North We Go!

Mixing it up in Mapesu, Mopane, & Mapungubwe

- Anton Willemse & Richard Van Ryneveld

If you met anyone over December they were sure to launch into a long diatribe about Eskom and their latest round of load-shedding shenanigans. A good mate calls our illustrious energy supplier Ekisdom. I couldn’t keep the grin off my face. “So why are you looking so smug?” enquired my mate.

It was pretty simple really. There was a spanking new red Toyota Hilux double cab standing ready and packed in our driveway. The kids and I were heading up north to a wonderful place called Mapesu Private Game Reserve. It is right at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers, the two rivers that define our South African border with our neighbors Botswana and Zimbabwe.

We were staying at the Mopane Bush Lodge in the 7 000 hectares Mapesu Private Game Reserve. Mapes borders Mapungubwe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mapungubwe is probably one of the most mysterious and historical gems in our country. I will share a brief history of this jewel a little later.