The Inside Story - Edition 4

The Drakensberg range features 120 documented passes, with the Sani Pass being among the most notable and hazardous. The High Berg is one of the oldest volcanic mountain ranges on earth, formed through volcanic fissures rather than traditional volcanic cones, as seen in the Andes. The Sani Pass, situated in the southern Drakensberg and reaching an elevation of 2,876 metres, was originally a mule track connecting Lesotho and South Africa. The road was developed by David Alexander and his Mokhotlong Mountain Transport company in the late 1950s. In its early years, it featured rough sections and tight corners that often required multiple attempts to navigate. It was also subject to frequent damage by natural elements

The pass lies between South Africa and Lesotho, separated by No-Man’s Land, and requiring a valid passport at each border post. There is a newly introduced R100 levy to enter Lesotho, aimed at bolstering the tourism sector. The 8-kilometre gravel road remains tortuous and winding but offers spectacular views of mountain walls, cliffs and waterfalls, culminating in hair-raising switchbacks before flattening out towards the Lesotho border post and the welcoming pub beyond. The views from the summit are awe-inspiring, featuring snow-covered mountains in winter and vibrant wildflowers in summer. From Sani Top, the road is tarred all the way to Mokhotlong and across the ‘Roof of Africa’ route to the western part of the country and the border posts leading to the eastern Free State.  

A young Englishman, James Colman, became fascinated by the area – and by Land Rovers. After a farm-training in Shropshire he came out to Underberg in 1967. He planned on staying a year but, instead, fell in love with the rugged terrain of the Sani Pass, and with a local farmer’s daughter whom he later married. Eventually he became an author. His book, Sani Pass: Revealing Its Secrets, was published by Otterley Press in 2016. Mountain traders, the Basotho people, a small garage and the Mokhotlong Mountain Transport Company form the backdrop to this story of past times interwoven with James Colman’s experiences as a junior trading-store assistant who later became a tourist driver on Sani Pass. James Colman plied the treacherous route for three years. Intriguing stories about the politics, police, missionaries, traders and district commissioners in the area, as well as tales of bravery, rivalry, camaraderie and daring fill the pages. Photographs graphically illustrate the beauty of the terrain and the people who make up the story – it is a tribute to those who lived, worked and kept the peace in those days – and to the resilience of the Land Rover.