From Empangeni
25.7.85
Dear Mum & Dad,
Thank
you for the birth certificate. I need it for my new passport. My old one
expired in January.
As for
“Sons of Zulu’s” I don’t know this book. I’m sure there are plenty of Zulus
living as they did 100 years ago. (ie witchdoctors, polygamy, ritual
circumcision, subsistence farming) I’m sure it’s changing especially amongst
the young children who go to school. I’m also sure that there are lots of
blacks in the big cities at the other end of the spectrum. It’s a big country
and there are lots of blacks.
As for
the comrades it’s been run every year between Pietermaritzburg & Durban for
the last 60 years. This year it was up. During the first half you climb a lot
of hills. The course varies in length. This year it was 88.8 km. This year
about 10000 people entered and about 8000 finished in 11 hours. People from all
over the world came. There were Australian flags there so I’m sure people came
over just to run this race. It really is a very famous race and plenty of
people in Australia would give a lot for the opportunity to run in it.
The
atmosphere in Durban & Pietermaritzburg at the time is incredible. There
was more media hype than Grand Final day or Melbourne Cup day. The whole route
was lined by spectators. You enter the stadium in maritzburg which was full. It
was chaos. I finished and was walking around in a daze when this lady grabbed
me and said she wanted phots of people from Empangeni. She had been standing
watching the people come in, looking out for rhinos. I’m sure if I have the
time for training I’ll do it next year (which is down from Pmb to Durban).
The big
news at the moment is the Sate of Emergency.
None of Natal is involved because
of Chief Buthelezi and the power he has. In the last 12 months there has
definitely been an increase in pessimism (amongst whites) and a swing to the
right. I can’t think of the last time there was any cause for celebration. I’ve
always been pessimistic so nothing changes.
As for
Wimbledon I really enjoyed watching the tennis. More than for years. What
talent from Boris Becker.
Alan
PS. What is Beverley doing this
year?
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