My first of many trips to South Africa was in 1983, very soon after the outside world began exerting pressure on the country's leaders to end apartheid. I saw no signs there saying "whites only," but I do remember being told not to read James Michener's "The Covenant" in airports because it was among books that had been banned.

Downtown Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and Kimberley were safe to walk the streets at any hour. I especially enjoyed shopping the Rowland Ward Store in the Carlton Centre mall and the safari shop a block or so away. The rand still was worth more than the U.S. dollar in 1983.

Several trips later, I was in Zululand hunting a nyala and heard a radio announcer say the U.S. Congress had overturned Reagan's veto of sanctions against South Africa.

Years before Nelson Mandela was released, I was told by a high-ranking RSA government official I was hunting with in Wyoming that Mandela was being groomed to lead the "New South Africa" that DeKlerk's government was taking steps to create.

When I said I'd never heard of a government or a political party voluntarily committing suicide (my words), my source said a minority could not continue dominating a majority and that it was best for all South Africans if the National Party organized a peaceful transition.

He also told me that Zulu leaders had been bribed and given guarantees so they would not oppose Mandela and an ANC-led government.

My first hunt in Zambia was in 1994, and South Africa's first election to allow all citizens to vote would be held just before we would land and overnight in Johannesburg. We purposely reserved hotel rooms near the airport, just in case the riots many were predicting did break out.

I watched many changes take place in my trips to South Africa over the years after Mandela took office. Unfortunately, not all were for the betterment of the country.

Incidentally, at age 78, I am old enough to remember when restaurants, bathrooms and water fountains in Yuma (where I grew up) had "whites only" and "we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone" signs. We also had black-only grammar and middle schools.

It was years before America's apartheid was called "segregation."

Bill Quimby