Miss Higgi Making the Rounds in South Africa

I share stories and photos on Facebook that don't seem to make it to this blog. This one however, I thought was pretty cute and want to pass on. Enjoy!


Mayor Conrad Sidego, Amy Sidego & Miss Higgi


Miss Higgi & Conrad Sidego

Here I am photographed with Conrad Sidego, Mayor of Stellenbosch, and his lovely wife Amy. Conrad and my very good Friend from DC, Clifford Lee, knew each other back in the 70's. Conrad traveled to the US as a foreign dignitary, Mr. Lee, who worked for the State Department, was his assigned escort.

Before traveling to South Africa, Mr. Lee gave me a VERY dated business card for Conrad and some photos of the two very handsome and dapper young men with Daddy King (Martin Luther King's Father) and Muhammad Ali. He told me to look Conrad up when I got here.

Armed with fascinating photos and an outdated business card, the telephone number did not even have sufficient digits, I had minimal expectations and fully expected that he, like Mr. Lee, was a hard to find retired gent. In my mind I was humoring Mr. Lee... Much to my surprise and thanks to google, I found a very much UNretired man who was happy to meet a Friend of his old Friend.

Conrad, like Mr. Lee, has lived a very fulfilling life. Among other things, formerly he was the South African Ambassador to Denmark. Presently, he is the Mayor of Stellenbosch, a small municipality 25 miles outside Cape Town.

Despite very short notice, he scooped me up from my hotel in Cape Town, took me to his lovely home to meet his wife and to share stories of old and off we were for an evening of fine dining at a local Indian restaurant. They were a very warm and gracious couple and I thoroughly enjoyed my evening with them.

I did not know prior to our meeting that Conrad and Mr. Lee had not seen one another since 1979 and have spoken only a time or two since then. They were both tickled to revisit old memories. I was tickled to be in a position to make their re-connection.

Also while here, I have had the honor of being taken back stage by Dr. Toni Luck before and after a live taping of a gospel concert at Gold Reef City Casino in Johannesburg to meet a very famed South African singer, Judith Sephuma. She was as gracious as she is lovely and talented. Google her. She is considered Jazz & R&B. You will love her music.


Miss Higgi & Judith Sephuma

While dining one afternoon at JB's Corner in Melrose Arch, I had the pleasure of meeting Mark Lottering. He is one of the top comedians in South Africa. Unfortunately he is not performing during my visit. He was most kind and graciously indulged the American tourist and my American Friend, Dorothy Nairne, who I only met since arriving here and who has lived in South Africa for many years.


Mark Lottering & Miss Higgi


Dorothy, Mark Lottering & Miss Higgi

Never far from the scene, I also had the pleasure of meeting an up and coming American actress and fellow Howardite, Milauna Jackson. Milauna hails from Chicago and is here in South Africa taping a series that will air in the states on Cinemax, Strike Back. Check it out and please give her your support. Met her and some of her friends visiting from the states at a luncheon held in her honor by Dr. Toni Luck (see below), a fellow American and local celebrity in her own right. She resides in South Africa, is a regular on the local talk show circuit and is also a sought after motivational speaker and public figure here in Johannesburg. True to Chicago's reputation for being noted steppers, Milauna led us in various dances as we partied the night away American style at a birthday party thrown by Cora Vaughn for her husband Roger. They too hail from Chicago and own two Guest House lodges here. I am staying at Lemurian, their guest house in Athol. Consider it for your next stay in Johannesburg. I am hopeful to attend a live taping of Milauna's show before I leave.

Miss Higgi & Milauna Jackson @ Luncheon



Dr. Luck and Milauna (center) and Friends


Milauna & Miss Higgi @ Party

And apparently, this is as close as I will get to President Mandela! LOL! That's OK. I am honored to have had the pleasure of traveling in the midst of his legacy.

Mandela Statue at Mandela Square at Sandton Center in Johannesburg


Beaded life size mannequin of President Mandela displayed at waterfront in Cape Town.



Dorothy and I in front of his home on the corner of 4th Street & 12th Ave in the Houghton section of Johannesburg.


This has been a wonderful trip. Thank You for taking this journey with me...