War-time Impressions of a British Bodybuilder's Visit to South Africa
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An Exploratory Tour Which Showed That There Are Buyers in the Union and in Rhodesia for British Products
By H. R. White,
Chairman, Duple Bodies and Motors, Ltd.
HAVING noticed that the Board of Trade would provide facilities to representatives of English manufacturers to undertake journeys overseas in the interests of export trade, I applied for an exit Permit to South Africa, which was eventually granted. Accordingly, I travelled to Liverpool on January 21, 1945, and boarded th,. T.S.M.V, " Glenartney" bound for Capetown. The following day we left Liverpool at noon, but after sailing down the Mersey for about 20 minutes we were held up by dense fog, and dropped anchor in the fairway. Here we stayed for over four days, with visibility about 15 yards, and the thermometer below . 30 degrees F. the whole time. On January 27 the fog lifted, and we were able to cross the bar. Outside the sun was shining, but we again anchored, apparently waiting to join a convoy.
Here we dropped the pilot. •
On January 28, iri the late afternoon, we really started on our journey with about .20 other ships, doing .12 to 14 knots. We remained in convoy until the evening of January 30, when, to the relief of the crew, we parted company. Henceforth we sailed to Capetown unaccompanied, travelling non-, stop, on a zig-zag-, course, at an average speed of 18 knots.
The ship was fitted with wireless and electrical detecting apparatus, and several large and small calibre guns, but, except for practice purposes, the guns were not used. Black-out was very rigid, and through the Tropics this was a great drawback, but otherwise the whole journey was most pleasant.
The pilot boarded our ship in Table Bay in the afternoon of February 13. The non-stop journey took 16 days, the Diesel engines having given no trouble from start to finish.
Difficulties of Accommodation
Having passed the Customs, I at Once telephoned to many hotels for accommodation, but Capetown, owing to the Parliamentary Session, was full, and I was forced to return to the ship, and • spend another night on board. Next day I managed to get a room for a_short time only.
Capetown was just wonderful. There was plenty of everything. All cars were allowed a liberal basic ration of petrol. Fruit and sweet shops were open until late in the evening. Grapes at 5d. per pound, and oranges and bananas 18 for a Is. were in abundance. Suits, stockings, underwear, etc., could be purchased without coupons. It was all really quite amazing, after the restrictions in England.
Not being able to obtain proper hotel aes•ammodation, I decided to go an to
Port Elizabeth, Travelling in , the Union is difficult, as I soon found Oat, and I was -told that all trains to Port Elizabeth mere booked up for 10 days ahead. However, by good fortune, and the help of a friend, I left Capetown on February 17 and arrived, after two nights in the train, at Port .Elizabeth on February ,19. This important port, sometimes • called the Liverpool of So.uth Africa, is over 800 miles by rail,. 500 miles by road and 438 miles by sea from Capetown. Sleeping compartments were quite comfortable and train meals vere good and plentiful.
Port Elizabeth is an important. centre, with a. populationof 60,000, whites and nearly the same number of natives, and a large proportion of the Union's imports are landed there, Many English manufacturers have depots, and the General Motors concern has a large assembly plant ttiere. There are good services of buses and trams, and the former displayed a notice inside which ran: " These buses must last until 1947.; do not use them more than is necessary," A journey from Port Elizabeth' to Johannesburg by rail (714 miles) means two nights in the train and uninteresting scenery en route. A modern city of skyscrapers, the latter has a population of over half a million, of which one-half are Europeans. It is about 8,000 ft. above sea level and has an average summer temperature of 75 degrees F. There are excellent services of buses, trams, and taxicabs running out to the suburbs which, in some direetions, extend up to eight miles.
A visit to Pretoria, 26 miles by car, was most interesting. The Union Government buildings, built in 1913 on a hill about one mile from the centre of the town, are a magnificent block and cost oker £1,000,000.
Returning to Johannesburg by a (lit
ferentroute, passed by General Smuts's home farm at Irene. While at Pretoria, I obtained the necessary permits to leave. the Union and to visit Rhodesia. Leaving Johannesburg on the morning of March 22,I arrived at Bulawayo in the early hours of March 24, covering a distance of 674 miles. Customs and immigration officials examined luggage, passports and permits on the train and health officers asked questions as, to vaccination, etc.
Bulawayo was founded in 1893. andhas a arpulation of .about 30,000, including 12,000 Europeans. It has wide streets an,'is an important railway centre. The Rhodesian 'railway headquarters and works aresituated here. Salisbury, the capital of Narthern Rhodesia, was the next place to visit; this town was very prosperous by reason of the many R.A.F. training camps in the neighbourhood. I had intended journeying on to Uganda, but by rail, bus and lake steamer from Johannesburg this would have taken 23 days or more, so I decided to return to Capetown, via Victoria Falls and Durban.
Durban is a lovely port. but I understand it is very hot in the summer (November to March), although at the end of April it was delightful. I was in Durban on Victory Day From a business standpoint I was welcomed with open arms throughout the Union and Rhodesia, and both countries are most anxious to purchase British goods. They are very oncerned that they are unable to obtain delivery of chassis, buses and other rollingstock, etc. On the other hand, I find that the Union Government is prepared to put restrictive duties on many articles, when it can be proved by African manufacturers that it is possible to produce the same goods in the Union. I found British Trade Commissioners whom I visited in various towns most helpful, and they are all desirous of assisting to ensure the delivery of all classes of British goods.
Overcoming the Bus Shortage The only queues I saw were at the bus halts in the peak periods. In Capetown, although there is a one-minute service of trolleybuses to Sea Point—a suburb about three miles out—I saw double queues extending for about 100 yards. In order to ease the transport difficulties—owing to shortage of buses —the Red Cross has instituted a " Lift ,Club."
Owners who use their cars regularly and who have joined the club, undertake to give lifts to persons wishing to travel in the same direction. Routes are distinguished by letter signs on the windscreen and cars leave pre-arranged points at set times. To qualify for a seat in a " Lift" car, passengers must purchase a 3s, book of 12 tickets and hand to the driver tickets corresponding with the fare on a bus for the same journey. All takings from the sale of tickets go to the Red Cross, but car owners are able to obtain additional supplies of petrol, according to the number of tickets collected.
Travelling by rail in the Union and Rhodesia was very difficult. Nearly always it was necessary to book a week or more ahead for a berth in the train.
The same applied to hotel accommodation, and my experience of hotels generally is. that there is room for improvement.
My journey back to England in July was a ghastly experience, and I would suggest that the Board of Trade refrains from inviting British manufacturers to travel overseas until reasonable travelling comfort can be assured..