AATTLLAANNTTAA TTRRIIBBUUNNEE:: TTHHEE MMAAGGAAZZIINNEE JUNE 2006 51

By Regina Lynch-HudsonPhotography by Courtland Bivens III

SEVENTEEN-AND-A-HALF HOURSafter departing Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the

South African Airways jet landed in Africa– long revered as the cradle of civilization.Eager and filled with wonder, forty-eightwell-heeled adventurers deplaned and setfoot on “their dream destination” a decadeafter the last vestiges of Apartheid’s dismantling (a new national constitutionwas adopted in May, 1996). Theentourage, organized by Atlanta Tribune:The Magazine, included corporate execu-tives, entrepreneurs and retirees fromAtlanta; Winston Salem; Chicago; and theWashington, D.C. and San Francisco Bayareas. Guided by Gene Harley, tour director of Chicago-based AdvantageInternational, LLC and the South AfricanTourism Board’s Judy Pillay, we were ledon an intellectual and spiritual journey into“the new South Africa.”

We were introduced to our fascinatinghomeland, more exotic and cosmopolitanthan any of us imagined, challenging ourpreconceptions. Our ten-day sojournoffered an intimate glimpse into an ever-changing land burgeoning with economicgrowth, yet still plagued with widely dis-parate lifestyles of poverty and luxury. Akaleidoscope of cultural diversity: the pop-ulation of South Africa is 75 percent black

(African) and 13 percent white (European),nine percent people of mixed ethnicitiesincluding white, Malay and black descent(called "Coloured") and three percentAsian (mostly Indian). South Africa has 11official languages, nine of which areindigenous — and many blacks speakEnglish. It’s a vast and vibrant nation intransition that is achieving peaceful inte-gration while facing its problems with hopeand possibility.

We began our three-city tour inJohannesburg, the largest South Africancity boasting a population of 10 million.Our first stop, the Michelangelo Hotel inSandton, Johannesburg, was bordered bythe posh Nelson Mandela Square. It is thecity’s busiest business center and a shop-per’s paradise. We marveled at formerPresident Mandela’s massive bronze stat-ue looming with symbolism and irony. Inthe more than 85 shops and galleriesthroughout the Square, a complex thatrivals Atlanta’s upscale Phipps Plaza,mannequins, retail displays and signageimbued ethnic flavor. Life in contemporaryAfrica was witnessed by the toffee,caramel and licorice colored bodiesadorned in designer labels. Yet, the vibrantheartbeat of Africa is most echoed in itsstreet vendors – peddling masks, textiles,sculptures, pottery and artifacts. The final

Doing Biz InSSoouutthhAAffrriiccaa

Soulful Sojourn to South Africa:A Unifying Adventure

The women of Motsoaledi squatter camp andother villages gracefully balance drums of waterand food on their heads.

Bern and Dan Murphy admire masks at one ofmany bustling markets where locals hawkedtheir wares.

A toddler at Motsoaledi squatter camp reachesout to Publisher Pat Lottier.

Travel columnist Regina Lynch-Hudson pets a cheetah at Moyo — one of Africa’s most exotic outdoor “tent” eateries, offering culturing performances, and an onsite petting village.

The vibrancy and vigor of South Africa isseen in the explosive color of its street vendors and performers.

two stops on the tour were Sun City andCape Town.

At Lesedi Cultural Village we gazedinto the ancient rituals of “Olde” Africa,experiencing the façade of traditional vil-lages and colorful traditions of the Zulu,Ndebele, Sotho, Pedi and Xhosa people.Immersed in the authenticity of a ruraltribal setting, we enjoyed rhythmic musicand dance followed by succulent cuisinefrom the continent. Meanwhile, when anoverzealous Zulu chief claimed AyannaCrockett Johnson as his third wife, hermother Delores L. Crockett yielded to thetemptation of accepting 25 cows as herdowry. “My real hesitation was thinking ofa reason to give Ayanna’s husband if Ireturned to America without her,”Crockett jokes.

In honoring the historic struggleagainst Apartheid we communed at theinfamous political prison on RobbenIsland. Painful histories unraveled beforeour eyes and engraved in the somberfaces of males in our group were implica-tions of similar societies as they eyedNelson Mandela’s cell. “The visit toRobben Island and, in particular, to thecell where Mandela was imprisoned, wasan eye-opening experience,” Attorney

Rodney Eason reflects. “I remember thenews reports during the 1980's and1990's about the struggles and sacrificesmade by blacks during the Apartheid erain South Africa,” he says. “But, to actual-ly visit the prison and to see the livingconditions and disparate treatment expe-rienced by blacks brought new meaningand understanding about the commit-ment necessary to defeat Apartheid.There is still a lot of work to be done tocorrect the ills of Apartheid, but theprogress to date is remarkable.”

Lighter moments prevailed at Back O’The Moon, a jazzy dine and dance venueowned by South Africa Tourism PresidentDr. Felicia Suttle, where we gorged our-selves on seafood, steaks, oxtail andostrich. Afterwards, we viewed “AfricanFootprints,” a theatrical stage productionthat tells the story of Africa in dance asscantily clad muscular performers burstonto the stage in gyrating cadencedmovement.

Yet, the merriment was tempered by ahumbling halt at Motsoaledi SquatterCamp in Soweto where many residentslive in tin shacks without running water,electricity or a toilet. Since the end ofApartheid in 1994, the government has

AATTLLAANNTTAA TTRRIIBBUUNNEE:: TTHHEE MMAAGGAAZZIINNEE JUNE 200652

""MMyy ppaarreennttss aarree ffrroomm NNiiggeerriiaa, I was born andraised in London and now I live in Atlanta. Mytrip to South Africa with Advantage Internationaland Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine was a trip ofa lifetime. Imagine, taking 50 friends on a tripand combining the best of the United Stateswith the best of Europe and Africa! Wow! Whata trip!!!”

–– KKaaffii MMaattiimmiilloojjuu

Back O’ The Moon, a jazzy dining and dance venue is owned by South Africa Tourism President, Dr. Felicia Suttle.

Atlanta Tribune’s corporate Samaritans such as(center) Belinda Stubblefield, Director of CustomerCare for Delta Air Lines handed out school suppliesto the deserving children of Protea Primary School.

Mealtimes offered innovative, contemporary cuisineof the continent and nonstop networking.

Lesedi Cultural Village offered a gaze into the"ancient rituals" of "Olde" Africa.

An entire day should be spent seeing the sights of the Cape Peninsula — a picturesque shoreline where penguins and seals are spotted.

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54 AATTLLAANNTTAA TTRRIIBBUUNNEE:: TTHHEE MMAAGGAAZZIINNEE JUNE 2006

built 1.1 million low-cost homes, shelteringmore than 5 million people. However, 7.5million South Africans still lack properhomes. In a compound of dirt paths andramshackled one-room huts, small, hungrychildren reached out their tiny hands to us.Mothers gracefully balanced drums ofwater and food on their heads while theirunblinking intensity displayed desolation,despair and a quiet dignity. Expressionsheld a temporary joy when the AtlantaTribune party rationed out parcels of foodthat was a prearranged donation ofAdvantage International.

Later, we visited Protea Primary School,where a sea of unforgettable childrendressed in red, black and white uniformsserenaded us in song. Their harmonic voic-es were filled with welcome and pride. Aswe handed out school supplies we learnedthat lunch, a luxury taken for granted inAmerican schools, is not served. Theschool is also plagued by a book shortage.Exiting the school, members of our social-ly responsible entourage lined up to makemonetary donations.

The trip also afforded us behind-the-scenes glimpses of the only neighborhoodin the world where two Nobel Peace Prizewinners, Nelson Mandela and DesmondTutu, once lived on the same street.

The full spectrum of South Africa isincomplete without safari. At BakubangLodge Game Reserve, we rode in open-airjeeps with a ranger in the late evening andagain before dawn with the goal of sightingthe big five: elephant, lion, leopard, buffaloand rhino. Initially, we were teased by sight-ings of warthogs and gazelles, then, an ele-phant emerged from behind the bush. Thepachyderm’s presence was as startling asthe moment when George Lottier was con-fronted by two monkeys outside his lodge.

Shuttles from Bakubang Lodge to thelandmark Sun City, deemed “Africa’s king-dom of pleasure,” unfolded a vast complexof opulent hotels, outdoor activities andglitzy discos, restaurants and boutiques ina tropical paradise setting. Golfers in ourgroup played the Gary Player Country Club

course where crocodiles guarded the waterhazard. Penny-pinchers among us becamehigh rollers in Sun City’s casino-resorts bygambling a South African rand that tradedat 6 per U.S. dollar.

Finally, we were whisked away to capti-vating Cape Town, a metropolis with a pop-ulation of 4.5 million that bears a remark-able resemblance to San Francisco. A daz-zling hub that’s shed Apartheid’s scars, itsdramatic location lies at the foot of TableMountain and on the shore of Table Baywhere two oceans meet. Courageouslyscaling the 3,500-foot mountain by cablecar we overlooked a stunning city, sur-rounded by beaches and quaint winemak-ing towns. Africa's most swank gem is itsstriking architecture, varied cuisine,bustling markets, cutting-edge galleriesand voguish shopping centers that rival theworld’s most chic cities.

Nellie Myers, Marilyn Johnson andLinda Eason indulged in retail therapy atthe Waterfront Cape Town’s shops thatboost the booming diamond industry withconversation-piece souvenirs. South Africais the third-largest diamond producer in theworld, a commercial and industrial centerwhere food processing, wine production,fishing, clothing, publishing and engineer-ing are also chief industries.

Though shrouded in modernism andurbanization, growing pains were evident.

The workaholics among us found our-selves feverishly searching for consistentlyspeedy Internet service to upload docu-ments back home. “Today, South Africa

““II wwoouulldd lliikkee ttoo tthhaannkk and applaud South AfricanTourism and Atlanta Tribune for making theSoulful Sojourn to South Africa a once in a life-time opportunity for me! It was beautiful, educa-tional and spiritually uplifting. It is a beautifulcountry that everyone should see!”

–– SSeennaa YYoouunngg

(l to r.) Publisher Pat Lottier; Travel Columnist ReginaLynch-Hudson; South Africa Tourism President Dr. FeliciaSuttle; South African Tourism: USA Judy Pillay; and,Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council ExecutiveDirector George Lottier convene in the media center of theCape Town International Jazz Festival.

Former president Mandela’s massive bronze statue— loomed with symbolism and irony at posh NelsonMandela Square — Jo-burg’s busiest business cen-ter, and a shopper’s paradise.

“Roughin’ it” on safari offered the ultimate SouthAfrican adventure.

Residents of Motsoaledi squatter camp were recipi-ents of much-needed food parcels — a prearrangeddonation of Advantage International, covered in travelers’ tour cost.

55AATTLLAANNTTAA TTRRIIBBUUNNEE:: TTHHEE MMAAGGAAZZIINNEE JUNE 2006

An overwhelming welcome by the children of Protea Primary School touched travel-ers — the school is in need of books and monies to fund school lunches.

56 AATTLLAANNTTAA TTRRIIBBUUNNEE:: TTHHEE MMAAGGAAZZIINNEE JUNE 2006

has a wireless penetration of two percent,in comparison to wireless penetration inthe state of Georgia at 65 percent ,” notedRon Frieson, president of GeorgiaOperations for BellSouth. “In speakingwith local business people in South Africa,broadband appears to be moving relatively slow in the residential market, asthe focus is clearly on business applica-tions. This would suggest that an oppor-tunity exists for increased investment inemerging technologies.”

Looking toward the future, MoeketsiMosola, chief executive officer of SouthAfrica Tourism, believes the idyllic climate,cultural diversity and reputation for deliv-ering value for money makes South Africaa world-class vacation, event and confer-ence destination. We wove ourselves inthe wonderful rainbow thread of 15,000daily attendees of the Cape TownInternational Jazz Festival, an annual two-day event featuring 40 International andAfrican acts. Film makers flock year-roundto South Africa for its spectacular back-drops and predictable weather. The WorldCup is set to arrive in 2010 and forecast-ed to yield an economic windfall worthabout $21.4 billion Rand (U.S. $3.1 billion)to the economy, generating an additional160,000 jobs.

A place of regained opportunity, SouthAfrican Tourism has invested substantialresearch toward development of tourismofferings, according to Mosola. The flow

of foreign tourists visiting South Africa hasmore than doubled since 1994, from lessthan 3 million to a record 6.7 million in2004 — with the United States ranking asthe second largest source of tourists frombeyond Africa, following the U.K. In 2002,tourism was the fourth largest and thefastest growing industry in South Africa. Itcontributed 8.2 percent, or $10.3 billion ofSouth Africa's gross domestic product(GDP). A projected annual 12 percentgrowth rate has potential to create at least400,000 jobs by 2014.

By far the dominant economy on theAfrican continent, South Africa's economyaccounts for 40 percent of Sub-SaharanAfrica's total GDP. Black EconomicEmpowerment (BEE), an official govern-ment program, is geared toward enablingblack entrepreneurs of South Africa toparticipate in the country's economicactivity.

Though South Africa's crime rate andHIV/AIDS pandemic are challenges toovercome in revitalizing its image, Mosolastressed that the area’s dynamism, vitalityand intrigue stand unrivaled. We were sold– drawn to South Africa’s unparalleledscenic grandeur, the richness of its cul-ture, the perseverance of its people and tothe ever-present melody of the children ofProtea Primary School – a symphony thatwill forever sing to our souls.

Learn about South African Tourism at1.800.593.1318 or www.southafrica.net

““TThhee SSoouutthh AAffrriiccaa ttrriipp was an experience of alifetime. I enjoyed every moment. AfricanFootprints was great, but the visit to RobbenIsland was an unforgettable experience.”

–– VViiccttoorriiaa JJeennkkiinnss

Nathaniel Hornbuckle, Bill Smith, George Lottier, DanMurphy and Ron Frieson share a bottle of Imoya, afine brandy of South Africa.

With one of the world's largest dry-docks, Cape Town’s dock area is now a commercial and tourist waterfrontarea with museums, craft markets, and restaurants.

The five-star Michelangelo set in Sandton,Johannesburg’s exclusive central business districtwas an ideal locale to observe the entertainment and corporate capital of Africa.

At Lesedi Cultural Village an over-zealous Zulu chiefclaimed Ayanna Crockett Johnson as his third wife.

In more than 85 shops and galleries throughoutNelson Mandela Square — mannequins, retail displays and signage imbued ethnic flavor.

One of South Africa's most famous landmarks, Table Mountain rises above the city some 3,563 feet at its highest point.

58 AATTLLAANNTTAA TTRRIIBBUUNNEE:: TTHHEE MMAAGGAAZZIINNEE JUNE 2006

““WWhhiillee tthhee bbaassiicc wwiirreelliinnee aanndd wwiirreelleessss ccoommmmuu--nniiccaattiioonnss iinnffrraassttrruuccttuurreess ffoorr tthhee uurrbbaann aarreeaassaappppeeaarreedd ttoo bbee vveerryy ggoooodd,, the rural infrastruc-ture was virtually nonexistent. This is alarminggiven the fact, that the rural areas house manyAfricans that have migrated to South Africa insearch of jobs and a better life. Three majorcommunications company have adopted acommunity phone bank presence, whichallows the rural citizenry to have access to payphones without privacy. I would suspect that asmore permanent housing is constructed in therural areas, the penetration of wireless servicewill increase. In speaking with local businesspeople in South Africa, Broadband appears tobe moving relatively slow in the residential mar-ket as the focus is clearly on business applica-tions. This would suggest that an opportunityexists for increased investment in emergingtechnologies.

My general observation is that muchprogress has been made on the civil rights frontsince the days of Apartheid. There is muchoptimism, and rightly so, given the speed ofchange. There is still much to do, but the gov-ernment appears to understand the issues andis aggressively pursuing investments that willyield dividends for its citizens.”

–– RRoonn FFrriieessoonn,, PPrreessiiddeenntt ooff GGeeoorrggiiaa OOppeerraattiioonnss,, BBeellllSSoouutthh

““AAttllaannttaa TTrriibbuunnee''ss SSoojjoouurrnn ttoo AAffrriiccaa wwaass tthhee ttrriippooff aa lliiffeettiimmee ffoorr mmee. It was extremely well organ-ized and staffed (by Gene and Bonnie) andchock full of the best things to see and experi-ence in nine short days. The group just happened to also be a great configuration ofpeople. Everyone was on time for the tours andwe bonded almost immediately.

My daughter, Ayanna and I will alwaystreasure the memories. There were so manyhighlights; we both had to compose separatejournals and scrapbooks! The Zulu chief want-ed her as his third wife and I had to avoid thetemptation of accepting 25 cows as her dowry!My real motivation was I couldn't think of a rea-son to give her husband if I returned to Americawithout her.

I became ill due to a bacterial infection nearthe end of the trip and Bonnie was extraordi-narily kind, and caring. She took care of meand made sure a doctor made a hotel room callto get me well enough to travel back the nextday. Bonnie was truly exceptional in assuringthe best care for me. She was also a lot of funand she made us tow the line without sound-ing bossy. Your organization is to be com-mended for having the connections and talented staff to put together wonderful tours. Iam a fan for life and look forward to another

opportunity to travel through AdvantageInternational.”

–– DDeelloorreess LL.. CCrroocckkeetttt,,MMaannaaggeerr ooff FFiieelldd OOppeerraattiioonnss,,

WWoommeenn’’ss BBuurreeaauu//UU..SS.. DDeeppaarrttmmeenntt ooff LLaabboorr

““WWhhaatt aa ccoommpplleettee experience that fed ourminds, bodies and souls. We thank AtlantaTribune for putting this vision into action.”

–– GGwweenn TThhoommaass,, PPrreessiiddeenntt,, HHRR NNOOWW!!

““TTrraavveelliinngg wwiitthh tthhiiss ggrroouupp of successful blackAmericans, networking nonstop about plansfor continued success and the opportunity tomeet local business people in Jo'burg andCape Town was fulfilling, exciting and educa-tional. I have a new definition of self, serenityand success. Shopping is a total experience inSouth Africa. Thank you Atlanta Tribune forleading the way.”

–– MMaarriillyynn DD.. JJoohhnnssoonn,, VViiccee PPrreessiiddeenntt ooff MMaarrkkeett DDeevveellooppmmeenntt,, IIBBMM

““TThhaannkk yyoouu ssoo mmuucchh for a wonderful travelexperience to South Africa. I could not haveasked for anything more because the tour edu-cated, inspired, enlightened and touchedabout every emotion of the human spirit. So,thank you for the five-star treatment.”

–– EEddnnaa LLiittttllee,, RReettiirreedd EEdduuccaattoorr

““MMyy iiddeeaa ooff SSoouutthh AAffrriiccaa was left to what wasseen in movies or on the news. However, afterbeing able to take in all of the sites and educa-tional experiences of your beautiful country, Isee there is far more to the country than anynewscast or movie can depict. I have beentaken by it so that, I have started looking up,and learning more about the people and theareas that we were told about.

I would also like to thank you for enabling

me to increase my American family. Your gift,allowed me to meet some wonderful peoplethat I would probably never had an opportunityto meet, that live right here in the United States.I now have family in Tacoma, Wash.; Chicago;Washington, D.C.; and San Francisco andSacramento, Calif. in addition to Atlanta.”

–– SShheennaa'' YYoouunngg,,PPrreessiiddeenntt,, WWoorrkkiinngg OOnn WWoorrkkiinngg,, IInncc..

””II ccaann’’tt ssaayy tthhaannkk yyoouu eennoouugghh for the wonder-ful trip experience. It was truly a blessing to bein the company of wonderful people like you.South Africa was an astounding epic of manyheart-felt things. The viewing of Mandela’s cell,the Big 5 game drive, serving families inSoweto, Miriam Makeba’s farewell tour andmuch more was a blast. Kudos to Pat Lottier,Atlanta Tribune and Advantage Intl.”

——DDeenniissee CCoouurrsseeaauulltt,, OOwwnneerr,, CCoouurrsseeaauulltt CCoommmmeerrcciiaall,, IInncc..

““TThhee TTrriipp wwaass wwiitthhoouutt qquueessttiioonn one of the bet-ter trips that I have taken in my lifetime! I havetraveled to Athens, Greece; Paris, France;Germany; and, of course, the Caribbean. Thetour guides and South African Tourism person-nel went out of their way to make sure our dayswere filled with the most that we could do! Icertainly appreciate all of the effort and timethat Judy and Felecia took to make sure thatour group saw the best and, of course, someof the issues that South Africans face. The twobusiness receptions and South African winesprovided by 57 Main Street at the hotels weresuperb! We had a wonderful opportunity to meet and touch South African busines professionals.

Two of our attendees have made connec-tions and I believe they will continue to connectand do business with them.”

——PPaatt LLoottttiieerr,,PPuubblliisshheerr,, AAttllaannttaa TTrriibbuunnee:: TThhee MMaaggaazziinnee

Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine’s entourage embarked on Table Mountain by cable car. No one was up for the climb.

An elephant made his debut — the first of the “big five” to emergefrom the bush. Later, zebras, lions and giraffes appeared.