BY Aurelia Mbokazi-Kashe
As the silly season kicks off and the roads point to the N1 to Bloemfontein followed by a quick turn to the N6 to East London, I had the privilege of taking the annual exodus taken by hordes who call the Eastern Cape home, with a Ford Raptor. I use the word privilege carefully for many cars that are driven ‘home’ are no match for the prehistoric road conditions of the last two to four kilometers to reach one’s village. With its American roots, the Raptor flexed its muscles and felt right at home on the horrific roads of Tholeni, ‘the village of death’.
Growing up in Johannesburg, I used to laugh at what sounded like a joke about people whose cars could not reach their villages in the Eastern Cape. A friend used to tell me stories, with great exaggeration, of celebrities from the province whose sports cars would be parked etheni (the tarmac) and finish the trip to their village on isigadla, a euphemism for the old, trusted Toyota single cab bakkie that operates as a village taxi. In extreme cases, she would add, they would be picked by oxen pulling a sleigh and reconnecting with their vehicle upon their return to the city. When my folks retired and revived our village home on the outskirts of Butterworth, the car one drives home became a huge consideration. With December being the most important month for ukugoduka, it is also a rainy month. Owing to the non-existent road infrastructure, there are days when not a single car leaves the village due to roads being washed away and unbearable mud, not even for the reliable isigadla.
The road
Apart from last-minute road construction on the N1 between Grasmere and the Vaal toll plazas, which created some delays, we got off to a great start. To avoid congestion of fellow amagoduka, we decided to set out at 05h00 on a Sunday morning. It was a breeze with the Raptor completely agreeable with the smoothest ride. Besides being a capable off-roader with enthusiasm, it offers the comfort of a luxury SUV. From the leather seats to interior finishes and the infotainment screen, you are cocooned in business-class comfort. The 10-hour drive did not seem so daunting after all. Well, not counting the many stops at fuel stations along the N1 for refuelling. I had to part with thousands of rands – all going into the tank of the thirsty beast. I guess something had to give.
However, while the Raptor seemed desperate to cover 934 kilometers in record time, we were not in a hurry. I had to contain it in an attempt to keep the fuel consumption as low as possible, averaging 13,4 litres per 100 km with cruise control on.
The stops
While the drive might seem long and boring to someone who is not familiar with it, there are many great stops along the way. These are where you can collect some nice bits and pieces of mngenandlini for the folks back home. One of my regular stops is at the Fat Butcher in Ventersburg in the Free State, a modern farm stall that sells the tastiest best biltong, gourmet pies, and the best milk tarts. As we entered the province of Eastern Cape and crossed the Orange River and stopped at The Pantry Café in Aliwal North, I felt much closer to home. Queenstown, two hours away from home, is a point of convergence for people going to different villages across the Eastern Cape. It is also the last town to pick up some groceries from supermarkets before hitting complete chaos and long queues of small towns.
The final destination
When we turned right into R409 towards Tsomo, it was raining heavily and I started panicking about the road conditions in my village. I silently wondered how the Raptor would fare and if we would end up calling the local tractor to bail us out thick mud for an exorbitant fee. As we turned right on the gravel road toward Tholeni Head, the Raptor came alive. There were no bumps or heaving as it carefully navigated the muddy dongas we call a road. It took me record time to navigate the stretch of gravel road and get home to a warm plate of my mom’s mnggqusho and mleqwa – one the reasons I, and many magodukas, risk it all every December, and return to a place of love – home. Not once did I worry about being stuck in the village for days owing to bad weather, thanks to the capable Ford Raptor
Ford Ranger Raptor priced at R1 094 900
