Johannesburg and Pretoria, South Africa
Period: April
This international educational tour is similar and has the same objectives as that one to Namibia which is to be undertaken later.
The primary objective of this expedition is to learn about other cultures and traditions. The other objective would be to experience the physical and cultural features outside Zambia.
Another important factor here would be to learn about the political history of South Africa. How the fight against the apartheid regime received global attention and what have been the social, cultural and economic impacts on the people of this great rainbow nation.
Some of the highlights of this trip are a visit to Maropeng – an exciting, world-class exhibition, focusing on the development of humans and our ancestors over the past few million years.
Another feature are the Sterkfontein Caves in Krugersdorp which have remains of creatures who are believed to be our ancestors and date back to millions of years ago.
Another visit would be to the Museum Africa which focuses mainly on life in Southern Africa from the Stone Age to the nuclear age and beyond. The section on Johannesburg features models of Tswana and the Bushmen (San people). In addition to a gallery of rock art, there is an interesting section on a more recent phenomenon – squatter camps and shebeens.
Furthermore, it would also be interesting to visit The Apartheid Museum which has rich information (in print, audio and video) on South Africa’s struggle for freedom including the apartheid era since 19th Century.
From here we would also drive into Soweto to see houses for renowned people like Nelson Mandela, Winnie Mandela and Walter Sisulu. We will also visit former notorious detention centres.
Later, we would also visit the Zambian High Commission, The Union Building and Pretoria Zoo which is the largest in Africa. -all these three places are in Pretoria.
From here we would proceed to a local school to interact with peers on Art, Culture, Drama and History. This is before a brief tour of Oriental Plaza and later go for a shopping excursion at the Mall of Africa, South Africa’s largest shopping mall ever built in a single phase, with over 130 000 m2 of retail space, and home to over 300 shops.
A Visit to Gold Reef City is inevitable to anyone touring South Africa. This is termed as Africa’s Greatest Theme Park. It offers historical exhibits, a hotel, an authentic gold mine, food and entertainment, amusement rides, shops, a show of African culture, guided tours and helicopter rides, a chapel and much more.