Zambia World Wide

Just outside Francistown:-

A group of us were spending a social evening on a farm when it started raining heavily. When one couple decided to leave I decided to follow them. Five kilometers from Francistown we came to a halt as the river crossing was flooded. The turf on either side was as slippery as a bar of soap. After checking the road surface we found that although the water was knee deep the surface appeared to be negotiable. The first car managed to make it halfway. Once we got the Volkswagen out I followed but with my front wheels almost out of the water it was my turn to come to a halt due to some loose rocks which became wedged under the rear axle. We were able to dislodge the rocks by jacking up the car. Fortunately every one saw the funny side as jacking up a car and removing rocks under a car in pitch darkness and that under water had its hilarious moments. I must admit we did have a torch. Once we got rid of the rocks I got behind the wheel and the rest started pushing. They had to push even when I was out as there was no chance that I could get up the bank from a standing start. Once I hit the turf slope I felt the wheels starting to spin. I put my foot down and kept it there until I was on top. Little did I know that in the process I was spraying turf all over those pushing. When I got out and saw them and especially Pauline I could not help laughing. There they were covered in turf from head to foot and the best was to come when they started laughing at each other. They had to wash them down in the river before I would allow them in the car. Ralf Merton lost one his of shoes in the process.

Ma Taxi

Migrant workers from Malawi, Mozambique and Rhodesia:-

Ma Taxi was known by all in Francistown and Orapa. If you saw her you would probably guess it was because of her size as she was a colossal woman. She however earned the nick name as she ran a taxi service from Francistown to her shebeen (unlicensed house selling alcoholic liquor) and brothel just outside Francistown. It all started with the migrant mine workers housed in the Wenela complex (See brief summary of Kasane on page 1). When the train left Francistown for the Jo’burg gold mines the migrant workers had just the clothing on their backs. However on their return you could hear the train’s arrival long before it reached Francistown Station. Every one had a portable radio which was at full blast and they were loaded with luggage. The sad part is that many had to take the next train back to the mines as they had virtually nothing left by the time Wenela could fly them back to their homelands. Yes Ma Taxi and her girls had cleaned them out. A labourer underground was earning R193p/m and a surface worker R160p/m.

Irish Fusiliers:-

The United Nations had installed a radio transmitter in Francistown around 1966 to block all radio transmissions from Rhodesia to Botswana. They were however scared that the radio transmitter could be targeted by some extremists. This was based on two incidents. The first was the refugee camp that was built to house all the political refugees from South Africa and Rhodesia. On completion it never housed one refugee as it was blown up. The second incident was the Dakota used to fly the refugees out of the country that was also blown up.

It was therefore decided to get the Irish Fusiliers in to guard the transmitter. The problem was that they were stationed somewhere in North Africa and had not seen a woman in nearly six months. Ma Taxi and others soon exploited the situation. The Post Master Louis Koekemoer had a very secluded garden in front of his office where he would enjoy his tea and lunch breaks. With the arrival of the Irish Fusiliers his cleaner had to remove the evidence every morning left behind the previous evening which indicated that a good time was had on his lawn.