A Russian warship armed with advanced hypersonic missiles completed a drill in the Atlantic Ocean, ahead of joint naval exercises with the Chinese and South African navies scheduled for next month, the Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday.
Russia’s Admiral Gorshkov frigate, armed with Zircon hypersonic missiles, practiced “delivering a missile strike against an enemy surface target,” the ship’s commander Igor Krokhmal said in a video released by the ministry.
The exercise, described by state news agency Tass as an “electronic launch” or virtual simulation, confirmed the “designed characteristics” of the missile system, said Krokhmal, who pointed to the missiles’ purported ability to reach distances of more than 900 kilometers (559 miles).
The test was part of a long voyage of the Admiral Gorshkov frigate launched earlier this month, when Russian state media said the warship was dispatched with the hypersonic missiles. The deployment will also include joint training with the Chinese and South African navies off the coast of South Africa, according to Moscow and Pretoria.
The exercises come as Russia nears the first anniversary of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and marks both a show of force and – with the joint exercises – an opportunity for Moscow to show it is not isolated on the world stage, despite wide…
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If 2022 was the year the storm finally blew over, leading us back to some kind of normality, 2023 will be the year we reclaim what we once took for granted. If you’ve never been to South Africa, this is the year to find out what the fuss is about; if you have, you’ll probably need no encouragement to return – but the pound has never been stronger against the rand, the hospitality industry never more welcoming, its geographic splendour as awe-inspiring as ever.
The Western Cape provides many people’s first experience of the country – with good reason. Its gateway is one of the world’s great cities, its relatively traffic-free roads are perfect for a driving holiday and it offers a wonderful contrast of landscapes, from wild coastline to manicured vineyards.
This two-week itinerary, featuring the best places to stay, eat and shop, offers something for both old hands and first-timers. It kicks off in Cape Town – long regarded by Telegraph Travel readers as the best city on Earth, includes time on the relatively unsung Overberg coast, with a sparkling journey to De Hoop Nature Reserve, features a couple of Garden Route favourites – Plettenberg Bay and Wilderness – and finishes with a trip to the Winelands.
Tweaks are simple. If you’re pressed for time, simply skip the Overberg. For a complete change of scenery, return to Cape Town via the semi-desert Karoo region. An Eastern Cape safari also makes a simple addition (see expert tips…
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The lion charges the electric fence, and I leap backward.
“These lions are not accustomed to humans,” Casper van der Merwe says in his distinctive Afrikaner accent.
I am standing less than five feet from five very large, healthy, well-fed lions, nothing but strands of wire separating us. The wire is supposed to be electrified, but I catch a lion licking it to no ill effect. Another young female charges me but is stopped by an older lioness, who bats her on the nose with a huge paw.
“We only feed them twice a week, and we throw the meat over the fence,” van der Merwe says. He’s a fit, handsome cowboy in his 30s. Along with his wife, Anneke, he runs Jenobli Safaris in North West province, South Africa, not far from the border with Botswana.
Lions are big business in South Africa. Ecotourism generates some $2.4 billion in annual revenue. Tourists typically visit to go on safari—Kruger National Park, home to some 2,000 wild lions, is the continent’s most popular wildlife park—and the number one animal on the checklist is the iconic, majestic, wild lion.
Kagiso Moeg and Sello…
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Ethiopians may this week heave a collective sigh of relief after the government reached a cessation of hostilities agreement with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), signalling an end to a two-year war in the north of the country.
But the deal signed in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, would not have been realised had the parties not seen the “cost” of war, sources told The EastAfrican on Thursday. One of the ‘facts’ tabled before the parties — officials from the Ethiopian government and TPLF representative — was the mounting toll on civilians.
According to United Nations estimates, more than 800,000 civilians may have died since November 2020, most of whom being indirect casualties of the war, through lack of food or medical supplies. Another two million may have been displaced, internally, or as refugees in neighbouring Sudan.
“The TPLF would better know that soon or later, they would have no civilians backing them, mostly because those people would be dead from starvation or disease,” explained an African Union official familiar with the behind-the-scenes happenings in Pretoria.
Reputation costs
“The Ethiopian government would win militarily but lose a significant portion of the population. That would have a reputation costs to the governments, so it was a burden nonetheless.”
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The talks had begun a week earlier, mediated by African Union-appointed panelists dubbed “Troika of negotiators.” Former…
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The feeble infrastructure has a rippling effect on the continent’s supply chain, from the raw materials to the end consumer, says Jacqueline Shaw, a fashion supply chain expert and founder of the B2B platform Fashion Africa Trade Expo. “This has been a major issue for a long time,” she says, adding that shipping products within Africa, particularly to countries that are landlocked, have been challenging due to increasing custom fees and import duties. Purchasing items abroad allows for a simplified purchasing experience for the African customer as they avoid “the rigmarole or the challenges from shipping and duties to the timings”.
The African Free Trade Area, which opened in 2021, has enabled trade across African countries. “Now with the African free trade agreement, that should help things in the longer term, but in the short term the challenges are still there,” Shaw says.
The travel retail market remains untapped in Africa, says Ngxokolo, and he sees an opportunity. “If you connect in Doha or Dubai, you’re able to shop a lot of luxury brands, but that is not the case with us in Africa… and we are trying to change that,” he says. “We are working to place our brand and opening up a boutique in international airports. We want to get to a point where if you travel to South Africa and happen to connect, you’ll be able to go to a Maxhosa store in the duty free area.”
Long term, the aim…
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Award-winning luxury safari outfitter, focused exclusively on Africa, African Travel, Inc. (ATI) is getting ready to celebrate the ‘month of giving’ by offering travel advisors a special incentive this November.
During the promo period, travel agents can earn 20 percent commissions when they book clients on new custom land safaris of seven nights or more, with paid deposits, between November 1-30, 2022. Additionally, ATI is making it possible for advisors to get paid earlier, with commission payments set to be issued 30 days prior to departure, starting in January 2023.
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With AFI’s available 16 destinations on the African continent and manifold safari options tailorable to clients, travel advisors have ample opportunity to earn thousands extra in commission during the promotional period. And, with the end-of-year holidays just around the corner, a once-in-a-lifetime safari experience makes an ideal gift for clients wishing to treat themselves or loved ones.
To assist travel advisors in closing their sales of customized African safaris, ATI also provides all of the promotional materials and selling tools they might need. These include such collateral items as customizable emails, brochures, banners and social media posts designed to allow agents to efficiently market to their clientele.
“We are grateful for the…
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RASSIE ERASMUS: I’ve served my time and it means the world to be back… my ban has given me plenty of time to reflect and it will be great to return to Ireland with South Africa
Returning to Ireland to restart my career will be a great moment
Spending time away from the sport has given me an opportunity to reflect
The international landscape in the sport has become incredibly competitive
By Rassie Erasmus For The Mail On Sunday
Published: | Updated:
This time next week I will have been back in the coaching box for the first time in a year. It will be my 50th birthday on the Saturday of our Test in Dublin but that’s the last thing on my mind.
The bigger thing for me is returning to Ireland, where I spent a relatively short time working as a coach. A few of us will travel to Cork on the Sunday to prepare for our South Africa ‘A’ game against my old club Munster and that’s a place that holds a special place in my heart.
My ban has given me plenty of time to reflect. Words can’t describe how much I’ve missed being in the stadium with the guys. There’s nothing that can replace that match-day feeling. The buzz around the changing room before the boys run out. Looking into their eyes and seeing the excitement… or sometimes the nerves.
Rassie Erasmus looks ahead to his return to the…
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The independent South African-based airline, Airlink, is acquiring a 40 per cent strategic equity holding in privately-owned Windhoek-based FlyNamibia.
FlyNamibia is the scheduled airline division of Westair Aviation established in 1967 initially as an aircraft maintenance facility, but which evolved into Namibia’s most experienced aviation company. It began scheduled passenger operations in June 2019 after the Namibian Transport Commission granted it carrier status.
Airlink buys 40 per cent of FlyNamibia, Namibia’s only operating scheduled domestic airline, under a deal announced at the end of September that aims to expand air service both within and outside the Southern Africa country.
The acquisition will bring the two carriers closer together with all FlyNamibia flights transitioning to using Airlink’s IATA code ‘4Z’ in an effort to boost sales and improve international connectivity.
The acquisition is for an undisclosed amount in a strategic equity partnership punted to fill the short- and medium-haul regional market gap left by the collapse of Air Namibia. This is also expected to accelerate Namibia’s post-pandemic recovery and drive the expansion of efficient scheduled airline services to, from and within Namibia.
Airlink will also provide additional airline operations, technical and commercial skills training, and development support to FlyNamibia.
Commenting on the development Airlink Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Rodger Foster said Airlink…
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London: South African coach Mark Boucher will leave his post after the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia later this year to pursue “other opportunities in line with his future career and personal objectives”, officials said on Monday.
The announcement came hours after South Africa lost their three-match Test series in England.
Former wicketkeeper Boucher, who played 147 Tests for South Africa, has been in the role since December, 2019 and had been contracted until the end of the 2023 50-over World Cup in October next year.
…
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The last time I was in South Africa visiting friends, I found myself with some extra time on my hands. I was in Durban and had plans with my friends to see the local area, so I wanted to take advantage of my time and see something a little different. I heard that a Sani Pass Tour would be a great way to spend the day and have a unique adventure just beyond Kwazulu Natal.
Durban had its beaches and a nice amusement park, but outside of the typical food and shopping you would expect in any South African city, that was pretty much it for me. Cape Town had Robbins Island, Nelson Mandella, and wine. To the north is Kruger National Park and the wildlife and the southern coast has the beautiful Garden Route. So, with just a short drive, I could experience a whole other world in Lesotho.
About Lesotho
Lesotho is a mountain kingdom surrounded by South Africa on all sides. It is the home to the highest elevations in Southern Africa and while predominantly agricultural, it is moving to become a more manufacturing-based economy. Having gained its independence in 1966 from the United Kingdom, Lesotho is now an active member of the United Nations and has its place in the world.
Getting There
You can find a Sani Pass Day Tour starting around $55 USD and prices can go over $1,000 if you are looking to be pampered and want a private excursion. I tend to be a budget traveler, so I went with the $55 version. This got me a bus ride to Underberg, then we changed over to a Toyota 4X4 for the trek up the pass. We had stops for coffee, lunch at the highest pub in Africa, and a tour of Lesotho Village on the Lesotho Highlands not far from the Lesotho Border Post.
We started our day in Durban catching a small 15 passager bus that would take us on our day tour. We quickly navigated out of the city traffic and onto an expressway to Pietermaritzburg where we left the expressway and headed to Underberg. Once in Underberg, we had a chance to stretch our legs grab some coffee, and trade in our bus for the 4X4s that would be needed for the Sani Pass Road.
Up the Pass
After leaving Underberg, you quickly leave the farmlands and head up to the Drakensberg Mountains towards the next stop at the South African Border Post. Drakensberg Mountains are rugged and are covered mostly in shrubs and brush. As we started the climb, we passed several small waterfalls that had some beautiful fauna surrounding the streams.
From the South African border, you leave the pavement and start up the pass on a gravel road that snakes up a valley gently climbing in elevation until you notice the last push up the mountain pass. Before you can reach the Lesotho border you have to make your way up a series of switchbacks that slow your progress to a crawl. The road condition by itself will have you wondering why you came up here, then to make things worse, you are likely to encounter trucks making their way up and down Sani Pass Road with their loads going to market. This means that you have to back your vehicle down the switchbacks until you can find a spot that is wide enough for the truck to pass. Thankfully, our driver was amazing and highly skilled.
At the Top
Once you reach the top of the pass, you are greeted by a chain link fence and an old Lesotho Border Post building. As an American, I did not need a visa, but I just showed my passport and got my book stamped. As we got back into our vehicles, we passed a camp for backpackers then onto Sani Pass Mountain Lodge for lunch and a beer. Claiming to be the highest pub located on the highest pass in Southern Africa, the views were amazing. However, being that we were at almost 10,000 feet above sea level the air was chilly even with the blue skies.
After lunch, we had the chance to go to the Basotho Village and see what life in the Lesotho Highlands was all about. Unlike Thaba Bosiu, which is a national monument that recreates life in a traditional village, our village was pretty rustic. Here we had the chance to talk to the locals, see their homes and view what daily life was all about for them when they were not showing it to us, tourists.
One thing that will quickly catch your eye is that everyone wears a blanket. Tradition has it that a Brit simply known as Mr. Howel had given a blanket to King Moshoeshoe and he was so pleased that it quickly became part of the Basotho culture. Day-to-day wear blankets are subdued in color but there are ones that are brightly colored for certain special occasions that signify passages in the Basotho life.
As part of the day tour, there were a couple of homes that were opened up for us to see what life on the highlands looks like. There we were treated to home cooking on an open fire in the center of their home. We had the opportunity to taste the food and freshly baked bread. Afterward, we were given a little time to take pictures and see the horses and other livestock before we had to jump back into our 4X4s for the ride home.
Trip Home
Going back down Sani Pass was maybe just slightly less exciting than the ride up the pass. Our driver had to back up the switchbacks to let trucks get by on the road. Border Control on both sides was simple and easy to get through. On our way back to Durban we had a chance to talk with our driver and hear his views on life after Apartied, and what he saw as the future of Lesotho and South Africa. It was also fun to see what his impressions of the United States were too.
Conclusion
Taking a Lesotho Day Tour out of Durban was one of the better experiences I had while in Southern Africa. The drive was pleasant but to be fair I was pretty glad to be done with driving when I returned to Durban. Each part of the Lesotho tour was well planned by our expedition team at Major Adventures did an excellent job of providing a lot of value for the money. Having seen the Lesotho Highlands, I am now wanting to go see northern Lesotho too.
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