SIKONATHI MANTSHANTSHA: Myth of SA exceptionalism
The cocky South African who a decade ago vowed never to eat seafood in Africa has been humbled
South Africans, high-five yourselves — we have caught up with Africa! On a visit to Tanzania 12 years ago, I thoroughly enjoyed the huge, spicy tiger prawns at dinner on my arrival in Dar es Salaam. The following day I could see the clear blue waters of the Indian Ocean inviting me for a swim.
As I stepped out of the lobby the air got thicker, with a faint smell which intensified as I wandered down Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road, past the Aga Khan Hospital on Barack Obama Road. There were piles of uncollected rubbish on the streets, but not as bad as rat-infested Alexandra township just beyond Sandton. As I got closer to the beach, the smell of sewage grew more oppressive. I turned right onto Kenyatta Drive, and at Coco Beach at Oyster Bay I saw the source of the stench. From a large blue plastic pipe, raw sewage spewed onto the golden sand and into the ocean. From the rocks nearby, fishermen cast their nets and rods into the sea. To their left, bathers enjoyed the warm waters and blu...
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