The holiday season brought a pause in my long-form biographical podcasts that focus on interesting South Africans with uplifting stories. Today’s interview with the uniquely gifted GG Alcock marks the 15th in the series. And is among the very best.
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The pic above is the perfect illustration. It was taken from the lobby of the building where we’re based, a very First World block in the heart of Sandton, with the backdrop a distinctly Third World event – despite the offices being on a straight road, a minibus taxi ramped the curb, ploughed through the garden and had it not been for a well placed wall would have smashed through the glass into the marble-tiled lobby.
___STEADY_PAYWALL___
GG uniquely straddles the First And Third Worlds courtesy of being brought up in a mud hut by political activist parents in the dirt-poor Msinga district in rural KZN. Alcock says the single privilege of his upbringing was access to a library of books that were the only luxury his Liberty Party father insisted on retaining.
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An interesting parallel, that, with the young Elon Musk, who read so voraciously that he went through the entire Encyclopaedia Brittanica – twice. Like Elon, GG is a wonderful advert for the value of an early bookworm habit. And shares his brilliance with us during his rational perspective on stuff which baffles many South Africans. Have a listen to Episode 15 of the Alec Hogg Show by clicking here.
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