Portrait of a South African Household

Logan and Rajes Govender are Indian South Africans. Even before The Bambisanani Partnership had got its name, they were involved. Rajes is the travel agent who organises much of the logistical side of every trip between Mnyakanya and St. Mary's. However, it wasn't long before the jump had been made from 'client' to 'friend'. When Logan drove Mr. Geldart and the first two U.K. students from Durban out to Eshowe, they inevitably got chatting. It has become a tradition for each group of St. Mary's students to have lunch at the Govenders' house. In March 2009, at this lunch, Logan invited any of the fourteen teenagers to come stay with them if we were ever in Durban. And one of the fourteen, a year later, tentatively e-mailed Logan and asked if that offer was genuine? I discovered to my delight that it was.
 Logan is a master storyteller. From the first time I met him (standing in the dawn light, about to give us a guided tour of the Hluhluwe (shooshlooway) game reserve), he had me transfixed with his solemn explanation of the need to develop 'African eyes'. Something in his aura attracts people of all sorts, especially people who need help. And he gives his help extremely generously, without even hesitating. Just after my plane had arrived in Durban, as we ate a late dinner in an airport café, Logan described one of his friends to me: 'This guy, he's amazing. You know, I have never once heard him raise his voice. He is so calm and patient all the time, he is saintly. I can't imagine ever being like him.' I had to smile to myself. Word for word, he had described what I might say about him.
 The first thing one is likely to notice about Rajes is that she is in a wheelchair. She lost both her legs in a car crash and now practises every week with prosthetic legs to learn how to walk again. But the disability, although of course it affects nearly every aspect of her lifestyle, is actually irrelevant. She is a soft-spoken woman who matches Logan in kindness and consideration for others. She has also got a wicked and irreverent sense of humour and spends much of her time with a twinkle of amusement in her eye.
 Mahesh is Rajes' son from a previous marriage. For a man in his early twenties, he is remarkably kind and open. He seems to have no hang-ups about acting surly to his parents or not helping out around the house, although he does often come home way after midnight. He is, I have to say, good-looking and he has an equally beautiful girlfriend.
 They have all had a lot of practice at putting visitors at their ease and have been treating my very well this weekend. They have actively encouraged me to regard their stunning, bold-pink bungalow as my own home and have relaxed their busy schedules to take me to restaurants and on countryside outings (but more detail about that in my next post). They've been teaching me Zulu, lending me books and paying for chocolate.
 In short, the Govenders are simply one of the nicest families I have ever met.

The Govenders and me