Today we have spent the morning working at the Indaba with our colleagues looking at their Annual Performance Plans and their priorities for next year and the year after, using their Government Grant. They are looking at how to use ICT, how to meet the Government target of 50% of the population literate by 2010 and how to maintain and upgrade their libraries.
They face a real challenge but they have started along the road to improvement and the enthusiasm and commitment we have seen in both the staff and the politicians is inspiring. Although they are short on many resources, the work we have seen going on will make a huge difference to the vast numbers of people who are in need of basic skills and support.
This afternoon we spent our leisure time away from the conference on a visit to the Addo Elephant Park just north of Port Elizabeth. It was a bit of a hair raising drive as we chose to a short route through the hills to cut off a corner. It looked like quite a major road but we later found it to be a gravel track with a selection of very large potholes. Half an hour later we finally made it to the main road! Roaring up to the Park reception with two minutes to spare, we managed to make the tour vehicle. And how worthwhile was it.
They face a real challenge but they have started along the road to improvement and the enthusiasm and commitment we have seen in both the staff and the politicians is inspiring. Although they are short on many resources, the work we have seen going on will make a huge difference to the vast numbers of people who are in need of basic skills and support.
This afternoon we spent our leisure time away from the conference on a visit to the Addo Elephant Park just north of Port Elizabeth. It was a bit of a hair raising drive as we chose to a short route through the hills to cut off a corner. It looked like quite a major road but we later found it to be a gravel track with a selection of very large potholes. Half an hour later we finally made it to the main road! Roaring up to the Park reception with two minutes to spare, we managed to make the tour vehicle. And how worthwhile was it.
Addo was set up in 1920 to preserve the indigenous wildlife and the community of elephants who live within the boundaries of the park. It's a fantastic place and we set out amongst warthogs, kudu and ostriches thinking that the distant views of elephant we were getting were going to be the end of it. Ten minutes later we were right in amongst the animals on a wind swept but sunny South African hillside. It was truly inspiring. Our trip took two hours and we saw countless elephants on our way was well as herds of zebra, one of whom decided to block the road and have a good look at us.Back in Port Alfred now and time for dinner - back to the Action Plans tomorrow morning and then off to East London tomorrow night for our last night in this beautiful and inspiring place.
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