More Than A Story

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Join us as we uncover the hidden, untold, and unforgettable stories that have shaped the African continent. Tales of adventure, transformation, conflict and wonder.

Through immersive story-based podcasts, adventure-driven video content, and meaningful merchandise, we bring history and heritage to life in ways that connect, inspire and endure.

Each season we explore a singular narrative - sometimes legendary, often overlooked but always rooted in the people and places that define Africa's past and present.

From shipwrecks and survival to frontier encounters and cultural crossroads, our stories go deeper than names and dates. They're lived adventures, layered histories, and journeys of discovery.

This is more than storytelling.

This is More Than A Story.

Season One

Survival on the Wild Coast

In 1782, a British East Indiaman named the Grosvenor struck the wild and jagged coastline of what is now South Africa’s Eastern Cape. What followed was not just a tale of shipwreck, but a haunting odyssey across one of the most treacherous—and politically volatile—regions in the world.

Over a hundred survivors stepped ashore that morning. Most would never be seen again.

This is a story of betrayal and bravery, of desperation and endurance. It’s a story of colonial frontiers and clashing cultures, of women and children abandoned, of diamonds lost and found. Of a young Anglo-Indian boy whose suffering moved a nation—and of men who vanished into the wilderness, never to return.

Through the archives, into the veld, and across time, we uncover what happened when the sea delivered a shipload of strangers into a land already at war—with itself.

Podcast

Episode One

Treasures & Trials

In 1927, Johannes Bock discovers a thousand Indian diamonds on South Africa's Eastern Cape coast. Accused of planting them, he's imprisoned despite later confirmation of their origin. Scholars theorize they came from a shipwreck, leading to the story of the Grosvenor. In 1782, Captain Coxon steers the overloaded Grosvenor on a risky route in the Indian Ocean, carrying passengers like William Hosea and his family. Ignoring warnings, Coxon's ambition clouds his judgment. The ship carries thirty-eight tons of cargo and over a hundred people. A different storm brews on land as Dutch settlers expand, displacing amaXhosa people. Governor von Plettenberg orders them beyond the Fish River, leading to violence. Finally, the Grosvenor, after dismissing a possible land sighting, crashes on rocks, beginning a new trial for the survivors on an unfamiliar and volatile shore.

Articles

Guerrillas in the Cape

In the arid Karoo, 300 "bitter-einder" Boers, led by Jan Smuts and including Deneys Reitz, faced dire circumstances. A tip about nearby British cavalry offered a chance for vital supplies. Despite being outnumbered and low on ammunition, Smuts decisively ordered an attack. The ensuing skirmish at Modderfontein, though minor in the Anglo-Boer war's context, exemplified Boer resilience and audacious tactics. Smuts’ leadership and his men’s bravery secured much-needed resources. This spirit and their mastery of guerrilla warfare, honed in the Boer War, highlighted the ineffectiveness of traditional British tactics and foreshadowed a shift towards mobility and marksmanship, lessons that would become crucial in the upcoming Great War.

Read the full story

Share a Story

Africa is rich with untold stories—epic, personal, and powerful. If you know a story that deserves to be heard, we’d love to hear from you. Share it with us—you might just hear it on the show.

Key themes include:

Resistance & resilience
Migration & movement
Conservation & bush tales
Knowledge systems & innovation
Colonialism & its aftermath
African women & leadership
Trade, wealth & civilisations
Cultural identity & unity
Sport & music
Spirituality & belief systems
Youth, reclamation & the future

Our Mission

At More Than A Story, our mission is to bring light to the powerful, often overlooked African stories that have shaped our continent and its people. Through storytelling, we aim to inspire, educate, and connect listeners across Africa and beyond—reminding us of our shared history, strength, and potential.

Your support helps us uncover these stories, produce high-quality episodes, and reach wider audiences. With your help, we can continue building a platform that celebrates African voices and unites communities through the power of story.

If you believe in what we’re doing, please consider supporting the show. Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to our vision.

Thank you for helping us tell Africa’s story—together.

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Our Partners

Lambazi Lodge Transparent (Dark Background).png

Situated in the protected Lambazi Bay at Port Grosvenor lies a remote & spectacular Wild Coast gem, Lambazi Lodge.

An unspoilt self-catering eco lodge with 12 en-suite rooms sleeping 24 people. The communal living room and kitchen are well equipped for a comfortable and enjoyable stay. Beautifully redecorated, newly renovated and offering affordable rates.

visit their website

Established in 2007, Active Escapes specialise in holidays with an outdoor edge.

If you're the kind of person who needs a mountain or two, ocean swims, and breath - taking scenery to really enjoy your getaway, we are that specialist tour operator.

We understand that outdoor people range from those who thrive on endorphins, to those who simply need to relax in the quiet of nature; and as such Active Escapes offers all types of active, outdoor and nature - focused holidays. Hiking, slackpacking, mountain biking, trail running, river rafting, horse riding or simply being in nature; we know how dynamic people like to spend their time.

visit their website