A Trip Around South Africa Trivia Quiz

Answer: KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu, which means 'Home of the Zulu', was integrated with the former province of Natal after the first democratic elections in 1994. Natal means 'Christmas' in Portuguese. As it happens, Vasco da Gama, an explorer, was passing by the coastline on Christmas day (1497) and thought he'd give it a name.

The name Drakensberg was given by the first Dutch settlers and means 'dragon mountain' . However, because of the sheer drops and peaks, the Zulus call it the uKhahlamba, which means 'the barrier of spears'. In the northern interior, memorials can be found, reminders of the violent past when the Boer, the British, and the Zulu fought for possession of the land.

Answer: Table Mountain

Minitown is a wonderfully crafted re-creation of Durban and the harbour in miniature form.

Along the seafront you'll find the Ushaka Marine World, with its huge shark tanks, dolphin, and seal stadiums.

The Jumma Musjid mosque, with its golden domes, is one of the biggest places of worship in the southern hemisphere and serves the metropolis' Muslim community.

West of Durban city centre, you'll find yourself in an exotic world of spices, saris, and pavement displays of ingredients for traditional medicinal cures. Many of the Indian shopkeepers and customers can trace their ancestry back to the 1800's when labourers were brought over on contract to work in the sugar cane fields. Durban is a colourful vibrant city with a diverse cultural heritage.

Answer: An autonomous black homeland

The Transkei, an area in the Eastern Cape Province, was set up as a homeland for Xhosa speaking people in 1963 and granted independence in 1976. It was, according to the South African prime minster B.J. Vorster, "The right of every people to have full control over its own affairs".

A free black state. Unfortunately most did not agree with his view and felt that is was part of the policy of apartheid, to separate blacks from white. The United Nations called it "a sham independence" and the A.N.C said it was "designed to consolidate the inhuman policies of apartheid".

It's certainly true that throughout the Transkei's existence, as a so-called independent country, it relied on South Africa economically with much of the population working in South African mines.

The modern Transkei area has remained very poor. The land has been toiled by hand and oxen to provide a subsistence living.

Answer: Garden Route

The Garden Route is stunning! Although we took three stop-overs, I'd have liked to spend a week in each. Our first stop-over was at Storms River, part of the Tsitsikamma National Park. Tsitsikamma means 'place of abundant water' in Khoisan and is aptly named. Storms River surges through a deep gorge into the Indian Ocean where dolphins and whales are often seen. A short distance away is Bloukran's Bridge and the world's highest bungee jump, 709 ft/216m.

Alternatively, there is the Otter Trail which runs through the park. A leisurely hike though indigenous forests, waterfalls, streams, and coastal paths. There is also a chance to enjoy the plant, animal, and bird life of the area.

Further west we stopped near the small town of Knysna. Famed for its 17 kilometre lagoon, its sea entrance is guarded by two sandstone cliffs called 'The Heads'. The surrounding forests are known for their giant yellow-wood trees and the elusive Knysna Turaco bird. The highlight for me was visiting the Knysna Elephant reserve. Wonderful creatures, but I have to say they look a lot bigger when there is nothing between you and them. I was happy to stand behind one of the elephants minders. The elephant minders are some of Africa's most qualified keepers, and they keep a watchful eye on the herd and the people visiting them!

Answer: One of the "New 7 Wonders of Nature"

In 2009, Table Mountain had made it through to the top 77 of the "New 7 Wonders of Nature" campaign. The campaign is run by a foundation based in Zurich, Switzerland and works to document monuments and conservation efforts worldwide. In Round Two of the competition, which relied on votes from the public, Table Mountain needed to be in the top eleven of its category (mountains and volcanoes).

I was very lucky the day we went up to the summit. Not a cloud in sight and the views across Cape Town and the sea magnificent.

Answer: All of these purposes

From the 17th century to the 20th century, Robben Island has been used as a place of isolation and imprisonment. Between 1846-1931 it was also used as a hospital for sufferers of leprosy, the mentally ill, and the chronically ill. As all the illnesses were incurable at the time, most patients spent their entire life there. During World War II (1939- 1945), the island was also used as a training and defense camp.

The island, however, is probably best remembered for the twenty-six years imprisonment site of Nelson Mandela. Mandela referred to the island as "a symbol of the victory of the human spirit over political oppression".

In 1997 the island was made a national monument and a 'World Heritage Site'. The museum there is a reminder to the democratic South Africa of the price paid for freedom.

Answer: French

Franschhoek means 'Little French Corner'. The area was given to the Huguenots, who were fleeing France because of their religious beliefs (they were Protestants), by the Dutch who held the same religious views. The Huguenots brought with them old vine stock and their experience with viticulture, greatly enhancing South African wine production.

Although little remains of their language and culture, their presence is reflected in many family names. Franschhoek is a charming little town renowned for its wine and French cuisine. The Huguenot founders are commemorated by a graceful monument just outside of the town of Franschhoek.

Answer: Cape Town and Bloemfontein

Although all nine provinces have provincial capitals, Cape Town is the legislative capital, and Pretoria the administrative capital of South Africa. Until 1994, Bloemfontein was the only judicial capital, and it has remained the seat for the 'Supreme Court Of Appeal'.

Pretoria is in the northwest in the province of Gauteng, while Cape Town is in the Western Cape province. Finally, Bloemfontein is situated in the Free State province.

I was surprised to learn that J.R.R Tolkien, the writer, was born in Bloemfontein.

Answer: A vast semi-desert area

The Karoo is a vast semi-desert, treeless terrain with the occasional lonely homestead. It is considered a wonder of the scientific world. The word Karoo means 'dry thirst land', but it is rich with aeons old fossils. It has around nine thousand species of plants and more species of succulents found anywhere else on Earth.

The road seems endless, but keep your eyes open and you will see springbok and, my favourite, families of meerkats. After several hundred kilometres of having my eyes trained on the surrounding terrain, I had almost given up seeing these little mammals. Suddenly, a group crossed the road in front of us! A slamming on brakes was called for! It was only seconds before they disappeared into the wilderness, but for me a wonderful sight.

Answer: Lesotho

Lesotho became an independent country in 1966. It is sometimes called the "Switzerland of Africa", as approximately 80% of the country lies above 1,800 meters (5,900ft). Its lowest point is 1,400 meters (4,593ft). It's a poor country, dependent on its exports to South Africa. These include wool, mohair, and water. Its capital is Maseru. The name Lesotho loosely translates into 'the land of the people who speak Sesotho'. It's also the southernmost landlocked country in the world.