PARENTS have been granted a grace period until June 1 next year to
gather birth certificates for their children if they’re planning to cross South
Africa’s borders.
Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba announced the extension on
Wednesday, which will making travelling up Sani pass much easier during the
December holidays.
While this may not seem to be a relevant news item,
it is good news for all the 4x4 families in South Africa who have been cancelling their 4x4
trips up Sani pass because of the schlep to produce unabridged birth
certificates for the children they are travelling with.
With customs officials at both border gates privately of the
opinion it will take more years to get the iconic pass tarred, Wheels
learned from civil engineers the annual costs to the district to
constantly re-gravel during the rainy season — when water run-off erodes new
dongas — dictate otherwise.
I was therefore privileged to lead a convoy of
Land Rovers — supplied by the enthusiastic and dedicated Land Rover dealers in
Pietermaritzburg and hosted by Africa Link — up Sani Pass over the
weekend.
Dubbed the Dusi2Sani, the expedition was the first of a “tourist
exchange” between the district municipalities of Msunduzi and Kwa Sani, with
dignitaries from both districts literally on board to discuss how to further
tourism in the interior of KZN.
En route, we showed the passengers how a Landy’s engine can also
slow-cook food wrapped in foil.
The Dusi2Sani expedition depart after a ribbon cutting in front of
the Pietermaritzburg City Hall and had its first stop at the Centocow mission
near Bulwer. The mission is one of dozens built over 100 years ago by Trappist
monks, each within a day’s ride on horseback of another.
With its new art gallery dedicated to Gerard Benghu and the
red-clay brick church that towers over the bucolic valley, the mission is
regarded as one of Underberg’s best discoveries.
The Land Rovers then proved the real attraction at a cultural
festival in Himeville, where the self-styled “Landy Ladies” waited patiently in
line with a scrum of teenage boys and trendy 20-somethings for a chance to
experience how the Defender and Discovery 4 wade, plough, nose dive and climb
effortlessly through a muddy dam and its steep wall.
Like a born taxi assistant, Land Rover PMB’s new car sales manager
Brendon Meintjies collected R5 from each passenger, which will be awarded to a
local charity by Kwa Sani’s young mayor, councillor Mdu Banda.
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| Self-styled Landy Ladies, (from left) Jabu Mokwana, Nokulunga Zondi and Zamile Gcume could only say ‘O nkosi yami!’ (Oh my God) after their experience of the new Land Rover Discovery’s 4x4 abilities. |
After they had their turns around and through the dam, the Landy
Ladies, Jabu Mokwana, Nokulunga Zondi and Zamile Gcume got out of the Disco with
wide smiles, shaky legs and an unanimous reply of “oh my God!” when asked how
they found the ride.
“A Landy will do that to you each time,” said Meintjies. He
encouraged Land Rover owners, who all love crossing borders, to get their paper
work in order for adventures after the June extension, explaining the South
African government had introduced the travel regulations as part of its new
Immigration Act, designed to combat child trafficking issues, but which has instead led to cancellations of family travel into the country.
The new law, as issued in the Government Gazette on
May 26, 2014, will eventually require parents and legal guardians of any
person arriving in and departing from South Africa — including South Africans — to produce unabridged birth certificates for the children they are
travelling with — in addition to their passports. If the birth certificates are
not written in English they will have to be accompanied by notarised
translations.
“If you get the paperwork in order, our Landys will get you to the
destination, where ever it is,” Meintjies said.
