Author Fred Khumalo talks about his new book 'The Longest March'

Fred Khumalo has been described as a 'reluctant Zulu', 'clever black' and an 'equal opportunity offender'

Legendary author Khumalo who is one of the writers of the book 'Black Tax: Burden of Ubuntu?' in South Africa and 'The Longest March' joined the Scenic Drive. 

The Longest March

In his new book, 'The Longest March', Fred Khumalo retraced the steps of 7000 miners from Gauteng to KwaZulu-Natal and wove it into a tale of romance. 

The book tells a tale of 7000 Zulus who walked for 10 days from Johannesburg to Ladysmith on October 7, 1899.

Khumalo said it was a few weeks before British soldiers declared war on the Boers. "The Zulus did not have transport to go home because the trains had been seized and they had to walk.

"However, they were scared that if they walked, Boer farmers along the way would mistake them for an invading army and attack them."

Khumalo did the walk himself

“When I left Johannesburg the sun was extremely hot, but I managed to cover 52km on the first day, however, I made it to Ladysmith on the 10th day.

"I survived the journey with a lot of water and snacks."

Khumalo shared the exciting news that the book will soon be a series.