RDU - CPT

I'm flying from Raleigh-Durham to Cape Town for business in August. In the
past I have connected in IAD to an SAA flight to JNB, where I would pick up
a domestic flight to CPT. I don't like the Oliver Tambo
International Airport in JNB; and two hours between
connections is tight, even if the long-haul flight is on
time.

An alternative is to fly from RDU to LHR with AA
and pick up a nonstop BA/AA flight nonstop to
Cape Town. That would eliminate the second
connection in JNB, but incur a 12-hour layover in
London on the outbound leg. I did this kind of
route during the 1980s, when sanctions eliminated
direct air service between the US and ZA; but I'm
past the age when I could do that kind of itinerary
without staying over a couple days, and I just don't
have the time.

I understand that Delta now has direct service to
CPT from JFK (with a stop in Dakar). This
would seem a no-brainer, even though flying
through JFK in August is to risk delay (weather-related, and other); and my
last international flights with Delta
were none too good. Has anyone on this board
done the JFK-CPT route with Delta? Is two hours sufficient time to make a
connection in JFK in August (in principle at least), or should I give myself
more time?

P.