Algoa FM Frontier Land with Dr Dean Allen

Frontier Land with Dr Dean Allen

Best-selling author Dr. Dean Allen chats to some of the most inspirational people with remarkable stories in the Eastern Cape, South Africa and beyond.
Weekly English South Africa Society & Culture · History
26 Episodes
1 – 20

John Varty - Maverick Conservationist

The title of John Varty’s memoirs is ‘Nine Lives’ and there is little doubt that he has led a charmed life. This legendary South African filmmaker, activist, and game reserve owner has swam across crocodile-infested rivers, been charged by angry hippos, and has been mauled and almost killed by a…
18 Nov 26 min

Steve Lansdown - Investing In Africa

Steve Lansdown is a self-made man. Awarded a CBE in 2017 for services to business and the community in Bristol (his home city), he is the co-founder of the British financial services firm Hargreaves Lansdown. Perhaps most notably he is a founder of Bristol Sport and majority shareholder of Bristol…
5 Nov 20 min

Devan Touhey - A Leap Of Faith

When Kiwi Devan Touhey moved to South Africa almost 30 years ago it was for the sport of rugby. Little did he know then that he would leave a legacy as a pioneer of a rather different sport in this country – bungy jumping! Devan’s company, Face Adrenalin, have been…
22 Oct 27 min

Sibusiso Sizatu - From Herdsman To Sailor

The first time he set eyes on the ocean, Sibusiso Sizatu thought that, with all that water, it must have been a very large lake. A few years later, the former herd boy from Qumbu, near Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, would skipper a racing yacht to third place in…
8 Oct 26 min

Rick Nankin - With The Wind In His Sails

Regarded as one of South Africa’s most talented yachtsmen, Rick Nankin has enjoyed a life dedicated to the sport he loves. First chosen by Phil Gutsche to skipper his famous yacht ‘Warrior’ in the 1996 Cape-to-Rio race, listening to Rick one is in little doubt that he was born to…
24 Sep 23 min

Cruise Life

For most of us the idea of travelling the world aboard a cruise ship is a distant dream. However, having recently been invited to speak aboard Holland America’s Grand World Voyage, I took the opportunity to chat with not only passengers but also those, like me, working their passage. With…
10 Sep 1 hr 12 min

Mark Rushmere - Batting For Conservation

The Rushmere Family are highly respected in the Eastern Cape. At Kariega Game Reserve they have developed one of the finest safari reserves in South Africa. Passionate about conservation, Mark Rushmere chats here about his life and reflects too on a memorable cricketing career that saw him represent South Africa…
27 Aug 25 min

Rodney & Lorna Drew - Tiger Canyon

To picture captive-born tigers roaming wild in the Free State of South Africa is something hard to imagine. But that is the reality at Tiger Canyon Private Game Reserve where an inspirational couple, Rodney and Lorna Drew have dedicated their lives to saving one of the world’s most endangered animals…
13 Aug 25 min

Elinda Vorster - Olympian

Elinda Vorster (nee Rademeyer) had a dream to run in the Olympics Games. Following South Africa’s readmission in 1992, she achieved that ambition in the magnificent city of Barcelona. Listen here as she tells the story of her incredible journey and how she has dedicated her life to athletics and…
30 Jul 28 min

Sarah Tompkins - Sounds Of Samara

Sarah Tompkins is a true pioneer of conservation in the Eastern Cape. Along with her husband Mark, she created the Samara Karoo Reserve in 1997 with the vision to restore the area to its natural state. Listen here as she talks about her incredible journey
16 Jul 25 min

Mark Boucher - A Straight Bat

The name Mark Boucher is synonymous with South African and world cricket. Regarded as one of the best wicket-keeper batsmen of all time, he holds the record for the most Test dismissals by a wicket-keeper, with 532 catches and 555 total dismissals. While a serious eye injury forced an end…
2 Jul 19 min

Joanna Wallace - Is There Hope For A Plastic Free World?

Joanna Wallace works for the Sustainable Seas Trust, a Non-Profit Organisation founded in the Eastern Cape with the aim of growing awareness about ocean conservation and plastic pollution. An environmentalist, educator, and researcher, this dynamic daughter of Pietermaritzburg has travelled the world but now considers Nelson Mandela Bay home. We…
5 Mar 20 min

Wayne Bolton - Riding for Rhinos

Wayne Bolton is not your average labour law consultant. Inspired by the plight of our African rhinos, he has cycled 3/4 of the way around the world for his ‘One Land Love It’ cause. Discover here how he found his purpose in life.
26 Feb 26 min

Regorapetse - A Lady On A Mission

Regorapetse (Ree) Serote is a lady on a mission. Inspired by some incredible personal challenges, she has founded ‘She Speaks SA’: A platform that aims to give South African women a voice. Her story is quite remarkable.
19 Feb 19 min

Sport Legends Trust

The Sport Legends Trust was founded to provide assistance to past international and provincial sport persons and their families in times of need. Listen here as South African sporting legends Trevor Quirk; Bossie Clarke; Rupert ‘Spook’ Hanley & Hugh Page talk about their support of this special cause
12 Feb 45 min

In Conversation With Rob Yordi & SANCCOB

To watch Rob Yordi around animals is to witness someone in his natural element. On first impressions, however, this middle-aged American may not appear to be your typical conservationist. Rob is the Executive Director of the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Conservation Fund and is responsible for administering essential funding for…
5 Feb 36 min

Ken Denton - Investing In A City

Dublin-born Kenneth Denton is the biggest property owner in the history of Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha. An international property investor and self-confessed introvert, Ken first visited PE in the 1990s when he fell in love with the region and its people. He has since gone on to buy up some…
29 Jan 24 min

Francine Zana & Her Success

No one can call Francine Zana lucky. From growing up in a Port Elizabeth township to making the progression from chambermaid to company owner, this determined and charismatic lady has worked incredibly hard to make a success of her life. Her drive and enthusiasm are infectious and her story is…
22 Jan 38 min

Paul Gardiner - Following In The Footsteps

Paul Gardiner may have lived in the UK for the past 20 years but is heart is still here in South Africa. In fact, he still refers to the Eastern Cape as ‘home’ and is a passionate ambassador for the province. The son of Adrian Gardiner, one of the Eastern…
15 Jan 26 min

Paul Lister - A Remarkable Man With A Vision

After inheriting his family fortune, Paul Lister decided to turn his back on the corporate world and instead invest his time and money into conservation. The founder of the European Nature Trust, he is the custodian of Alladale Wilderness Reserve in the Scottish Highlands where he hopes to reintroduce wolves…
8 Jan 36 min
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