Blogs from Middelburg, Mpumalanga , South Africa, Africa

It is May 2, four months since I took my holiday at the end of the school year 2013. Right now, it’s 5 days before national elections and 5 days after Freedom Day which celebrates the country’s first democratic elections twenty years ago when Nelson Mandela was elected president. Back in December, I was in Cape Town during the week following Nelson Mandela’s death. We went to the Robben Island Museum (not out to the island itself) and signed a commemorative book there. There were memorial events all around the country and people wearing T-shirts with Nelson Mandela on them. At our backpackers’ (hostel) dining area we watched the televising of the memorial held in Johannesberg..the one where President Zuma was booed when he got up to speak, where the sign language interpreter was having difficulties, ... read more

The first day wiith Acacia tours - what a day it has been! We travelled out of J'burg at a chilly 5 am leaving the city in darkness and making our way up towards the olifants river. 1st stop at the services for breakfast overlooked an animal park where we got our first glimpse of rhino, ostrich and some white faced ducks - you'll never get a better view from the mens loos. Stretching our legs further along the road we stopped for a walk at the Blyde river canyon and later the three rondavels. Cueni - our guide told us the history of the area and how the river came to get its name meaning 'happy river'. We passed baboons sitting like kings on top of the rock formations looking out, as we were, at ... read more

I went to live in Middelburg, TVL at the age of 7, did my schooling in Middelburg Primary then went to Witbank high School where I finished Matrice in 1979 and went to Witbank College for my Secretarial Course. Later I worked for BTR Sarmcol which later became VMS Mining Supplies, from there I went to work for Witbank Personnel just for 1 year and before I moved to Portugal. I can say without any doubt that those were truely the best years of my life:)... read more