South Africa continues its democratic march by developing tourism practices that serve communities

This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook

Since the first free and multiracial elections in 1994, the rainbow nation dreamed of by Desmond Tutu has been moving forward slowly but surely. What seemed unimaginable in South Africa 30 years ago is gradually becoming reality, particularly in a tourism sector long dominated by whites.

Serene and imposing, the sculpture stands amidst rolling countryside. From a distance, the 50 columns pointing skyward look like little more than a shapeless mass. It is only by approaching to within thirty metres of the steel structure that one can make out the features of a singularly familiar face. The portrait of Nelson Mandela is then revealed to visitors who have walked a path marked by 27 panels marking each of the years spent by the father of the South African nation behind bars.

It was at this very spot that the fate of the spearhead of the anti-apartheid struggle changed on August 5, 1962. Arrested on a lonely road in the Midlands, Madiba was convicted of conspiracy, sabotage and treason. For years, the site of his “capture” was marked with a discreet plaque. It was not until 2012 that the famous sculpture by South African artist Marco Cianfanelli emerged from the fertile soil of KwaZulu-Natal, the birthplace of the Zulu people and kingdom.

In 2016, a museum was added to this emblematic site, retracing the journey of Nelson Mandela, the most famous political prisoner in the world who became the first black president of a democratic South Africa. This famous “long walk to freedom” inspired the title of his autobiography Long Walk to Freedompublished in 1994, the year he came to power. Thirty years later, the South African people honour this legacy and remember the struggles that marked the painful transition to a country free from segregation.

The color of change

While there is still some way to go to achieve unity, notable progress has been made, particularly in a tourism sector that has become more democratic over the years. In Durban, the former capital of KwaZulu-Natal, the 2024 edition of Africa’s Travel Indaba was an opportunity to celebrate these advances under the theme of an “Africa without limits”. For once, wildlife safaris and Western Cape Chenin Blanc were not the only things to celebrate in the aisles of the largest tourism trade show on the African continent.

In 30 years, tourism has experienced remarkable development […]. This is tangible proof that democracy, despite its imperfections, works.

This year, the Albert Luthuli Convention Centre (named after the “black Gandhi” who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1960 for his fight against apartheid) was decked out in the colours of the thirtieth anniversary of freedom and democracy. “It’s a significant milestone in our history,” says Mpho Motshegoa, general manager of the North West Provincial Tourism Authority, the birthplace of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the father of the rainbow nation.

“We celebrate this anniversary with great enthusiasm,” he continues. “In 30 years, tourism has experienced remarkable development, after having remained in the hands of whites for a long time. Although we have not yet achieved all our objectives, it is clear that the situation has changed a lot. Gradually, people of color have taken the reins. This is tangible proof that democracy, despite its imperfections, works.”

The grapes of success

Among the exhibitors invited to represent the North West Province at the Indaba show, ChillK Wines has stood out for its highly symbolic success. Proud to be black-owned, this restaurant has brilliantly managed to establish itself in wine production, a sector jealously guarded by the descendants of Dutch settlers. “Thirty years ago, a company like ChillK Wines would have been simply inconceivable,” says Mpho Motshegoa.

More broadly, the development of sustainable and inclusive practices has enabled communities that were denied access to jobs and responsibilities under apartheid to benefit from the benefits of tourism. “We would be failing in our mission if we developed attractive tourism initiatives without them benefiting local populations by improving their living conditions,” says Vuyani Booi, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Museum.

Opened in Mthatha on 11 February 2000, ten years to the day after Madiba’s release, the museum preserves the legacy of the former South African president, just a few dozen kilometres from his home village. “It could have been located in Soweto, Johannesburg or Durban, but Nelson Mandela chose to create this museum in the rural region of his childhood to make it a catalyst for local economic development,” explains Vuyani Booi, met at the Eastern Cape pavilion.

Ghosts of the past

As a job-creating force, tourism can open unexpected opportunities. Plagued by unemployment, Sipho Msomi was offered a job as a guide on Robben Island. The former ANC (African National Congress) activist knows well the infamous island where Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years of captivity, off the coast of Cape Town. He himself was imprisoned for daring to defy the apartheid regime, and endured harassment from Robben Island’s tyrannical guards from 1984 to 1989.

“I never thought I would set foot on this island again,” says the 63-year-old former political prisoner, who has come to present the Robben Island Museum at the Durban Convention Centre. “When I started my work as a guide, it was bittersweet. The first year was stressful, and it took me two years to really enjoy what I was doing.” Today, Sipho Msomi is not just a storyteller; he is also, along with so many others, the culmination of 30 years of freedom.

This content was produced by the Special Publications Team of Dutyrelevant to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part in it.

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