron Carr and Liandé Valentyn.

The show starts at 20:00 with tickets costing R95.00 per person. The show is preceded by a buffet dinner at Fascination Café, the restaurant at Theatre @ The Pavilion, starting at 18:00. A combined Dinner and Show ticket cost R180.00 per person.

Visit the Website at: Theatre at The Pavilion
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