FIELD TRIP TO NAMIBIA AND ANGOLA, 1963

SMITTIE DE VILLIERS from Paarl writes: My friend Kobus Joubert and I often reminisce about a university field trip we did in the 1960s. Louis Botha, an old school pal and anthropology student at the University of Stellenbosch, was completing his thesis about the Ovambo and Ovahimba people of Namibia and Angola. He wanted to do a research trip to these countries with a whole bunch of other students. He approached me and Kobus because we were farm boys and used to driving heavy vehicles, a skill that would come in handy considering we were to travel on a seven-tonne Leyland school bus across the red line and into exceedingly remote country. I also had a licence to transport passengers.

Our route would take us to Springbok (the last place we saw tar roads) and north to Augrabies. We’d cross the border into Namibia just past Noenieput and continue to Grünau, then to the Hardap Dam via the Fish River Canyon. From there we’d go to Namutoni in Etosha, then to the Brandberg and on to Ruacana Falls. In the end, we travelled about 25 km into Angola before turning back. We left Stellenbosch on 16 December

1963, in the evening. On the bus were Flip Oosthuysen, a lecturer at the university, Louis Botha, our fearless leader, and 36 students. Four weeks on the road cost us R30 each. We didn’t realise how risky the undertaking was. Imagine taking a two-wheel-drive bus to Angola during the rainy season – not responsible at all! In those days there were no satellite phones or backup crews if we broke down. The police in Windhoek told us that if we carried on driving north, we’d be playing with our lives.

For us, it was just one big adventure.

Each night we slept under the stars and during the day we trundled along sandy roads. When we had to cross water-filled pans, we removed all the luggage from the bus and got out to push. Not once did we consider this a hassle; we were young and full of life. Admittedly, we also wanted to impress the female students in the group! Eventually we smartened up and chopped down mopane saplings to place together and use as a bridge