Assalamualaikum.
Breakfast at the Holiday Inn Mon Tresor in Mauritius starts at 6:00 AM. Knowing we needed to head to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport by 6:30 AM to catch our connecting Air Mauritius flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, my wife, Eddy, a few other group members, and I all went down early. While waiting for the restaurant doors to open, we spent our time chatting and strolling around the hotel grounds.
Breakfast at Holiday Inn Mon Tresor.
Once everyone was ready with their luggage, we boarded two hotel shuttle vans bound for Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. Thankfully, the hotel provided both vehicles this morning, ensuring our entire group could head out together.
Beautiful morning views from Holiday Inn Mon Tresor.
Sunrise over Mauritius.
Arrived at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport.
That morning, the airport in Mauritius was much calmer and less busy than KLIA. Even though we arrived just two hours before our flight, we were relieved to find no queue at the Air Mauritius check-in counter.
The check-in counter for our flight to Johannesburg was shared with a flight bound for Saint-Denis, Réunion Island. Because of this, our tour guide, Eddy, advised us to clearly state our final destination to the check-in agent.
After checking in, my wife and I headed straight to the boarding gate. Along the way, we were pleased to come across a prayer room. The airport also thoughtfully features several toilets equipped with bidets and ablution sinks, making it very convenient for Muslim travellers.
Our Boarding Pass.
Our Air Mauritius flight to Johannesburg, MK 851, was scheduled to depart at 8:50 AM. Boarding was called right on time at 8:00 AM, and we boarded a wide-body Airbus A350-900.
It was drizzling in Mauritius at that time.
Flight map from Mauritius to Johannesburg.
Safety video presented in French and English.
The views from our window that morning were just as captivating as the scenery we saw when descending into Mauritius the day before. Both of us were already looking forward to exploring the beautiful island during our transit on the way back home later that week for the Mauritius Day Tour.
The flight from Mauritius to Johannesburg takes four hours. Thanks to the excellent weather, our journey was incredibly smooth without any turbulence, Alhamdulillah.
The flight route from Mauritius to Johannesburg crosses two other islands to the east of the African continent: Réunion and Madagascar. Réunion is located roughly 175 km from Mauritius. It is a mountainous volcanic island situated in the western Indian Ocean, about 550 kilometres east of Madagascar. As an official overseas department and region of France, Réunion operates under French law, utilizes the Euro (€) as its currency, and forms a part of the Eurozone.
Below photo is the view of the Capital City: Saint-Denis, located on the northern coast. It is the main administrative hub.
The first in-flight meal was served just as the plane flew past Réunion Island toward Madagascar. For our food, we had the pre-arranged Muslim Meal (MOML).
Not long after, our plane reached Madagascar. As the world's fourth-largest island, located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is a fascinating country where the capital, Antananarivo, serves as its economic heart. The Malagasy people share a unique blend of Southeast Asian and African ancestry, with Malagasy and French as the official languages. Beyond its distinct culture, the nation stands out as a major global producer of vanilla, cloves, and precious gemstones, supported by agriculture and eco-tourism.
Looking out the aircraft window, we saw the beautiful island of Madagascar for the very first time. Even from high above, the island's magnificent and incredible landscape completely took our breath away.
Snacks were served to the passengers just as we reached the African mainland, while flying over Mozambique.
Our plane finally reached the mainland of the African continent. Looking down, we could see several large lakes dotting the landscape of Mozambique, a country that borders the Republic of South Africa.
The first big lake that we saw was Lagoa Poelela, a large, serene inland freshwater and brackish lagoon located in the Inharrime district of Inhambane Province, Mozambique. Covering about 65 to 76 square kilometers, the unspoiled waterway is famed for its turquoise waters, sweeping coconut plantations, and remote, eco-friendly tourism.
Can also be seen out the aircraft window is Lagoa Uembje (also known as Uembje Lagoon or Lake Bilene), a large, natural saltwater lagoon located in the Gaza Province of southern Mozambique. Situated next to the coastal resort town of Praia do Bilene, it is famed for its calm, clear waters and surrounding white sand dunes.
Below is the Sábiè Lake, also refers to the Sabie River (Rio Sábiè), a vital, 230-kilometer-long watercourse that originates in South Africa's Drakensberg Escarpment. The river flows eastward through the Kruger National Park in South Africa, crosses the border into Mozambique's Maputo Province, and eventually merges with the Komati River near the town of Moamba.
Below is the Crocodile River in Mpumalanga, a major 326-kilometer waterway that serves as the prominent southern boundary of the Kruger National Park. Originating near Dullstroom, it flows eastward into the Komati River, sustaining both the region's agricultural industry and a thriving population of wildlife. True to its name, the river is home to a very high concentration of Nile crocodiles.
Our destination Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa by population. It is located in the Gauteng province, which measuring just over 18,000 ㎢, is geographically the smallest of South Africa's nine provinces, yet it contains the largest population.
Gauteng is the most developed province. It is the economic powerhouse of the country, generating over 33% of South Africa's total GDP. There are are three major metropolitan municipalities that make up Gauteng: Johannesburg (financial hub), Pretoria (City of Tshwane: administrative capital), and Ekurhuleni.
The photo below showed the area where Kromdraai Mine and Kromdraai Colliery are located. They are two distinct historical and industrial sites in South Africa. The former is an 1880s historical gold mine turned tourist attraction, while the latter is an active coal-mining site known for its industrial scale and environmental challenges.
1. Kromdraai Mine (Historical Gold Mine)
🔹What it is: One of the first gold mines established on the Witwatersrand.
🔹History: Gold was discovered here in 1881 by Johannes Stephanus Minnaar, predating the famous Johannesburg gold rush by five years. It was granted the very first government mining concession by President Paul Kruger.
🔹Current Status: Located in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site in Gauteng, it has been preserved as a historical and geological attraction. Visitors can take guided tours of the original tunnels and learn about 19th-century mining methods.
2. Kromdraai Colliery (Coal Mining)
🔹What it is: An industrial coal extraction site.
🔹Location: Situated near Delmas and eMalahleni (Witbank) in the Mpumalanga province, an area known for extensive thermal coal reserves.
🔹Environmental Impact: The Kromdraai Colliery has faced significant scrutiny over environmental issues. In 2022, a failed concrete seal at an un-rehabilitated shaft caused a major acid mine drainage spillage, which severely impacted biodiversity and water quality in the Wilge and Klein Olifants rivers.
🔹Development Status: New developmental projects and expansions (often backed by groups such as Pricen Group) are continually in the pipeline to harness its thermal coal deposits for domestic power stations and export.
Below is the aerial view of the Emalahleni Local Municipality (formerly known as Witbank), vital to South Africa's economy due to its abundant coal reserves and critical role in energy production. Located in Mpumalanga, it is the industrial hub of the Nkangala District and hosts the nation's largest concentration of power stations.
The municipality's primary economic and practical significance includes:
🔹"The Energy Mecca": The southern areas form the energy heartland of South Africa, driving the national power grid.
🔹Economic Driver: It is the largest economic contributor in the Nkangala District and makes a massive contribution to the Mpumalanga Provincial Gross Domestic Product (GDP), largely driven by mining and power utilities.
🔹Industrial Hub: Beyond coal, it supports significant metal and manufacturing industries, attracting a growing workforce and fostering rapid commercial development.
These circular patterns are center-pivot irrigation fields, a common sight in modern commercial farming. No, these are not the mysterious or supernatural "crop circles" often associated with folklore 😄. Instead, they are completely normal, highly efficient agricultural fields.
Why are they circular?
🔹Rotating Equipment: The fields are shaped this way because of the machinery used to water them. A long, wheeled pipe structure attaches to a fixed central water source and rotates 360° around that central pivot point like the hand of a clock.
🔹Maximum Efficiency: This method allows a mechanical system to automatically water a massive amount of land with minimal human labor.
Why do they look different?
🔹Color Variations: The different colors and textures you see within the circles (some green, some brown, some striped) happen because farmers grow different crops in each field, or the fields are at different stages of the planting, growing, or harvesting cycle.
Yes, center-pivot irrigation is heavily practiced in South Africa and represents a core pillar of the country's modern commercial farming sector. The technology has a long, established history in the region and is crucial for managing the country's distinct agricultural challenges.
Main Crops Cultivated Under Pivots
The circular fields we observed from the air in Mpumalanga (and nearby provinces like the Free State) are predominantly used to grow major cash crops and food staples:
🔹Grains & Oilseeds: Maize (corn), wheat, and soybeans make up over half of the country's pivot-irrigated land.
🔹Vegetables & Cash Crops: Large-scale potato farms, lucerne (alfalfa) for livestock feed, and certain sugarcane estates rely heavily on these rotating systems.
We also flew by Bronkhorstspruit Dam. Located roughly 50 km east of Pretoria and 90 km from Johannesburg, Bronkhorstspruit Dam (fondly called "Bronkies") is a popular recreational reservoir and nature reserve. Established in 1950, it is celebrated for its world-class fishing, water sports, and tranquil bird-watching opportunities.
This aerial photograph captures large tailings dams (also known as mine dumps or tailings storage facilities) in South Africa, most likely within the Witwatersrand gold mining region near Johannesburg.
What are these structures?
The large, flat-topped, white and tan formations are not the mines themselves, but the waste storage sites for them:
🔹Tailings Dams: These are engineered structures used to store the byproducts (tailings) of mining operations—specifically the finely ground rock leftovers after valuable metals like gold or uranium have been extracted.
🔹Composition: The distinct white or light-yellow color is characteristic of the crushed quartz-rich ore from the Witwatersrand Basin.
🔹Current Use: Many of these historic dumps are being "mined" again. Companies like DRDGOLD (specifically their Ergo operation) and Pan African Resources (Mogale Tailings Retreatment) use high-pressure water cannons to turn the old waste back into a slurry to extract residual gold that older technology couldn't catch.
Location Context
The Witwatersrand mining belt features over 270 tailings dams, occupying approximately 400 km2 across the Gauteng province. Given the appearance of the highway and rail infrastructure alongside these massive dumps, this is likely taken while flying into or out of OR Tambo International Airport over the East Rand (near towns like Brakpan or Springs) or the Central Rand south of Johannesburg.
This aerial view shows Homestead Dam (also known as Homestead Lake) in Benoni, South Africa.It is one of several prominent "pans" or dams in the East Rand region of Gauteng, located just southeast of OR Tambo International Airport. This specific body of water is a popular local spot for various activities.
Alhamdulillah, our plane landed safely at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg at 11:30 AM local time. South Africa is two hours behind Mauritius and six hours behind Malaysia.
O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) is Africa's busiest airport, serving as the primary international gateway to South Africa. Located in Kempton Park, Johannesburg, it handles over 20 million passengers annually and serves as the principal hub for South African Airways. The airport is named after Oliver Reginald (O.R.) Tambo, one of the most prominent anti-apartheid politicians and freedom fighters in South Africa's history.
Key Airport Overview
🔹Location: Kempton Park, Johannesburg, South Africa (approximately 23 km from the city center).
🔹Code: JNB (IATA), FAOR (ICAO).
🔹Terminals: Two main interconnected terminals: Terminal 1 (International) and Terminal 2 (Domestic).
🔹Connectivity: Linked directly to Sandton and Pretoria via the high-speed Gautrain rail network.
🔹Altitude: Situated at 1,694 meters (5,558 feet) above sea level, which requires aircraft to use longer runways due to the thin air.
Cairo International Airport (CAI) in Egypt actually claims the top spot as Africa's busiest airport overall, though O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) remains the undisputed busiest hub in Southern Africa and one of the most prominent on the continent.
According to regional aviation traffic data, the top five busiest airports in Africa ranked by annual passenger volume are:
Top 5 Busiest Airports in Africa
🔹1. Cairo International Airport (CAI) — Egypt
🔹2. O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) — South Africa
🔹3. Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) — Ethiopia
🔹4. Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) — Morocco
🔹5. Cape Town International Airport (CPT) — South Africa
Retrieving our luggage at Carousel 2.
This large wooden sculpture appears to be part of a promotional display.
🔹The structure is designed as a 3D puzzle or woodcraft construction kit, featuring interlocking layers of plywood to form an elephant shape.
🔹It is located in the Johannesburg airport, likely promoting the Amarula brand, which frequently uses elephant imagery in its marketing.
🔹These types of DIY puzzles are often made from high-quality, non-toxic wood and do not require glue for assembly.
Our local tour guide in Johannesburg, Evie, was waiting for us at O.R. Tambo International Airport. Evie is of Greek descent, having moved from Greece to South Africa with her parents at just two years old. While she holds both South African and Greek passports, she shared that she feels much more comfortable and enjoys living in South Africa rather than returning to Europe, despite still having many relatives there.
It was clear from the moment they met that our Malaysian tour guide, Eddy, and our local South African guide, Evie, already knew each other well. They greeted each other warmly and spoke fondly of past trips, having teamed up many times before to guide Malaysian holidaymakers around South Africa. Seeing their familiar chemistry immediately made our group feel like we were in excellent, highly experienced hands.
One unique and highly convenient aspect of our trip to South Africa was that we never had to haul our own heavy luggage to the bus. Upon landing, Evie instructed us to hand our bags over to airport porters arranged by the local travel agency. She reassured us that we didn't need to tip or pay them directly, as the service was fully covered in our tour package.
Walked to the parked bus area.
The porters transported all our luggage out to the waiting tour bus. Once there, a strict verification rule was enforced: each traveler had to physically point out and identify their own bags before they could be loaded into the luggage compartment. No bag went into the bus without direct identification from its owner. This secure, hassle-free routine became the standard practice for every single transfer we experienced throughout our time in South Africa.
O.R. Tambo International Airport.
Till the next coming entry, inshaAllah. Meanwhile do take care.
No photograph or videos may be reproduced, downloaded, copied, stored, manipulated, or used whole or in part of a derivative work, without written permission from Syed Amran. All rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment