…VIPs slowly start arriving. Colonel Gadaffi arrives late as he has insisted on having his camels flown in to provide him with fresh camel milk every day. Sam Nujoma, the New President draws up in a car surrounded by high security and wailing sirens.
The ceremony begins at five minutes to midday, just under half an hour late. De Klerk says his bit and then Sam is sworn in. A runner comes into the stadium carrying a flaming torch and lights the torch of freedom.
This is history, both personal and national. Julia Steven’s diary of her stay in Namibia the year it gained independence from South Africa is pure poetry. The country comes alive in vivid colour and symphonic sound. Funny, insightful, and heart-stopping – for instance when she ventured into Angola while the war was still on – this diary of a teenage teacher keeps your attention to the last page.
The ceremony begins at five minutes to midday, just under half an hour late. De Klerk says his bit and then Sam is sworn in. A runner comes into the stadium carrying a flaming torch and lights the torch of freedom.
This is history, both personal and national. Julia Steven’s diary of her stay in Namibia the year it gained independence from South Africa is pure poetry. The country comes alive in vivid colour and symphonic sound. Funny, insightful, and heart-stopping – for instance when she ventured into Angola while the war was still on – this diary of a teenage teacher keeps your attention to the last page.
