Teddy's Adventures: Cape Town, South Africa

The wait is over. I can finally tell you where I've been on my latest adventure. I received a chance to visit the continent of Africa again, only I was able to go to the southern most country, South Africa! This country was a whole new experience for me. There is so much history within the borders of this country. I'm so glad I get to share my experiences with all of you.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born July 18, 1918 in Transkei, South Africa. He is a former President of South Africa, the first to be elected in a fully representative democratic election, who held office from 1994–99. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of the African National Congress's armed wing Umkhonto we Sizwe. The South African courts convicted him on charges of sabotage, as well as other crimes committed while he led the movement against apartheid. In accordance with his conviction, Mandela served 27 years in prison, spending many of these years on Robben Island. He is currently a celebrated elder statesman who continues to voice his opinion on topical issues.

Following his release from prison on February 11, 1990, Mandela supported reconciliation and negotiation, and helped lead the transition towards multi-racial democracy in South Africa. Since the end of apartheid, many have frequently praised Mandela, including former opponents. Mandela has received more than one hundred awards over four decades, most notably the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

Robben Island

For nearly 400 years, Robben Island, about 12 kilometres from Cape Town, was a place of exile and imprisonment where rulers sent those they regarded as outcasts and troublemakers.

During the apartheid years Robben Island was used to isolate opponents of apartheid and to crush their morale. Freedom fighters, like Nelson Mandela, spent more than a quarter of a century in prison for their beliefs.

Overcoming opposition from the prison authorities, prisoners on the Island after the 1960s were able to organise sporting events, political debates and educational programmes, and to assert their right to be treated as human beings, with dignity and equality. They were able to help the country establish the foundations of a modern democracy.

Robben Island was used at various times between the 17th and 20th centuries as a prison, a hospital for socially unacceptable groups and a military base. Its buildings, particularly those of the late 20th century such as the maximum security prison for political prisoners, witness the triumph of democracy and freedom over oppression and racism.

The author Lawrence Green described Robben Island as "The Island of Exiles". For centuries it was a remote inaccessible place. It was said that the Portuguese has put prisoners here in as early as 1525, but to date, no evidence has pointed to this occurrence.

There has never been a case recorded of anyone swimming to freedom, yet it is possible as Robben Island is a starting point for many long distance swimmers today. Of the few escape attempts made, Harry (or Herry) a leading trader, managed to escape to Saldanha in a leaky sailboat.

Just Nuisance

"Just Nuisance", as the dog was to become known by, was by all accounts born on Thursday, April 1, 1937. At an early age, the pup was sold to a Benjamin Chaneywho moved to Simon's Town to run the United Services Institute (USI). The USI was frequented mainly by the Royal Navy sailors - The Royal Navy at that time being in charge of the Simon's Town Naval Base. This Great Dane soon grew to be a massive dog and it was here in Simon's Town that he was to become a legend.

He was a very friendly dog and as such was treated to all sorts of titbits, pies and beer by the sailors who loved him and to whom the dog in turn took a great liking, especially as they would often take him for walks and as such, he considered that all sailors were his friends. He recognized his mates by their bell-bottom pants and square blue collars - they all looked pretty much the same to him, so every sailor was his friend! Service men in a different type of uniform were normally given the ‘by-pass’.

He started following them around and that led to the naval base and dockyards and eventually onto the ships moored alongside, with HMS Neptune being one of his favorite vessels. His favorite spot was to lie on the deck on the brow at the top of the gangplank. No-one could easily get past him and he was loathe to move. The sailors would say - "You're just a nuisance, why do you have to lie here of all places?!" - and that's how he got his name.

Just Nuisance would regularly follow the naval liberty men when they went for a "run-ashore" in Cape Town some 22 miles and 27 stations north on the electric railway, but he always new which station he wanted. He soon became well known on the trains and would jump on and off at different stations. Apparently, the sailors would try to hide him from the Ticket collector, but as he was such a big dog this was not always possible and he would be put off at the next station, but being a very clever dog, he would walk back to the previous station or just wait at the station in question and board the next train to continue his journey. A few times, when approached by an angry conductor, he showed how serious he was about rail travel by standing on his hind legs, putting his huge paws on the conductor's shoulders and growling in the poor man's face. Amused civilians would sometimes offer to pay his fare but exasperated railway officials sent a stream of demands to Mr. Chaney his owner to confine the dog, pay his fares, or get rid of him. The railways finally warned that they would have to put him down if he persisted in boarding trains. This resulted in a massive outcry from his sailor friends and other people in the Peninsula who had come to know him well. One amused regular passenger even offered to buy him a season ticket but the Royal Navy had already put this in hand...

On Friday, 25th August 1939, Just Nuisance was enlisted into the Royal Navy. He was given the Christian name of "Just", the Trade of "Bone Crusher" and his Religious Denomination as given as "Scrounger." Like all new sailors, he underwent a medical examination which he duly passed and was declared fit for active duty. The proper enlistment forms were filled in and he signed them with a paw mark. Just Nuisance was now a bona-fide member of the Navy and, as such, he expected all the benefits that that brought - he started sleeping on sailors' beds - his long frame fully stretched out with his head comfortably placed on the pillow. One of the seaman was allocated to ensure that Just Nuisance was regularly washed and he often appeared at parades wearing his seaman's hat. After a short while he was promoted from ‘Ordinary Seaman’ to ‘Able Seaman’, which entitled him to naval rations! Just Nuisance was equally at home on any ship that called in at the port, and was loved by everybody who met him.