Call of the Muezzin - Cape to Riyadh

The novel is about the Kaufmann family spanning three generations between 1858 and 1976. Peter Kaufmann emigrated to South Africa from Germany and became a renowned wainwright. He was also involved in the construction of the first railway line between Cape Town and Pretoria. His son Willy became a politician and was later appointed high commissioner in London. For many people Arabia holds something strange something mystical. OPEC imposed a worldwide oil embargo in 1973 that affected South Africa as it did most other countries. South Africa was running low on oil reserves and urgently needed a lifeline! After the lifting of the embargo the following year the South African government entered into negotiations with one of the Arab oil-producing countries for assistance and proposed the delivery of crude oil in exchange for gold. Behind the scenes in London the South African embassy played a low-key role and Willy Kaufmann's grandson Günther who served a stint as a diplomat at the time at the embassy was also involved. However an unfortunate incident that shocked the Arab world prevented the proposal from coming to fruition!