"And we are scatterlings of AfricaBoth you and IWe're on the road to PhelamangaBeneath a copper skyAnd we are scatterlings of AfricaOn a journey to the stars
Far below we leave foreverDreams of what we wereHawu beke Mama-ye! Mama-ye!
In the beginningBeneath the copper sky
Ancient bonesIn the dust of Olduvai
Who made us, here, and why, Remember!"Johnny Clegg
I returned to South Africa a couple of weeks ago for a short holiday together with Mrs M (aka she who has everything and wants for nothing). I was born in South Africa and notwthstanding having lived there for 14 years I have never really thought of myself as a South African although I suppose I am part of the wide ranging South African diaspora and, if truth be told, had always wanted to return at least one last time.
I had last flown out of Jan Smuts international airport after a fleeting family visit in the late 1970’s. The airport had been named after a celebrated South African Boer War commander and subsequent international statesman, he being the only person to sign the peace treaties ending both the First and Second World Wars.
After the release of Nelson Mandela and the dismantling of apartheid, the African National Congress (ANC) government had renamed the airport as Johannesburg International Airport
This was all rather ironic since we flew back into Oliver Tambo international airport. He of course was an anti-apartheid politician and a central figure in the ANC having formed the ANC Youth League along with Mandela and Walter Sisulu.
That name change apart the airport has changed beyond recognition and certainly beyond my fading memory. It is now a bright, modern 21st Century transport hub having been redeveloped, at least in part, for the 2010 Football World Cup.
But of course the point of my latest visit was not that of a ‘plane spotter’ revisiting old haunts. We, along with the newly-wed Schumanns (for whom this trip was our wedding gift to them), were off to see big game.
There were along the way numerous renditions of ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ which of course, while highly entertaining, is completely inaccurate. Lions are neither jungle animals nor do they sleep at night.
I did however remember the interesting story of Solomon Linda who wrote the song "Mbube" which later became the popular international music success in The Lion King. He died in straightened circumstances without having benefited financially from this success which raised interesting questions of copyright in respect of traditional and folk songs and which eventually led to sucessful proceedings based in part on the Imperial Copyright Act 1911 resulting in a financial settlement for his heirs.
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| Panthera leo in flagrante delicto South Luangwa 2010 |
I did however remember the interesting story of Solomon Linda who wrote the song "Mbube" which later became the popular international music success in The Lion King. He died in straightened circumstances without having benefited financially from this success which raised interesting questions of copyright in respect of traditional and folk songs and which eventually led to sucessful proceedings based in part on the Imperial Copyright Act 1911 resulting in a financial settlement for his heirs.
But I digress.
We immediately flew out of Johannesburg heading northwest towards the Botswana
One thing that has not changed in South Africa is the warm and hospitable welcome of its peoples. We were not let down. The staff at Madikwe River Lodge were absolutely wonderful. Another is its love of its wildlife heritage and its superb conservation efforts. Its national parks and game reserves are absolutely fantastic and we were treated by our Ranger, Takura, to magnificent encounters as the photographs below demonstrate.
Indeed, we were also fortunate to see African wild dogs - a first for me.
But animals do beastly things to one another. With thanks to Rob Schumann for these two particular photographs and the leopard above.
One thing that has not changed in South Africa is the warm and hospitable welcome of its peoples. We were not let down. The staff at Madikwe River Lodge were absolutely wonderful. Another is its love of its wildlife heritage and its superb conservation efforts. Its national parks and game reserves are absolutely fantastic and we were treated by our Ranger, Takura, to magnificent encounters as the photographs below demonstrate.
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| Panthera leo Madikwe 2013 |
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| Loxodonta africana Madikwe 2013 |
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| Ceratotherium simum Madikwe 2013 |
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| Syncerus caffer Madikwe 2013 |
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| Panthera pardus Madikwe 2013 |
Indeed, we were also fortunate to see African wild dogs - a first for me.
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| Lycaon pictus Madikwe 2013 |
But animals do beastly things to one another. With thanks to Rob Schumann for these two particular photographs and the leopard above.
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| Breakfast Madikwe 2013 |
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| Time for bed Madikwe 2013 |
Indeed, I was particularly fortunate to survive a very close encounter in our chalet with a 'young' red spitting cobra who felt the need to join me as I enjoyed an afternoon nap. Contrary to popular belief snakes are not slimy and indeed are both dry and rather warm as I soon discovered. Needless to say we were both rather startled when we finally established just who we were sleeping with! Luckily we both survived to tell the tale.
But as the apex predator, man is at the same time capable of unbelievable cruelty and wanton destruction in respect of that cherished and protected wildlife. The callous butchery associated with the poaching of Rhino horn and Elephant tusk is barbaric and beyond belief. All for a thoroughly discredited 'medicinal' benefit or outdated ornamental vanity.
The figures are mindboggling. 203 Rhino have been killed this year in South Africa alone!
But as the apex predator, man is at the same time capable of unbelievable cruelty and wanton destruction in respect of that cherished and protected wildlife. The callous butchery associated with the poaching of Rhino horn and Elephant tusk is barbaric and beyond belief. All for a thoroughly discredited 'medicinal' benefit or outdated ornamental vanity.
The figures are mindboggling. 203 Rhino have been killed this year in South Africa alone!
And as for elephant, it is estimated that there are only between 470,000 and 690,000 surviving in 37 countries across the whole sub-Saharan region of Africa.
I certainly do not profess to have all or indeed any of the answers. There is a legitimate debate to be had regarding the best way for wildlife to be conserved and managed whether by relocation, culling and yes, even by strictly regulated licenced hunting although, for my part, I really would prefer not to see healthy animals killed merely for an outdated notion of 'sport'.
But what I do know is that we have to change our own mindset and those in China, Vietnam and all those other far eastern countries which fuel the sensless slaughter to cut off the demand for Rhino horn and Elephant tusk. If we do not we will pretty soon no longer be able to view these magnificent animals in a wild setting (albeit in national parks, reserves and private game parks) and that, at least from my perspective, would be a sad sad loss.
I certainly do not profess to have all or indeed any of the answers. There is a legitimate debate to be had regarding the best way for wildlife to be conserved and managed whether by relocation, culling and yes, even by strictly regulated licenced hunting although, for my part, I really would prefer not to see healthy animals killed merely for an outdated notion of 'sport'.
But what I do know is that we have to change our own mindset and those in China, Vietnam and all those other far eastern countries which fuel the sensless slaughter to cut off the demand for Rhino horn and Elephant tusk. If we do not we will pretty soon no longer be able to view these magnificent animals in a wild setting (albeit in national parks, reserves and private game parks) and that, at least from my perspective, would be a sad sad loss.
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