Oblivious to Politics: Living in Southern Africa, 1964 to 1994

What was it really like to arrive in Southern Africa as a young European immigrant in the 1960s, knowing almost nothing about the country's politics?

In Oblivious to Politics, the author looks back on thirty years of living and working in Southern Africa, beginning with his arrival in South Africa in 1964.

From the steelworks of Vanderbijlpark to the refineries of Southern Rhodesia, Cape Town and Durban, his journey unfolds through firsthand experiences of work, friendship, travel, money, adventure and everyday life.

At first, apartheid and the political realities surrounding him were largely unknown. Gradually, through conversations, encounters and personal experiences, he began to understand the system of racial segregation that shaped everyday life in South Africa.

The story also follows his years in Southern Rhodesia, his work on major industrial projects, travels along the African coast, and the many people he met along the way.

Alongside the personal story are timelines and background sections covering the history of South Africa, apartheid, Rhodesia, UDI, resistance and the transition that eventually led to the 1994 democratic election.

Part memoir, part historical reflection, Oblivious to Politics offers a personal perspective on a remarkable period in Southern African history—from the eyes of someone who arrived as an outsider and gradually discovered the complex world around him.