Weekend Long Read: A Road Trip to Nelson Mandela’s Hometown

A 2018 winter visit to Mandela’s birthplace and burial site in South Africa would leave a lasting impression on Hu Shuli, founder and publisher of Caixin Media, about the man and the country he led

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Around 10 o’clock at night, our Mercedes-Benz SUV was gliding along South Africa’s No. 2 national road, a pathway that snakes through Eastern Cape province, leading to Durban. The entire journey was cloaked in a disquieting pitch black, without even a glimpse of houses or the faintest glimmer of light.

“More than 300 kilometers to go,” I said, stealing a glance at the mobile map before informing Bruce, who was at the wheel.

“I know,” he replied, “I just need to stop for a bit, to get some energy. Maybe grab a Red Bull or something.”

“Understood. We’ll pull over as soon as we see a gas station,” I reassured him. According to our itinerary, apart from essential refueling, there was only one planned stop: the village of Qunu in the OR Tambo district, which is Mandela’s hometown, situated conveniently beside the highway.

Bruce, though of Portuguese descent, was born and raised in South Africa. He had driven all the way from Johannesburg to Cape Town to pick us up, before turning eastward. It was late July 2018, in the depths of winter in South Africa.

However, gas stations remained conspicuously absent along this desolate highway. The car’s engine hummed for five continuous hours, until we finally reached the welcoming lights of Durban, a vibrant coastal city. It was 1 o’clock in the morning.