The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Wednesday, January 10, 1968 — Shouts of “Vrystaat” were probably the most welcome sound to the Hennings family, greeted by a crowd of at least 1 000 when they arrived in Bulawayo from the Orange Free State yesterday.

After their trek of nearly 1 000 miles, during which the family covered an average of 40 miles a day in their horsedrawn wagon, a jubilant crowd at Bulawayo’s City Hall clapped wildly, cheered and sounded horns.

Escorted by members of the Bulawayo Pony Club, the 10 Free Staters on horseback and wagon, with money they collected for Rhodesia on their journey, paraded down Selborne Avenue.

Mrs Maria Hennings and her son, Fonnie aged 6, rode at the head of the column carrying Rhodesian and South African flags.

The column with its smartly attired riders wheeled into the City Hall’s main entrance. They were met at the City Hall by the Mayor and Members of Parliament.

The only problem the Hennings family encountered on their trek from the Orange Free State to Bulawayo was at Beitbridge, where they were delayed by Rhodesian officials for four hours, Mr Louis Hennings said yesterday.

“We were kept waiting in blistering sun with the horses in the harness. It was only when I threatened to ring Salisbury that they let us through,” he said.

The officials wanted to know where the family would be staying in Salisbury and how much currency they had in their collection bins. Mr Hennings said he explained to them that the bins could not be opened till they reached Salisbury.