Qatar-South Africa relations have been in the news over the past few days, with a couple of high-profile visitors to the Gulf state.
Mandla Mandela, Madiba’s grandson and a MP in his own right, was invited to Qatar by the South African embassy in Doha to take part in its Heritage Day celebrations.
While in Doha, Mandela also met Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani.
There wasn't any coverage in the local press, though, of a meeting between the Emir and a different South African politician, although it dominated the headlines back home when revealed by the Sunday Times.
Former president Jacob Zuma's dash to Doha, without going through the usual diplomatic channels, quickly became the hot topic of choice among the South African expat community in Qatar - the Bawa household included.
“So what do you think?” asks Shihaam as she scrolls through Facebook comments about Zuma's trip.
“I'm not sure,” I reply. “Perhaps JZ wanted a taste of the Doha heat and humidity, to compare to the weather in KwaZulu-Natal. Or maybe, he had plans to visit the Guptas, but confused Doha with Dubai.”
Shihaam chuckles, because it really is amazing how many people still think Doha and Dubai are the same place.
We've both received messages from friends telling us to prepare for visits, only for the excitement to rapidly fade when we discover that they're actually travelling to Dubai.
Speaking of friends, the Sunday Times story suggested that Zuma might be seeking permanent residency in Qatar, but if that's indeed the case, I wonder if he's really thought this through.
Given his close relationship with the Guptas, he might want to regularly visit them, or vice versa.
Until last year, that would have been as simple as, say, state capture. But the political blockade imposed on Qatar by its Arab neighbours - Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt - has complicated everyone's travel plans.
Previously, you could hop on a direct flight from Doha to Dubai in 45 minutes. Now, Qatar residents generally travel to Oman, a Gulf neighbour who still supports Doha, before catching a connecting flight to the UAE. This can take six to eight hours. You can fly from Doha to Mumbai in about three hours, which might make that a better meeting place for Zuma and the Guptas.
Only time will tell if Zuma does actually plan to make Qatar his home. If I happen to spot him walking around the supermarket, looking for South African products, I'll be sure to let you know.
* Ridwaan Bawa, a former newspaper executive editor and magazine editor, is writing a weekly column about the life and experiences of a proud South African living as an expat in Qatar. Follow him on Twitter @ridwaanbawa
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.