TOURISM IS FREEDOM TOO
Once-exiled Dondo Dithebe has changed his mind about what travel truly means
The trip to Robben Island with my daughter brought back memories. For an old guy like me — a guy who spent a few years in exile in Tanzania, fighting for freedom — Robben Island hits home. During my time in exile, I met comrades who were tourism students at an institution in Arusha. I thought poorly of them, then: studying and promoting the climbing of Kilimanjaro was not working hard for freedom. This was treason in my books.
When I brought them to task for it, their reply was as follows: tourism will sustain freedom once South Africa is free. Today, the years have changed how I see things. I acknowledge their efforts and undertakings, as my daughter, who is 13, and I can experience the joy of tourism in a free, new South Africa.
Tourism is now close to my heart. I think travel should be encouraged more.
Nothing beats having the company of your wife and kids on a ferry taking you to the world-famous Robben Island.
It is surprising, the number of people who say they’ve never been to Robben Island. It stands as a symbol of our history, and a place where leaders came from. It’s not a nice place, but somewhere out of that darkness came hope.
Having lived away from SA for a number of years, I realise I love South Africa. It’s a big, beautiful country. A country we think we know too much of but know little of.
One day I should take my daughter and family to Tanzania. They should see where we fellas used to hustle it out during our days in exile.
But the holiday wouldn’t be complete without the world-famous mountain. Even if they don’t actually scale it, thinking of scaling or just seeing it in real life should be real freedom.
I cannot wait.
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