Santa's new team

Last December, we warned Santa Claus of the perils of visiting South Africa with his team of reindeer. We cautioned him about the biological hazards his reindeer might bring into the country, and the import tariff issues he might encounter when trying to bring in all those gifts. We also elaborated on the heat and other environmental challenges his team might face. But we also told him about our friendly farmers and the braais he might be invited to, complete with a beverage of his choice.

- 

It seems our advice reached the North Pole because this year, word has it, Santa is coming back, better prepared and decidedly more local.

Oxen, goats, and donkeys - a trial run

Apparently, he's swapped the reindeer for a team of Afrikaner oxen. He was impressed by their reputation dating back 150 years or so, their stamina, and the fact that they do not seem fazed by heat, dust, or long distances. Unfortunately, the trial run didn't go quite as smoothly as planned. Halfway to Bethlehem (the one in the Free State, not the other one), the team stopped to graze, chewed on a few acacia pods, and refused to move until they'd ruminated properly. Santa was heard muttering something about “low fuel efficiency per kilometre”.