Name: Clocolan
Google count: 59 200
Date: 1 Jan 2009
Historic fact:
Clocolan is named after the Hlohlowane Mountain, a Sesotho word for "ridge of the battle".
http://www.adventurezone.co.za/where_to_go/Town/Clocolan/549/
Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Travel related info about Clocolan, a town in the Free State, South Africa. Routes: R26, R703, R708.
www.routes.co.za/fs/clocolan/index.html
The Station
http://www.sa-transport.co.za/trains/sa_stations/clocolan_stn_rn78.JPG
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Cliffdale (L 13)
Name: Cliffdale
Natal
Google count: 2,060 for "Cliffdale".
Date: 1 Jan 2009
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Natal
Google count: 2,060 for "Cliffdale".
Date: 1 Jan 2009
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Monday, December 15, 2008
Clewer (H 8)
Name: Clewer
Clewer - Clewer, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Google count: 3,390 for Clewer
Date: 16 December 2008
Historic fact:
Churchill did not stay captive for long, however. Within two months he had escaped and stowed away on a coal train heading east in the direction of Mozambique. The following evening the train stopped at Clewer siding near Witbank (the Transvaal Highveld). Churchill decided to knock on some doors in search of food.
Fortune definitely favors the brave for the door he chose to knock on was that of John Howard. He was an Englishman and manager of the Transvaal and Delagoa Bay Colliery. Churchill was fed well and later hidden in the underground stables of the mine. The Boer forces were searching high and low. Still later he hid behind some packing cases in the office.
Read the whole story at: http://www.encounter.co.za/article/23.html
Other interesting info:
"The Telkom lines were stolen on 23 May 2008, according to Telkom website the problem should be retified by 20 Oct 2008. Nothing has been done and the call centre tells you that they are busy with the repairs. I cannot find any technician that are working on the lines, if you go to the Telkom Technical section in Witbank you are stopped by security at the gate and they refuse to let you in, it is impossible to obtain a satisfactory answer on this matter. We are on the small holdings at Clewer and a telephone is essencial for our security. I would like a possitive answes as soon as possible and the service re-installed..."
From: http://www.hellopeter.com/the_comment.asp?recid=220164
* Patching of potholes on the Kleinkopje link road near Clewer at a cost of R1 485 491.00. The project started in October 2001 and was completed in July 2002.
Where to stay:
Clewer B & B (http://www.witbankinfo.co.za/witbankemalahleni/accommodation/guesthousesbed_and_breakfasts/)
Situated in Clewer on the outskirts of Witbank/eMalahleni on the Pretoria Highway.
Clewer - Clewer, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Google count: 3,390 for Clewer
Date: 16 December 2008
Historic fact:
Churchill did not stay captive for long, however. Within two months he had escaped and stowed away on a coal train heading east in the direction of Mozambique. The following evening the train stopped at Clewer siding near Witbank (the Transvaal Highveld). Churchill decided to knock on some doors in search of food.
Fortune definitely favors the brave for the door he chose to knock on was that of John Howard. He was an Englishman and manager of the Transvaal and Delagoa Bay Colliery. Churchill was fed well and later hidden in the underground stables of the mine. The Boer forces were searching high and low. Still later he hid behind some packing cases in the office.
Read the whole story at: http://www.encounter.co.za/article/23.html
Other interesting info:
"The Telkom lines were stolen on 23 May 2008, according to Telkom website the problem should be retified by 20 Oct 2008. Nothing has been done and the call centre tells you that they are busy with the repairs. I cannot find any technician that are working on the lines, if you go to the Telkom Technical section in Witbank you are stopped by security at the gate and they refuse to let you in, it is impossible to obtain a satisfactory answer on this matter. We are on the small holdings at Clewer and a telephone is essencial for our security. I would like a possitive answes as soon as possible and the service re-installed..."
From: http://www.hellopeter.com/the_comment.asp?recid=220164
* Patching of potholes on the Kleinkopje link road near Clewer at a cost of R1 485 491.00. The project started in October 2001 and was completed in July 2002.
Where to stay:
Clewer B & B (http://www.witbankinfo.co.za/witbankemalahleni/accommodation/guesthousesbed_and_breakfasts/)
Situated in Clewer on the outskirts of Witbank/eMalahleni on the Pretoria Highway.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Cleveland (G 9)
Name: Cleveland
http://www.clevelandbusinessforum.com/
Google count: 54,700 for Cleveland
Date: 14 Dec 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/2263/818
Title: Jumper Deep Gold Mine
Author/s: Unknown
LC Subjects: Gold mines and mining -- South Africa -- Johannesburg -- History
Gold miners -- Housing -- South Africa -- Johannesburg -- History
Keywords: Cleveland station
Primrose Hill
Jumper Deep Gold Mine
Issue Date: 19-Sep-2006
Creation Date: 1895
Abstract: Photograph taken ca. 1898, showing Cleveland station and housing for European mine workers
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2263/818
Rights: Complies with rights as specified by Collection Administrator.
Type: Still Image
Language: en
Appears in Collections: Birch Collection
https://www.up.ac.za/dspace/handle/2263/818
February 4, 2003
By Lucille Davie
CLEVELAND Police Station, one of the city's oldest police stations, is turning 100 this year.
Cleveland, a small suburb some eight kilometres east of the city, probably dates back to 1896, when Cleveland Railway Station appears in a report of the Railway Commissioner. It's likely that for some time there was not much else in Cleveland but the railway station, except for the rapidly growing population at Jumper's Mine, south of the railway line.
Although there was a police presence in the area from 1903, the police station was built in 1910. Jumper's Mine donated the use of mine property in the form of five rooms and stables, to the Cleveland police.
In 1903 the Commissioner of Police wrote to the "Secretary to the Law Department" stating, in his antiquated English, that he had opened a "Police Post" at Cleveland.
"I beg to inform you that I have opened a Police Post at Cleveland with a force of 2 Sergeants and 8 men. As the Public Works Department have been so long in arranging for land for a Police Station and as the establishment of a Police Post at Cleveland was very urgent I have been given the use of five rooms by the Manager of the Jumpers Gold Mining Company to be occupied by the men."
The Public Works Department had simply taken too long to provide the funds and approve the quote.
In 1904 iron and wood rooms were finally built, on the site where the present police station stands. And finally, in 1910, at a cost of £1 850, the police station went up: a charge office, three non-commissioned officers' rooms, 10 troopers' rooms, a mess room, a lavatory, a kitchen, a bathroom, latrines, and three cells.
H Tennant, Secretary to the Law Department, said in a letter to the Director of Public Works, Pretoria: "I shall be glad if you will be good enough to make arrangements to have these buildings erected at the estimated price." Jumper's Mine donated the land again, and Cleveland had its first formal police station.
These original buildings still stand. The main building is a long single storey structure, with an attractive pillared entrance on either side with a row of sash windows in between the two entrances. This façade is no longer visible as a high wall as been built a metre or two in front of it, with the new entrance now positioned around the back of the building.
The rest of the building is distinguished by attractive arches, long veranda corridors, four-metre tall wooden ceilings, slated wood-lined walls, fireplaces (some with their original small green tiles), and sash windows. The original kitchen is still in place although no longer in use, but it retains its wonderful coal stove and large stone basin.
The stables are part of a set of outbuildings (the police officers say they can still smell the horses), and the water furrows are still evident down one side inside the building. Another outbuilding consists of prison cells which have been converted, like the stables, into offices. The station has just had new cells added to the complex. Another building used to be a court, and is now used as a storeroom for recovered stolen goods.
In the 1960s an unattractive barracks was built south of the original buildings, and it still houses the officers who come from out of town.
The station in 2003
Nowadays the Cleveland Police Station polices an area of 40 square kilometres, in which some 240 000 people live. Senior Superintendent Eddie Mboweni, with 131 police officers, patrols this area, in which, says Mboweni, they have managed in the last two years to stabilise the crime rate.
Mboweni was transferred two years ago to Cleveland from Phalaborwa, where he was station commander. When he arrived at Cleveland the morale at the station was low, with several union leaders seemingly in charge. His attitude was one of "let's focus on work", and it has clearly turned the station around.
There's an atmosphere of friendliness amongst officers, and, judging by the smiles offered to strangers, they are clearly happy in their jobs. Mboweni encourages his team to be seen on the streets of their precinct, urging people to report crimes, and visit people at their homes.
What makes his team exceptional is that most of them don't live in the precinct they police - they're from Pretoria, Soweto, and as far as Limpopo, like Mboweni. This means that they live in the barracks and only occasionally see their families, so it's a tremendous credit to Mboweni that he has a motivated police force.
The area is a tough one to police: it includes a mix of hostels, squatters, a freeway, railway station, heavy, medium and light industry, and all ranges of residential accommodation.
But the Cleveland officers have another strong support arm - the Community Policing Forum (CPF) , who assist the police with 38 armed volunteers. The CPF's function is to liaise between the community, business and the police, and they have been very successful in further boosting the morale of the Cleveland force.
Robbie Taitz, who heads up the CPF, has managed to get a sponsored metal ramp for the disabled installed at the station. Another initiative is getting Spar supermarket to sponsor the station's monthly tea, coffee and biscuits.
Mboweni says he is on the brink of forming a centenary committee to bash around some ideas on how the station is to celebrate its birthday.
Where to stay:
http://www.clevelandbusinessforum.com/
Google count: 54,700 for Cleveland
Date: 14 Dec 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/2263/818
Title: Jumper Deep Gold Mine
Author/s: Unknown
LC Subjects: Gold mines and mining -- South Africa -- Johannesburg -- History
Gold miners -- Housing -- South Africa -- Johannesburg -- History
Keywords: Cleveland station
Primrose Hill
Jumper Deep Gold Mine
Issue Date: 19-Sep-2006
Creation Date: 1895
Abstract: Photograph taken ca. 1898, showing Cleveland station and housing for European mine workers
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2263/818
Rights: Complies with rights as specified by Collection Administrator.
Type: Still Image
Language: en
Appears in Collections: Birch Collection
https://www.up.ac.za/dspace/handle/2263/818
February 4, 2003
By Lucille Davie
CLEVELAND Police Station, one of the city's oldest police stations, is turning 100 this year.
Cleveland, a small suburb some eight kilometres east of the city, probably dates back to 1896, when Cleveland Railway Station appears in a report of the Railway Commissioner. It's likely that for some time there was not much else in Cleveland but the railway station, except for the rapidly growing population at Jumper's Mine, south of the railway line.
Although there was a police presence in the area from 1903, the police station was built in 1910. Jumper's Mine donated the use of mine property in the form of five rooms and stables, to the Cleveland police.
In 1903 the Commissioner of Police wrote to the "Secretary to the Law Department" stating, in his antiquated English, that he had opened a "Police Post" at Cleveland.
"I beg to inform you that I have opened a Police Post at Cleveland with a force of 2 Sergeants and 8 men. As the Public Works Department have been so long in arranging for land for a Police Station and as the establishment of a Police Post at Cleveland was very urgent I have been given the use of five rooms by the Manager of the Jumpers Gold Mining Company to be occupied by the men."
The Public Works Department had simply taken too long to provide the funds and approve the quote.
In 1904 iron and wood rooms were finally built, on the site where the present police station stands. And finally, in 1910, at a cost of £1 850, the police station went up: a charge office, three non-commissioned officers' rooms, 10 troopers' rooms, a mess room, a lavatory, a kitchen, a bathroom, latrines, and three cells.
H Tennant, Secretary to the Law Department, said in a letter to the Director of Public Works, Pretoria: "I shall be glad if you will be good enough to make arrangements to have these buildings erected at the estimated price." Jumper's Mine donated the land again, and Cleveland had its first formal police station.
These original buildings still stand. The main building is a long single storey structure, with an attractive pillared entrance on either side with a row of sash windows in between the two entrances. This façade is no longer visible as a high wall as been built a metre or two in front of it, with the new entrance now positioned around the back of the building.
The rest of the building is distinguished by attractive arches, long veranda corridors, four-metre tall wooden ceilings, slated wood-lined walls, fireplaces (some with their original small green tiles), and sash windows. The original kitchen is still in place although no longer in use, but it retains its wonderful coal stove and large stone basin.
The stables are part of a set of outbuildings (the police officers say they can still smell the horses), and the water furrows are still evident down one side inside the building. Another outbuilding consists of prison cells which have been converted, like the stables, into offices. The station has just had new cells added to the complex. Another building used to be a court, and is now used as a storeroom for recovered stolen goods.
In the 1960s an unattractive barracks was built south of the original buildings, and it still houses the officers who come from out of town.
The station in 2003
Nowadays the Cleveland Police Station polices an area of 40 square kilometres, in which some 240 000 people live. Senior Superintendent Eddie Mboweni, with 131 police officers, patrols this area, in which, says Mboweni, they have managed in the last two years to stabilise the crime rate.
Mboweni was transferred two years ago to Cleveland from Phalaborwa, where he was station commander. When he arrived at Cleveland the morale at the station was low, with several union leaders seemingly in charge. His attitude was one of "let's focus on work", and it has clearly turned the station around.
There's an atmosphere of friendliness amongst officers, and, judging by the smiles offered to strangers, they are clearly happy in their jobs. Mboweni encourages his team to be seen on the streets of their precinct, urging people to report crimes, and visit people at their homes.
What makes his team exceptional is that most of them don't live in the precinct they police - they're from Pretoria, Soweto, and as far as Limpopo, like Mboweni. This means that they live in the barracks and only occasionally see their families, so it's a tremendous credit to Mboweni that he has a motivated police force.
The area is a tough one to police: it includes a mix of hostels, squatters, a freeway, railway station, heavy, medium and light industry, and all ranges of residential accommodation.
But the Cleveland officers have another strong support arm - the Community Policing Forum (CPF) , who assist the police with 38 armed volunteers. The CPF's function is to liaise between the community, business and the police, and they have been very successful in further boosting the morale of the Cleveland force.
Robbie Taitz, who heads up the CPF, has managed to get a sponsored metal ramp for the disabled installed at the station. Another initiative is getting Spar supermarket to sponsor the station's monthly tea, coffee and biscuits.
Mboweni says he is on the brink of forming a centenary committee to bash around some ideas on how the station is to celebrate its birthday.
Where to stay:
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Claremont (A 16)
Name: Claremont
Google count: 214,000 for Claremont
Date: 14 Dec 08
Claremont Central: A vibrant experienceThe official website for the Claremont CBD and surrounds and of the Claremont Improvement District Company. This site provides business, service and leisure ...
Claremont, in the heart of the southern suburbs and situated only 9.5kms south of the city centre, is a bustling and popular suburb of Cape Town. This vibrant district, an important commercial and residential area, well known for its extensive shopping, dining and entertainment facilities - its biggest attractions - is currently experiencing significant growth and development. Home to Cavendish Square Shopping Centre and several corporate head offices, Claremont has entrenched its position as one of the most sought after residential, professional and commercial trading areas in the Western Cape.
www.claremontcentral.co.za/ -
Also
http://www.claremont.org.za/
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Google count: 214,000 for Claremont
Date: 14 Dec 08
Claremont Central: A vibrant experienceThe official website for the Claremont CBD and surrounds and of the Claremont Improvement District Company. This site provides business, service and leisure ...
Claremont, in the heart of the southern suburbs and situated only 9.5kms south of the city centre, is a bustling and popular suburb of Cape Town. This vibrant district, an important commercial and residential area, well known for its extensive shopping, dining and entertainment facilities - its biggest attractions - is currently experiencing significant growth and development. Home to Cavendish Square Shopping Centre and several corporate head offices, Claremont has entrenched its position as one of the most sought after residential, professional and commercial trading areas in the Western Cape.
www.claremontcentral.co.za/ -
Also
http://www.claremont.org.za/
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Clairwood (M 14)
Name: Clairwood
Google count:
Date:
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
For years, the area suffered neglect under the apartheid government. The area was once a vibrant and busy suburb, but the residents have been ignored and the needs of rich businessmen have been promoted at their expense since the beginning of apartheid.
Residents hoped that with the new dispensation, and under the banner of Batho Pele " ( People First ) things would change. They didn’t. While the government was ‘consulting’, a number of illegal businesses started operating without licences, poisoning the residents. There has been a proliferation of Heavy Duty Trucking companies, Scrapyards, Panel beating / Spray boots, Granite Cutting, Waste Recycling, Oil Recycling, and many more. All of these make the neighbourhood unsafe for children.
http://www.abahlali.org/node/467
And
The Clairwood area is zoned as industrial and residential. With regards to the residential core, only 27 % of zoned sites actually operate as residential premises. 73% is of the zoned residential sites are not in residential use. Absent landowners, many of whom left the area years ago, have leased land to businesses, which has resulted in industrial creep and impacted on the social fabric of the area. Legal and illegal businesses are a growing and common occurrence with little success with enforcement.
http://www.ethekwini.gov.za/durban/government/munadmin/media/press/land_issue
In the belief that the Umgeni River was an insurmountable barrier to the. development of Durban to its north, Joseph invested his money in "God's good earth" close to the Clairwood railway station that had been built on the new railway line from Durban. He accordingly bought (probably for considerably more than it would have cost him to purchase the whole of the area subsequently developed by Durban North Estates as Durban North) an area of approximately twelve acres of land running along Montclair Road, Montclair. He established his home on some three acres of land at the south easterly corner of Montclair Road and Southwold Avenue, Montclair, where he built a large double-storied home which he called "Grace Villa" after his eldest child Grace. He surrounded his home with a cavort hedge, which by the time of his death was some seven foot high and which, until approximately a year or so prior to his death, Joseph himself used to trim.
http://www.theclarksofclarkroad.com/papers_book6.html
Where to stay:
Google count:
Date:
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
For years, the area suffered neglect under the apartheid government. The area was once a vibrant and busy suburb, but the residents have been ignored and the needs of rich businessmen have been promoted at their expense since the beginning of apartheid.
Residents hoped that with the new dispensation, and under the banner of Batho Pele " ( People First ) things would change. They didn’t. While the government was ‘consulting’, a number of illegal businesses started operating without licences, poisoning the residents. There has been a proliferation of Heavy Duty Trucking companies, Scrapyards, Panel beating / Spray boots, Granite Cutting, Waste Recycling, Oil Recycling, and many more. All of these make the neighbourhood unsafe for children.
http://www.abahlali.org/node/467
And
The Clairwood area is zoned as industrial and residential. With regards to the residential core, only 27 % of zoned sites actually operate as residential premises. 73% is of the zoned residential sites are not in residential use. Absent landowners, many of whom left the area years ago, have leased land to businesses, which has resulted in industrial creep and impacted on the social fabric of the area. Legal and illegal businesses are a growing and common occurrence with little success with enforcement.
http://www.ethekwini.gov.za/durban/government/munadmin/media/press/land_issue
In the belief that the Umgeni River was an insurmountable barrier to the. development of Durban to its north, Joseph invested his money in "God's good earth" close to the Clairwood railway station that had been built on the new railway line from Durban. He accordingly bought (probably for considerably more than it would have cost him to purchase the whole of the area subsequently developed by Durban North Estates as Durban North) an area of approximately twelve acres of land running along Montclair Road, Montclair. He established his home on some three acres of land at the south easterly corner of Montclair Road and Southwold Avenue, Montclair, where he built a large double-storied home which he called "Grace Villa" after his eldest child Grace. He surrounded his home with a cavort hedge, which by the time of his death was some seven foot high and which, until approximately a year or so prior to his death, Joseph himself used to trim.
http://www.theclarksofclarkroad.com/papers_book6.html
Where to stay:
City Deep (G9)
Name: City Deep
Google count: 65,500 for City Deep
Date: 14 Dec 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
City Deep was declared an inland port in 1977, and a Border Police Unit was established there some months later,133 in response to complaints that containers were being tampered with, systems management was lax, and control procedures were not being followed. There were also allegations that the smuggling of goods was widespread at City Deep. However, the Border Police Unit made an immediate impact. In the first few months they achieved considerable success in controlling smuggling. Currently confiscations are showing a steady decline in number and volume, which has led the police to conclude that smuggling has either been curbed or has been transferred to other routes.
The goods inspection system used at City Deep is similar to that at Durban Harbour. Members of the Border Police City Deep unit make use of the profiling system, information received and crime pattern analysis to select items of cargo requiring inspection. Alternatively, they are alerted by the ‘silent stops’ placed on consignments by either the Border Police or Customs and Excise at Durban Harbour. At City Deep customs officials place their own stops on containers and undertake their own inspections, especially on high profile cases. In addition, they can instruct the Border Police to act.
There are, however, some differences between procedures at Durban and City Deep, since a larger proportion of containers passing through the latter have other southern African countries as their destinations. Such consignments (referred to as Removed-in-Transit or RIT goods) can be opened and inspected within the normal customs process; but by international law and agreement they should be allowed unfettered transit.134
http://www.iss.co.za/Pubs/Monographs/No84/Chap5.html
Where to stay:
Google count: 65,500 for City Deep
Date: 14 Dec 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
City Deep was declared an inland port in 1977, and a Border Police Unit was established there some months later,133 in response to complaints that containers were being tampered with, systems management was lax, and control procedures were not being followed. There were also allegations that the smuggling of goods was widespread at City Deep. However, the Border Police Unit made an immediate impact. In the first few months they achieved considerable success in controlling smuggling. Currently confiscations are showing a steady decline in number and volume, which has led the police to conclude that smuggling has either been curbed or has been transferred to other routes.
The goods inspection system used at City Deep is similar to that at Durban Harbour. Members of the Border Police City Deep unit make use of the profiling system, information received and crime pattern analysis to select items of cargo requiring inspection. Alternatively, they are alerted by the ‘silent stops’ placed on consignments by either the Border Police or Customs and Excise at Durban Harbour. At City Deep customs officials place their own stops on containers and undertake their own inspections, especially on high profile cases. In addition, they can instruct the Border Police to act.
There are, however, some differences between procedures at Durban and City Deep, since a larger proportion of containers passing through the latter have other southern African countries as their destinations. Such consignments (referred to as Removed-in-Transit or RIT goods) can be opened and inspected within the normal customs process; but by international law and agreement they should be allowed unfettered transit.134
http://www.iss.co.za/Pubs/Monographs/No84/Chap5.html
Where to stay:
Christiana (D10)
Name: Christiana
Christiana is on the N12 between and Bloemhof and Warrenton, ... Named after Christiana, the only daughter of the then President Pretorius. ...
www.tourismnorthwest.co.za/southern/christiana.html -
When diamonds were discovered in the Vaal River in the 1870s the former Transvaal Government hastily established a settlement on the banks of the river, in an attempt to control and alleviate land disputes over diamond discoveries further down the Vaal River. This town was established on the farm Zoutpansdrift (salt pan drift) and named Christiana, after the only daughter of President Pretorius of the old Transvaal. The first residential stands were sold in 1870.
Two years later diamonds were discovered in the gravel of the Vaal River close by and the inevitable manic rush followed. As usual the initial rush petered with the diamonds, although some are still found from time to time.
These days the mainstay of the economy is the production of beef, maize, sorghum, groundnuts and cotton.
Tourist attractions include the Diggers' Diamond Museum (authentic digging equipment and old photographs pay tribute to the town's diamond industry) and San Bushman Rock Art (excellent examples can be viewed 6km out of town on the Farm Stowlands) and Stows Kopje (prehistoric rock engravings which have been declared a national monument).
Google count: 102,000 for Christiana
Date: 14 december 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Where to stay: Protea Hotel Christiana
Christiana is on the N12 between and Bloemhof and Warrenton, ... Named after Christiana, the only daughter of the then President Pretorius. ...
www.tourismnorthwest.co.za/southern/christiana.html -
When diamonds were discovered in the Vaal River in the 1870s the former Transvaal Government hastily established a settlement on the banks of the river, in an attempt to control and alleviate land disputes over diamond discoveries further down the Vaal River. This town was established on the farm Zoutpansdrift (salt pan drift) and named Christiana, after the only daughter of President Pretorius of the old Transvaal. The first residential stands were sold in 1870.
Two years later diamonds were discovered in the gravel of the Vaal River close by and the inevitable manic rush followed. As usual the initial rush petered with the diamonds, although some are still found from time to time.
These days the mainstay of the economy is the production of beef, maize, sorghum, groundnuts and cotton.
Tourist attractions include the Diggers' Diamond Museum (authentic digging equipment and old photographs pay tribute to the town's diamond industry) and San Bushman Rock Art (excellent examples can be viewed 6km out of town on the Farm Stowlands) and Stows Kopje (prehistoric rock engravings which have been declared a national monument).
Google count: 102,000 for Christiana
Date: 14 december 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Where to stay: Protea Hotel Christiana
Choma (E4)
Name: Choma
Choma is a market town in the Southern Province of Zambia, lying on the main road and railway from Lusaka to Livingstone.
Google count:
Date:
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Choma is a market town in the Southern Province of Zambia, lying on the main road and railway from Lusaka to Livingstone.
Google count:
Date:
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Monday, November 24, 2008
Chokwe (L6)
Name: Chokwe
Google count:
Date:
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
The Chokwe are well known for art objects produced to celebrate and validate the royal court. These objects include ornately carved stools and chairs used as thrones. Most of the sculptures are portraits, which represent the royal lineage. Staffs, scepters, and spears are among other implements sculpted to celebrate the court.
History: Chokwe origin can perhaps be traced to the Mbundu and Mbuti Pygmies. Between 1600 and 1850 they were under considerable influence from the Lunda states and were centrally located in Angola. In the second half of the 19th century though, considerable development of the trade routes between the Chokwe homelands and the Angolan coast led to increased trade of ivory and rubber. Wealth acquired from this allowed the Chokwe kingdom to expand, eventually overtaking the Lunda states that had held sway over them for so long. Their success was short-lived, however. The effects of overexpansion, disease
Where to stay:
Google count:
Date:
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
The Chokwe are well known for art objects produced to celebrate and validate the royal court. These objects include ornately carved stools and chairs used as thrones. Most of the sculptures are portraits, which represent the royal lineage. Staffs, scepters, and spears are among other implements sculpted to celebrate the court.
History: Chokwe origin can perhaps be traced to the Mbundu and Mbuti Pygmies. Between 1600 and 1850 they were under considerable influence from the Lunda states and were centrally located in Angola. In the second half of the 19th century though, considerable development of the trade routes between the Chokwe homelands and the Angolan coast led to increased trade of ivory and rubber. Wealth acquired from this allowed the Chokwe kingdom to expand, eventually overtaking the Lunda states that had held sway over them for so long. Their success was short-lived, however. The effects of overexpansion, disease
Where to stay:
Monday, November 17, 2008
Chiselhurst (J15)
Name:Chiselhurst
Google count:1,640 for Chiselhurst
Date: 17 Nov 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
2004 - The Buffalo City engineer's department monthly report reveals that the Chiselhurst station in East London recorded 187mm (93-year average 76); Bridle Drift 198 (70); Berlin 146 (81); and Umzoniana 244 (78).
Where to stay:
Google count:1,640 for Chiselhurst
Date: 17 Nov 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
2004 - The Buffalo City engineer's department monthly report reveals that the Chiselhurst station in East London recorded 187mm (93-year average 76); Bridle Drift 198 (70); Berlin 146 (81); and Umzoniana 244 (78).
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Chisamba (F3)
Name:Chisamba
Chisamba is a Zambian electoral constituency, located in Chibombo, Central Province.
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Chisamba is a Zambian electoral constituency, located in Chibombo, Central Province.
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Chiromo (K2)
Name: Chiromo
Once a bustling trading town across the Ruo river from neighbouring Mozambique, Chiromo has sunk into squalid poverty. The former police station is now a ...
www.odiousdebts.org/odiousdebts/index.cfm?DSP=content&ContentID=12395 -
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Once a bustling trading town across the Ruo river from neighbouring Mozambique, Chiromo has sunk into squalid poverty. The former police station is now a ...
www.odiousdebts.org/odiousdebts/index.cfm?DSP=content&ContentID=12395 -
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Chirdezi (H4)
Name:Chirdezi
Near Nandi & Hippo Valley
Google count: 20 for Chirdezi
Date: 17 November 2008
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Date posted:Mon 23-Dec-2002
Date published:Mon 23-Dec-2002
Yesterday police notified the group that they would instead be arrested on 27 December
The documents that I find of most interest are the Jess's narration of events. They paint a terrible picture of the manner of the invasion and the treatment to which they have been subjected.
Horrendous reading.
If you haven't read Eric Harrison's book 'Jambanja', might I suggest that you consider buying a copy. Eric's farm was not very far from Chiredzi, and some of the people mentioned by Jess are also mentioned in Eric's book. 'Jambanja' is civil disobedience. In this case it is the terrorising of the farmers by spending the whole night surrounding the homestead, singing war songs, banging on windows and doors, shouting threats and just keeping everybody awake.
In anyone's experience, a truly frightening time.
I know, from first hand experience, that the Lowveld community is tough, resilient and staunchly loyal to their own. And I admire them for that... big time!
The 25 Chirdezi cane farmers who were yesterday threatened with arrest on charges of staying on their farms have been granted a temporary reprieve, a spokesperson for the group said yesterday. The farmers had been notified that they would be arrested last weekend, and would be likely to spend the Chrsitmas holiday period in custody because the courts do not reopen until next Monday. Yesterday police notified the group that they would instead be arrested on 27 December.
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www.kubatana.net
Invasion of Farm 30 - N & B Sugar Estates
Jessie Nesbitt
April 05, 2008
Digby and Jessie Nesbitt have been held captive on their Farm by the Commissioner of Police – Edmore Veterai. He has stated he is “above the law” and continues to defy court orders, to leave the Nesbitts and their farming operation, that supports the community and an orphanage in peace. This is Jessie’s story of the happenings in their house that they have not left for over a month.
The following is the story of our nightmare that began weeks ago with no end in sight as yet. We had numerous phone calls from various people wanting us to go public with what was happening on the farm. However, we were reluctant to do so, hoping that the justice system in this country would prevail because we had various court orders supposedly preventing this nightmare from happening.
Because we had not evacuated our farm by 30th November, 2007 we were summoned to court at 9 a.m. on the morning of 28th January, 2008 The reason we had not left our farm by that date was because we had been informed by four top government officials, one of which was a minister who informed us that the honourable minister Mutasa was coming down to the Lowveld on the 19th December to resolve our issue on the farm. On the 18th we were informed that the honourable minister Mutusa could not come down on that date due to other commitments but would come in early January. During the month of January my husband, Digby was asked to report to the Police Station in Chiredzi to be charged. He had to give a statement and was told to report to the court on the 28th January at 9 a.m. When he arrived there, he was told that the court case was postponed to 12 p.m. He went back at 12 p.m. only to be told that it was now postponed to the 10th March 2008. That afternoon when returning to work in Chiredzi from farm 30, Digby met up with Mr Veterai, the assist commissioner in the Police. He stopped Digby and said that he did not care about the court case as he was above the law and that he was taking over the farm immediately. He ranted and raved like a madman and said that he was going to kick Digby’s white arse of the farm no matter what. Digby drove to town and reported the incident to the member-in-charge at the Police Station, who said that they could only intervene if there was violence as this was a land issue and unless he had some kind of court order, they could do nothing. He then went straight home as he was afraid for my safety as we had had previous altercations with Veterai before and he has a temper on him and always walks around armed with a pistol and sometimes also a folding buttAK 47 rifle.
On the Tuesday morning at 6.30 Veterai arrived at our house with about 15 people including his wife and green bombers. Veterai showed us his new offer letter which said that he was taking over 71 hectares instead of the original 40 that he had been allocated. This meant that absolutely nothing was left for us. When I told the governor, Mr Chiwewe, he said that Veterai’s offer letter was fraudulent and he said that I should tell Veterai that he had said that. Veterai said that he did not care and that he was taking his 71 hectares and that no politician would stop him because they are all corrupt. Veterai had just broken into our office down at the compound and taken everything out and dumped it on the lawn. He also broke into my mother’s cottage and took all the keys with the result that every time I went to feed her cats, I had to climb through the lounge window where two louvers were missing. Veterai threatened our crocodile manager, Sam and said that he was going to kill him and throw his body into the croc pen. A couple of weeks before, Sam was told that he was going to be castrated if he did not move out of his house. While we were in South Africa during the month of December, his furniture was thrown out of his house into the mud as it had been raining. Since then he and his family had been living in the little cottage next to our house. He was scared out of his wits. Veterai came into our lounge and sat down, saying that he and his family and guards would be moving in with us that day, whether we liked it or not. When I said that I objected, he called me a racist and said that it was because he is black that we did not want him living with us. He shouted and ranted and raved like a madman again, saying that he knew how to eat with a knife and fork and that he knew how to use the bathroom properly. Anyway, he just made himself at home in the lounge for the rest of the day while his family moved their pots and pans etc into our kitchen. They took over the three guest rooms down the passage and the guards were posted in the lounge and dining room. Our front gate was locked and two booms were put up, one down at the compound and one just outside by the stables. We were prevented from leaving the house - just pure intimidation.
On the Wednesday morning–the guards unlocked our front gate obviously wanting us to leave everything and run. Our minister’s wife and another friend came to see how we were doing and we were sitting in the one section of the lounge, away from where the guards were. Veterai walked in from the bedroom where he had locked himself in until that time. He said that I had called him a baboon and started shouting and screaming and going beserk like a lunatic. I was flabbergasted as it was a total lie – I would never insult anyone like that, no matter what. Anyway, he calmed down eventually and went out of the room. After my visitors had left and I was walking back to the lounge, Veterai came walking out and as I passed him, my dogs (dachsi, jack Russell and two very gentle mongrel crosses) started barking at him. He immediately lashed out at me, saying that I had set the dogs on him and kicked them, at the same time pulling out his pistol and pointing it at them, saying that he would shoot them and anyone else who got in his way. That night we locked ourselves in our bedroom at about 5.30 and went to bed absolutely exhausted. My poor dogs and cats were absolutely terrified with all these strangers traipsing in out of our house like they owned the place.
On the Thursday morning we woke up, got dressed and went through to the kitchen to organize breakfast only to find about four women busy cooking sadza on our stove. We then proceeded to the lounge and found an absolute mess, obviously a party had been held the previous night as there were empty beer, liquor and coke bottles scattered all over the carpet and the furniture was in disarray. When Digby confronted Veterai about the mess and said that it was disgusting, he immediately twisted what he said and accused Digby of calling him disgusting. Later that morning the member-in-charge from the Police Station in Chiredzi came out to the farm and basically informed us that there was nothing they could do about the situation unless there was any violence as this is a land issue.
On the Friday morning no visitors were allowed to come out and see us at the house. We were sitting in the one section of the lounge listening to some Christian music and minding our own business. What happened next was just pure intimidation and when I think about it now I can’t believe what a cheek these people had – doing this to us in our own home where we have lived since 1983. One of Veterai’s green bombers came and put a C.D. player on the little table right next to me where I was sitting and plugged it in. He then put a C.D. in and turned the volume up, trying his utmost to really irritate and infuriate me. My immediate reaction was to get up and turn up the volume of my Christian music that we had been listening to. This carried on for some time and then we decided we would move to the other part of the lounge and turn our music down and just pretend that we could not even hear their music. They were trying their level best to irritate us and get us all worked up, so that we would say “enough, I am out of here” but they were wrong as it takes a lot more than that to get us out of our home where we have spent so many happy years. This is the house where our three children had grown up and also, it had taken us many years to pay the farm off when we bought it. We had to sell our transport business to pay the deposit.
Veterai carried his pistol with him at all times but when he arrived back from Harare which was normally late at night, he always arrived carrying his folding AK 47 machine gun as well. It was almost like he feared for his life and seemed to think that we might try to harm him during the night, as he always locked his bedroom door as well.
Our staff were prevented from coming to work for two days as they were told by the green bombers to stay away. My poor maid, Chipo, at this stage, was crying constantly and was suffering from severe headaches. She had also been chased away from her house in December and was having to share a room with a friend in the main compound.
On the Saturday we had a few visitors during the morning which we really appreciated as they brought us groceries which we really needed by this time and it was just no nice to see some friendly faces. While we were talking, the green bombers and Veterai’s relatives were playing their music loudly, trying to irritate us. That evening while we were sitting on the steps outside the lounge with our doctor and his wife ; our lounge had people coming in and out all afternoon– the doctor had come out to check our blood pressure just to make sure we were okay – men dressed in army uniforms started arriving as well as other people. Next minute we saw crates of beer, liquor and cokes being carried into the lounge so obviously a big party was being planned for that night. We just sat chatting, pretending we were not perturbed but knew we were in for a night of intimidation. As soon as our guests had left, we went through to the bedroom and locked ourselves in for the night. Fortunately the power that had gone out at 5 p.m. stayed off until 11 p.m. and it seemed that the party was a flop as the whole house was in darkness. We had our invertor on in the bedroom so we had a light and a fan. As you can imagine, we did not fall asleep for a long time as there were vehicles coming and going throughout the night and we heard people walking past our bedroom until late.
On the Sunday morning I went to my mother’s cottage (she is in South Africa with her sister and is unable to come back until things are back to normal) to feed her two cats. I had to climb through the window again. Veterai’s manager and another man have been sleeping in the lounge every night. On the way back I saw Veterai and about 12 of his guards sitting with him having a meeting. He was speaking on his cell phone at the time. Later that morning about ten or twelve members from our church tried to come and visit us after church but were not allowed in. They tried everything to persuade the guards to let them in and spent a couple of hours arguing with them until eventually our minister and his wife were allowed through. They gave us communion and were only allowed to stay for about 15 minutes.
On the Monday I went to my mother’s cottage to feed the cats and when I arrived there, I saw that the lounge door was open. I walked in, only to find Veterai sprawled on the couch in the lounge with three or four men around him having a meeting. I was taken aback but said nothing and just walked through to the kitchen and fed the cats. I then walked straight through the lounge again and pretended they were not there. They said nothing. The reason I did not say anything is because I had sworn on the Bible that I would never in my life say another word to Veterai because I had realized by this time that he was trying to provoke me and if I said nothing, then he could not accuse me of saying something I did not say, which was his way of provoking me and intimidating us.
By Tuesday our lawyers in Masvingo had managed to draw up a court order to have Veterai evicted from the farm until such time as the court case on 10th March. The court order stated that he had to evacuate the farm with immediate effect and that he could not come within 30 metres of the farm. Needless to say, this was totally ignored and nothing happened. By this time the guards were allowing us to have visitors but not more than two cars at one time. They wanted everyone’s names, I.D. numbers, vehicle registration numbers and the reason for visiting.
For the rest of the week there were comings and goings of Veterai and his family and staff. The only way we were coping with this unbelievable invasion of our privacy and intimidation was through our faith in God and our many friends and family who prayed continually and sent many sms’s giving us encouragement and support. Many people brought us groceries which were accepted with gratitude because by this time we had very little food left in our kitchen. I just want to mention that we had incredible support from many blacks as well as whites. We had many visits and phone calls from black friends and people we hardly knew which we really appreciated.
On the Saturday afternoon we were in our bedroom when the dogs started barking like mad. We saw two black men walking past from our bedroom, one who was carrying a firearm. I thought “what now?” Digby went outside only to find that it was our groom who was bringing the war veteran by the name of Satan from the farm next door. He wanted to see Digby and said to Digby that he is on our side and that he does not want to us leave our farm. He also said that he does not want Digby to get BP (blood pressure) which I found rather amusing. This guy Satan is one of the genuine war vets and has been on the farm next door for about six years now. He said that all the local war vets support us as they do not want Veterai taking over our farm. He said that Veterai had approached him and other war vets in the area and asked them to help jambanja us and they refused as they have the utmost respect for Digby He said he knew how much we have done for the community in the Lowveld, such as building an orphanage in Chiredzi which has 47 orphans in at present. He also built a clinic on the farm (which has been occupied by some of Veterai’s staff for the past year)and he had helped many people over the years.
On the Sunday morning we woke up to the sound of rapid gun fire just outside our yard. We immediately panicked, wondering what on earth was going on.
The dogs were barking like crazy so I went through to the kitchen to find about four women cooking on my stove. I then went through to the dining room and there was Veterai sitting at my dining room table with about six other men, eating sadza and having a meeting. They stayed most of the morning and we had people all over the house and in the garden. Our friend, Leon Kruger came around for tea and a visit so we went to sit outside in the corner of the garden, far from the maddening crowd. While we were sitting there, I felt like I had such a weight on my chest and I put my hand on my heart which by this time was beating so fast, I thought I was on the verge of having a heart attack. I got up, went to the lounge, passed Veterai who was still sitting in the dining room with his children and another man, just ignored him and went to sit in the lounge and listened to my Christian C.D. I just needed something to calm my nerves – the green bombers stared at me as though I was mad because I was singing with the music. I then sat on the carpet, in full view of Veterai, and played with my dogs while listening to the music. The next minute Veterai disappeared down the passage and came back with two bags in his hands and went out the door. He must have gone to Harare because with the elections coming on so soon and with him being so high up in the Police, he no doubt has his work cut out for him. We discovered later that the gun shots that we had heard that morning was some of Veterai’s men doing target practice right outside our yard!! Pure intimidation!!
By the Thursday Leon Kruger, a director in our company and Johan Hundermark, a member of our staff at the head office were no longer allowed to come and see us – what the reason is, I don’t know but I can only guess it is because they always bring us papers from the office or come to discuss business and it seems that, according to stories we have heard from various staff members, mine and his, is that Veterai wants us to go off the farm, to work or church and then he has given his guards instructions to lock us out once we go through the boom. Another two people who were banned from coming to see us was our son Rory and also Mike Clark. Later that morning Veterai’s manager came up the driveway in his pick-up to ask Digby when the pump, which had broken a few days before, was going to be ready and he must hurry up and get it fixed. Incidently the quote Digby got for having the pump repaired, was$15 billion.
On Sunday morning at about 2 a.m. we were woken up to the sound of a vehicle coming up our driveway and car lights shining through our bedroom window. Digby peeped through the curtain and saw Veterai and his wife get of the vehicle which was a brand new silver twin cab. Veterai was armed with a pistol and his AK47. He and his wife came inside and went and slept in the guestrooms down the passage. The dogs were at this stage barking like crazy and needless to say, we hardly slept for the rest of the night. Thankfully he left early the next morning.
We could not believe that we had now been prisoners in our own home for almost three weeks. If it was not for the incredible support of our family, friends and church members, we would never have survived up to now. We had so many sms’s, phone calls and e-mails from people near and far. They were so worried about our safety especially with Veterai walking around armed all the time.
On the Sunday we were lying on our bed feeling very despondent as the court order had been totally ignored and we did know which way to turn now.
We think back to 1980 and where we are right now. The honourable president Robert Mugabe said in his speech that any whites who wanted to stay after Independence and help to build a new Zimbabwe, were welcome. In 1990 when he said “one man, one farm” we realized that land reform was inevitable and we did not contest it when our two ranches, totaling 15,000 acres was taken for resettlement. These ranches were in the Chiredzi River Conservancy which would eventually become part of the trans-frontier park and we had bought all the game that was on the ranch and built a safari camp and a compound for our staff. Both properties were totally resettled and we did not protest as we believed in land reform even though this safari camp would have attracted tourists and brought in foreign currency. We thought back to what the President had said about one man, one farm and accepted the inevitable.
After that, suddenly three A2 settlers were allocated 20 hectares of sugar cane each on my remaining sugar cane farm. This cane had just been replanted. The farm is only 126 hectares altogether so this left us with 66 hectares which included the houses, compounds, crocodile operation and a hill behind the house.
Then in March 2007 Veterai arrived on the farm with an offer letter for 40 hectares which would mean that we were only left with 26 hectares which we did not agree with but we thought at least our house, my mothers’ cottage, our manager’s house and small compound and the crocodile set-up (a total of 8000 crocodiles) would not be included in the deal. Veterai said he wanted all the houses for himself, his family and staff and that afternoon he arrived at the house while Digby was at work and said that if we did not move out, he and I would sleep together that night. He then left and that night he returned at about 9.30 and said that he wanted the houses immediately. He got in his car and drove to our manager’s house where our operations manager was living and started harassing her and intimidating her, banging on the windows and scaring her half to death. Digby got a frantic sms from her and immediately got in his truck and drove over there. When he got there, there was Veterai at the house armed with an AK 47 and his wife was standing next to him, also armed and six armed guards were standing behind them. Digby, who was unarmed and had no weapon on him whatsoever, thought that this was the end of the road and expected to be shot any minute. Anyway he managed to get the operations manager out of the house and they came home shaken but thankfully unharmed, where she spent the night. She was totally traumatized by this event.
The next morning we found that our gates were locked and that we were unable to get to work. There were armed guards at the gate. At about 11 a.m. the D.A., the lands committee and about eight other people arrived to tell me that my manager had 24 hours to move out of her house because Veterai wanted to move in with his family. Digby kept asking them which 40 hectares was Mr Veterai taking over and they could not answer but they insisted that he was allowed to move into that house immediately. By this time our manager was so distraught that she just wanted to move out of her house and move into town where fortunately we had a little flat available.
Digby took the incident up with the local authorities and various ministers and was told that a meeting had been held with minister Mutasa and he had agreed that Veterai’s offer letter had been withdrawn and that he himself would come down to sort out the matter in December.
During the second week of December, we went to Pretoria to visit my brother for four days. While we were away, we got an urgent phone call from our manager to say that Veterai had chased all our senior staff and domestic staff out of their houses on the farm. Their furniture had been thrown out in the mud as it had been raining and they had to ask various friends if they had a spare room for them to move into. Veterai did this in the same way that he had conducted Operation Murambatsvina in Harare in 2006. He seemed to care very little about people’s feelings.
We left as soon as we could and wondered what was going to happen when we crossed the border at Beit Bridge as our staff had been told that Digby was going to be arrested and put in jail the moment we arrived in Zimbabwe. When we arrived home, there was a seven ton trailer parked in our driveway that prevented us from driving up to the house. We had picked up some of our staff from our office in town and they towed the trailer out of the way. Veterai had taken our landcruiser out of our garage and towed it to the compound and then parked his landrover in our garage in its place. He took our four vintage cars that were parked in our hangar and towed them to the compound too and then put some of his equipment there. He had also parked an old trailer full of old tyres on our lawn. Our staff took everything of Veterai’s out of our yard and left them outside our gate.
Our crocodile manager, Sam moved into the little cottage right next to our house where he and his family are still living.
Six weeks later Veterai moved into our house with his family and staff. And that is where we are now.
Continuation
On Saturday 16th February Veterai and family came to stay in our guestroom for the night. Thankfully they left quite early the next morning. He as usual locked the bedroom when he left.
From the Monday to the Friday there were no incidents – we just had the guard sitting in our lounge or should I say, sleeping on our chaise longue with his army boots on. We had a number of visitors and numerous sms’s and e-mails which was great.
On the Saturday night Veterai and wife arrived late yet again and spent the night in our guestrooms. They left early the next morning.
On Monday the 25th February Nathan and Tessa and Mark and Meghan came to visit us. We had a nice time and that was the last time we saw Mark and Meghan as they were leaving to go back to the States on the Wednesday.
On Tuesday morning Barry and Kim Styles and their little baby girl Brianna came to have tea which was lovely.
On Wednesday morning at 3.00 we were woken by the sound of a vehicle and saw the headlights shining through the window of our bedroom. The dogs were barking like mad. Veterai came in and went down the passage to the guestroom. The power went out at 5 a.m. so the house was in total darkness. Veterai left at about 6.30 after having used our house like a guesthouse where he can just come and go free of charge. His family has been in our manager’s house for a year and he has not paid one cent towards rent, lights, water and repairs and maintenance of pumps etc. The audacity of the man boggles the mind.
Tore, Leon and Nathan came to visit and to give us some moral support. At this stage all we know is that Vet is in the wrong and we are in the right and are fighting for what is right in God’s eyes and our eyes. On Thursday we had lights and power and cellphone signal after having had none the previous day. We had had no rain for five weeks and everything was starting to look dry and wilted.
I was just sitting there thinking that we could not get on with the every day running of our business because all we were doing was fighting to stay ino ur house and trying to hold onto what is rightfully ours. How absolutely absurd!!
We spent our days sitting in the garden under the trees because we did not want to sit in the lounge with the guards. We spent much of our time on the cellphone trying to keep our businesses from falling apart. At night we would go through to the bedroom and lock ourselves in for the night. We have a drink and some snacks before retiring to bed early, exhausted even though we were not doing much – I think it was just pure mental and emotional exhaustion. This we had been doing for six weeks now.
Gina, Julie and Brian came for tea and to see how we were doing. Lucy sent all our groceries that she had bought for us in S.A. with Brian which was so kind of her as we now at least had some fruit, vegetables and various other groceries to carry us through. Gina brought us some muffins and some lovely homemade lemon juice.
On Friday morning Norton came for coffee. Val and Susan came out to bring some cheques for signing and to go through various documents. Tommy and Molly sent us some mealies, bananas and avos which was so sweet of them. Gary and Theresa sent us some meat and biltong which we received with much appreciation. Alex Gagiani popped around in the afternoon – it was great to see him. At about 4.30 Tracy and Matthew arrived to visit us and spend the night. We had snacks and drinks outside as we were not using the lounge because of the guards.
Saturday 1st March, Noeline, bless her soul, arrived to do my hair which was by now showing the grey hairs profusely. She very kindly coloured and trimmed my hair as well as giving me a blow dry. I felt a different person afterwards! Tracy and Matt left at about 12.30 as we did not want them spending another night in case Veterai arrived which he had been doing every Saturday for five weeks already.
That afternoon Paul and Christine came for tea – they are now living in Mocambique and just came to Chiredzi to collect their deep freeze. They had lost their sugarcane farm in the Lowveld a couple of years before.
On Sunday 2nd March Tessa, Nathan, Norton, Noeline and Leon all came for lunch. They all brought a dish of some sort which was great and we had a nice lunch together. Rory arrived just after lunch from Bulawayo. That afternoon Zebedee, Fran and Tore came for tea and to see how we were doing. So it was a very busy day with all the visitors but most enjoyable. That night the phone rang and somebody asked to speak to Veterai, obviously expecting him to answer the phone.
On Monday 3rd March Norton phoned to say that he had heard that Veterai was trying to get the war vets in the area to come and jambanja us, but they did not want to know his troubles.
We had now been prisoners in our home for five weeks but it is amazing how the time flew by. Rory went to the office to do some work. Greg, Claire and Mac came for tea about mid morning.
On Tuesday 4th March Veterai and wife arrived at 2.00 a.m. and spent the night. He left early the next morning as he had to be in Masvingo for the court case re the farm. Rory left at 5.00 a.m. as he was going up to the court case on behalf of Digby. At about 8.00 a.m. Veterai’s guards were waiting to see Digby. They complained that our staff were stealing and eating “their” sugarcane. This was the very sugarcane that they had taken from us and they were complaining about theft. The mind boggles! Anyway, Digby said to them they must report them to the police but that our staff would lay assault charges against them as apparently the guards had beaten our staff and the one had a very sore hand. When Digby asked the guards if they had hit them, they said they had not and that they had chased the guys and they had fallen, hurting themselves in that way. We knew that was not true. They left the matter at that and did nothing.
We managed to get hold of Rory in the afternoon to find out how the court case went and he said it went well. The court ruling was that Veterai had to get out of our house and Digby’s mom’s house with immediate effect. Theoretically the guards had to move out too.
On Wednesday the guards were still here. Veterai had not given them instructions to move out. The court order was supposed to be ready on Thursday afternoon. Penny and Maureen came for tea and to see how we were doing.
On Thursday Noeline, Sally and Eric Bemont came for tea. Had a lovely time together. We had no cellphone signal in the afternoon.
Pete and Morag came to visit on Friday morning. It was good to see them as they had been away in S.A. for about a month. They had smsed us daily while they were away to see what the situation was on the farm. Ben Fayd’herbe came around too to chat to Digby about crocodile food. Tore popped in during the afternoon – he has been so good to us and has visited about a dozen times already. Still waiting for court ruling which has not yet arrived.
On Saturday 8th March Lucy and Rob came to see us and we had a great time chatting. In the afternoon Penny, Gerry and Rose came to visit. No sooner had they arrived, when Norton, Noeline, Nathan and Tessa came so we all had a wonderful time together. We were able to sit in the lounge for the second time in a very long time as the guards had now moved out of the house.
On Sunday we had a quiet uneventful day. At about 5.30 Brian and Sally and kids came around to see how we were doing. They had lost both their farms where they farmed sugarcane, citrus and various other crops and they had the only dairy in the Lowveld. They were planning on going to the U.S.A. They will be a great loss to the community.
That night we were watching “The last king of Scotland” when we looked out the window and saw Veterai’s vehicle parked outside. He and his wife and another couple came and spent the night, totally defying the court ruling which said that he was not allowed to do so. As usual Veterai came in armed with his AK rifle. They left quite early the next morning. Our court case which was postponed from the 28th January to 10th March was due to be held that morning, but we had not yet had the summons for it. We got hold of our lawyer and he said that they had managed to postpone the court case to the 7th April which we were pleased about. We still do not have a copy of the court ruling from last Tuesday’s court case but have been told that it will be here tomorrow.
Since Veterai’s stay here on Sunday night, his guards have moved back to outside the house. Apparently Vet told his guards that they must spit in our faces when they see us.
On Tuesday the 11th March we finally received the second court ruling which stated that Veterai must move out of our house and my mother’s house and that everything must revert to the way it was in 2007, meaning that Veterai must move back to the manager’s house which is a big three-bedroomed house where he has been for a year already.
I informed the guard who was sitting outside our lounge that we had received the court order and told him to call his supervisor so that I could tell him as well. They did not return and still had not done so by the evening.
We were feeling very positive about everything when we received the court order and really thought that the situation on the farm would now change and we would be able to go back to work. It was already over six weeks that we had been virtual prisoners in our home.
However, that night we went to bed at 8.30 only to be awakened at 10.30 by voices in our passage. I got out of bed and went to see who in their right mind would have the nerve to come into our house at that hour of the night. Lo and behold, there was Mrs Veterai and her children plus a number of guards walking down the passage. I asked them if they realized that they were contravening the court order and they said that it did not matter and they were going to spend the night. They then went down the passage to the guest bedrooms and proceeded to make themselves comfortable for the night.
The next morning I saw Veterai’s manager coming out of our guest bathroom so he must have spent the night as well.
This came as no surprise to us as this is the second court order that we have received that has been totally defied by Veterai. We received a court order for the 5th February banning him from coming within 30 metres of our house. This was ignored by him and he and his family continued to come and stay at our house on numerous occasions. And his guards were still posted outside our lounge.
This latest violation comes one day after we received the new provisional court order.
The court case which was due on the 7th April has now been suddenly moved to the 19th March. A summons was received on Friday. Our Lawyers now unprepared.
That night Veterai’s manager and wife and children as well as the guard came and slept in our house yet again. We did and said nothing as they left early the next morning. All we knew was that they were totally and blatantly defying the court order that had been issued the previous day.
That afternoon Veterai’s senior guard came to see me together with their tractor driver. When I asked him about he and Veterai’s manager and wife staying in our house for the two previous nights and said that they were contravening the court order, he just said that he was taking instructions from Veterai and that he was just doing his job. That night nobody came to stay. I think he was beginning to feel afraid as we had heard that four of his security guards had run away the previous day and two had run away the previous week. I think they were getting fed up and were obviously not paid enough to want to stay.
On Thursday morning we were sitting outside in the garden when two youngsters came walking through the gate. The older one shook hands and introduced himself very politely as Veterai’s nephew. The younger was Veterai’s maid’s son. The older one sat and chatted and said that he has just written his O levels and that he has many ideas as to what he wants to do with his life. He asked if he could please borrow our cellphone charger which we lent him. He said that he would bring it back as soon he was finished with it and could he please come and chat to me and get some advice from me about various business ideas that he had. He spoke very good English and was a nice-looking and extremely pleasant young lad. I thought how bizarre that was and we think he must take after his grandfather who we have heard is a very nice and respected gentleman.
On Friday Penny came to visit and to give us some moral support. She was been so supportive and has been praying constantly for us. On the Saturday Pete and Morag came to see how we were doing and then Tore and Smithy arrived for tea. Everyone has been so wonderful to us that we feel absolutely overwhelmed by the kindness and prayers from friends near and far. It has really touched our hearts in such a big way and made us realize again just what an incredible place the Lowveld is because the people are so special and care so much for one another.
That night about six guards arrived and took over the lounge. I asked them what was going on and they said that Veterai was coming. Quite early in the evening Veterai, his wife and family and the manager and his family arrived and made themselves at home in our house. Then about four more guards arrived. At about midnight the guards started playing the bongo drums and singing just outside out bedroom and this carried on for about two hours. They were trying their best to scare and intimidate us but fortunately with our air conditioner on, we hardly even heard them. Needless to say, we did not get much sleep as the dogs barked throughout the night.
The next morning which was the Sunday we were having breakfast in the dining room as it was drizzling outside. We noticed that there were election posters on the lounge walls, on the trees outside, on the bonnet of our car and on the table where we always sit outside in order to keep away from the guards. The guards were sitting in the lounge eating huge bowls of sadza that had been cooked in a half drum right outside the dining room. Two of the guards got up and came and sat down at the table with us. They began talking to us and one of them asked me if I had a spare bible for him. I said that I did and went through to the bedroom to fetch it for him. When I tried to hand it to him, he said that he had better not take it then as he would get into trouble. I said that I would leave it on the table and he could take it when he felt it was safe to do so. Just shows how petrified these guards are of Veterai and how intimidating he is to them.
The next minute Veterai came strutting through from the bedroom, walked past us and went outside, with his AK rifle over his shoulder. Then our maid who was in a state of panic came to me and said that Veterai had gone into their little guestroom next to our house where her husband was. I asked him what he was doing and then he started screaming and shouting and asking why we had locked the one interleading door in the house. When I asked him to show me which door it was, I explained to him that the door sticks and it looks like it is locked, but it is not. He then ranted and raved saying that we were planning all kinds of things to harm him. He swore like a trooper and called Jessie “that stupid girl” because of the article that had appeared in the newspaper. Jessie did say a word as she had sworn that she would never say another word to him again. He then stormed off. Just then our friends, Rob and Lucy arrived so we went outside and had tea with them in the garden.
It started raining so we went into the lounge. No long afterwards two policemen arrived to ask Rob and Lucy why their new single twin cab did not have licence plates. Rob explained that they had just bought the vehicle and that the papers were at Croco Motors whom they had bought the truck from. The one policemen asked them to go with them to the police station and prove that what they said was true. This they did and everything was in order. Veterai had phoned the police to tell them about the truck and was wanting to get them into trouble.
That afternoon our friends Norton and Noeline came for tea so again we sat in the lounge because it was drizzling outside. We sat on the one side of the lounge and the guards sat on the other side. That night it was fairly quiet but the guards and Veterai’s family were still using our house like it was theirs. They were using our bathrooms, leaving them in a mess by not cleaning up after they had bathed or used the toilet. They stole my soap and my candle out of the bathroom. I also noticed a number of other items missing too. One of my brass ornaments in the lounge went missing, a carving knife and bread out of the kitchen as well as the soap that was next to the basin. Almost every day there were things being taken.
On Monday afternoon our friend Penny came to see how we were after the traumatic weekend as she knew we were feeling down. That night the power went out and we were sitting locked in our bedroom when at about 7.00 p.m. there was a knock at our door. It was our maid Esnat with her son and they said that the guards were in the dining room waiting to see me. I went through and there were about 16 guards all in all and they said that they had been given instructions by Veterai that our crocodile manager who was living with his family in the little guestroom next to our house had to move out immediately. I could see that some of the guards had been drinking and smoking dagga as they had a glazed look in their eyes. They needed something to give them the courage to confront me. I said that we would sort something out the following day, but I knew that Sam was afraid for his safety and his family’s and would have to move him the next morning.
Two of the guards and their families moved into the outside guestroom. Poor Sam and his wife have to come in from town every morning, do their work and then return to town in the evening. Rather expensive considering that diesel is now 60 million dollars a litre.
On Tuesday Tore and Smithy came to have tea and to give us a bit of moral support. We really appreciated our friends coming around as it always brightened our day.
That night Veterai arrived just after midnight. We knew he was coming because suddenly their were a lot more guards in the lounge and dining doom. We also knew he had to come for the court case which was being held in Chiredzi the following morning.
The next day I got dressed and left for the court case at 7.30 a.m.– this was the first time I had left the house for over seven weeks. Eight of our friends came to the house so that they could keep Jessie company while I was at the court case. I got to the court room and my lawyer, Mr Rodney Makausi was already there. Veterai arrived with his wife but without a lawyer, so he must have been very sure that he was going to win the case. The magistrate said because not enough time had been given to prepare for the case, the court case was postponed to the 9th April. I was very relieved to hear this but could see that Veterai was furious.
I arrived back home with my lawyer as I was not sure if I would be allowed back through the boom. Everyone was overjoyed and relieved about the outcome of the court case. I just want to mention that we had three anonymous calls warning me that I must make sure that I attend the court case as the police had been given instructions to arrest me if I did not do so. We also a visit from one of the A2’s who lives near us, just to see how we were doing.
On Thursday morning Tommy and Mollie Warth arrived to visit with us. They are an elderly couple who live on a ranch about 50 kilometres out of Chirdezi. Shame, they got stuck on our road and had to get our tractor to pull them out. Poor Mollie had to walk about two kilometers through the mud to call the driver and then got on the tractor with the driver and drove back to their vehicle where he managed to pull them out. Then there was nobody manning the boom so Mollie who is in her mid seventies, had to get out the truck and open the boom herself. Needless to say, they were exhausted by the time they arrived at the house. They stayed for lunch and caught up with all the news from the past two months.
At lunchtime on Friday our son Rory and our daughter Tracy arrived from Bulawayo to spend the night and to see how we are doing. They brought us some meat, vegetables and various groceries as we were beginning to run out – have not been to town for almost 8 weeks now. It was so wonderful to see them as we are a very close family and they have been very worried about us. They did not bring their spouses and our granddaughter as we never know how safe it is. Also, most of our guestrooms are being used by Veterai, family and guards. I only have one guestroom that we are able to use for our family and it is does not have a lock on it – that is why they do not use it.
That night Rory, Tracy, Jessie and I locked ourselves in our bedroom and had a few snacks and just chatted about all the good times we had had on the farm when the kids were young. We had so many happy memories and now some total stranger had come along and wanted to take all this away from us. This makes us even more determined to stay and not be intimidated. Although I must admit, the invasion of our privacy gets us down at times.
I slept on a mattress on the floor that night so that Tracy could sleep in the kingsize bed with Jessie. Rory slept in the guest room. Rory and Tracy both wanted to sleep on the floor instead of me but I would not hear of it.
When we woke up the next morning and looked out of the window, as sure as eggs, there was Veterai’s twincab vehicle. Then I heard him right outside of our bedrom door talking on his cellphone. I am sick to death of the audacity of this man who keeps blatantly defying all the court orders and thinks that he is above the law and openly says so. His day of reckoning is coming, it is just a matter of time.
The next morning, Saturday, we got up and had breakfast in our bedroom. There were guards all over the house again because of Veterai’s presence. Thankfully he left early and we could relax and enjoy one another’s company. We had an early lunch and Rory and Tracy left soon after to go back to Bulawayo.
Then we just lay on the bed most of the afternoon, feeling rather down since the kids had left. The guards and their wives and babies were sitting in the lounge talking and making themselves right at home. I felt angry but tried not to let my emotions get the better of me.
On Easter Sunday our minister, his wife and another friend, Noeline came to have lunch with us. We had been feeling very down and welcomed the visitors with open arms.
On the Monday we had a very quiet day with no visitors and were feeling terribly isolated and cut off from everybody. This was definitely the worst Easter we had ever experienced. It was now exactly eight weeks that we had been virtual prisoners in our home. We are hoping that the situation will change after the elections which are in three days time. This and the SADC tribunal outcome is the only hope we have left.
On Tuesday Rory drove down from Bulawayo to Masvingo for the court case re Veterai’s failure to the two previous orders. He met our lawyers, Rodnay Makausi and Miss Maposa who are representing us at the court. To the disgust of both lawyers, they were told that the decision was postponed to the 3rd April, and no reasons were given, although we had overwhelming evidence that he had contravened the court orders.
On Wednesday I noticed that some sugar had been stolen out of the kitchen. I mentioned it to one of Veterai’s staff and he assured that it would be replaced. Another one of his staff came to me in the afternoon and asked me if we had any old clothes for her because her house in the T.T.L. had burned down. I said to her that if she worked for me, I would willingly help her but told her that she needs to ask her boss, Veterai, for help. She could not understand why I declined to give her any assistance.
Later that morning one of my staff came to see me and told me that Veterai said that if things did not go according to plan in the upcoming elections, then he would shoot Jessie and I. When I told my brother in Jo’burg what he had said, he said that we should pack our bags and leave. Of course we would not do that and that is when he said that if anything should happen to us, then he would get the best lawyers and fight this case to the bitter end.
We have just had a phone call from a total stranger in Harare, a lady by the name of Agnes who goes to the Celebration Centre Church. She said that she and the other ladies in her church are getting together to-morrow morning to pray for us. I thought that was just so amazing and can just see how God is working in our favor and so many people’s lives because of what we are going through.
Please credit www.kubatana.net
http://thebeardedman.blogspot.com/2008/03/thursday-20th-march-2008.html
Near Nandi & Hippo Valley
Google count: 20 for Chirdezi
Date: 17 November 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Date posted:Mon 23-Dec-2002
Date published:Mon 23-Dec-2002
Yesterday police notified the group that they would instead be arrested on 27 December
The documents that I find of most interest are the Jess's narration of events. They paint a terrible picture of the manner of the invasion and the treatment to which they have been subjected.
Horrendous reading.
If you haven't read Eric Harrison's book 'Jambanja', might I suggest that you consider buying a copy. Eric's farm was not very far from Chiredzi, and some of the people mentioned by Jess are also mentioned in Eric's book. 'Jambanja' is civil disobedience. In this case it is the terrorising of the farmers by spending the whole night surrounding the homestead, singing war songs, banging on windows and doors, shouting threats and just keeping everybody awake.
In anyone's experience, a truly frightening time.
I know, from first hand experience, that the Lowveld community is tough, resilient and staunchly loyal to their own. And I admire them for that... big time!
The 25 Chirdezi cane farmers who were yesterday threatened with arrest on charges of staying on their farms have been granted a temporary reprieve, a spokesperson for the group said yesterday. The farmers had been notified that they would be arrested last weekend, and would be likely to spend the Chrsitmas holiday period in custody because the courts do not reopen until next Monday. Yesterday police notified the group that they would instead be arrested on 27 December.
MORE:
www.kubatana.net
Invasion of Farm 30 - N & B Sugar Estates
Jessie Nesbitt
April 05, 2008
Digby and Jessie Nesbitt have been held captive on their Farm by the Commissioner of Police – Edmore Veterai. He has stated he is “above the law” and continues to defy court orders, to leave the Nesbitts and their farming operation, that supports the community and an orphanage in peace. This is Jessie’s story of the happenings in their house that they have not left for over a month.
The following is the story of our nightmare that began weeks ago with no end in sight as yet. We had numerous phone calls from various people wanting us to go public with what was happening on the farm. However, we were reluctant to do so, hoping that the justice system in this country would prevail because we had various court orders supposedly preventing this nightmare from happening.
Because we had not evacuated our farm by 30th November, 2007 we were summoned to court at 9 a.m. on the morning of 28th January, 2008 The reason we had not left our farm by that date was because we had been informed by four top government officials, one of which was a minister who informed us that the honourable minister Mutasa was coming down to the Lowveld on the 19th December to resolve our issue on the farm. On the 18th we were informed that the honourable minister Mutusa could not come down on that date due to other commitments but would come in early January. During the month of January my husband, Digby was asked to report to the Police Station in Chiredzi to be charged. He had to give a statement and was told to report to the court on the 28th January at 9 a.m. When he arrived there, he was told that the court case was postponed to 12 p.m. He went back at 12 p.m. only to be told that it was now postponed to the 10th March 2008. That afternoon when returning to work in Chiredzi from farm 30, Digby met up with Mr Veterai, the assist commissioner in the Police. He stopped Digby and said that he did not care about the court case as he was above the law and that he was taking over the farm immediately. He ranted and raved like a madman and said that he was going to kick Digby’s white arse of the farm no matter what. Digby drove to town and reported the incident to the member-in-charge at the Police Station, who said that they could only intervene if there was violence as this was a land issue and unless he had some kind of court order, they could do nothing. He then went straight home as he was afraid for my safety as we had had previous altercations with Veterai before and he has a temper on him and always walks around armed with a pistol and sometimes also a folding buttAK 47 rifle.
On the Tuesday morning at 6.30 Veterai arrived at our house with about 15 people including his wife and green bombers. Veterai showed us his new offer letter which said that he was taking over 71 hectares instead of the original 40 that he had been allocated. This meant that absolutely nothing was left for us. When I told the governor, Mr Chiwewe, he said that Veterai’s offer letter was fraudulent and he said that I should tell Veterai that he had said that. Veterai said that he did not care and that he was taking his 71 hectares and that no politician would stop him because they are all corrupt. Veterai had just broken into our office down at the compound and taken everything out and dumped it on the lawn. He also broke into my mother’s cottage and took all the keys with the result that every time I went to feed her cats, I had to climb through the lounge window where two louvers were missing. Veterai threatened our crocodile manager, Sam and said that he was going to kill him and throw his body into the croc pen. A couple of weeks before, Sam was told that he was going to be castrated if he did not move out of his house. While we were in South Africa during the month of December, his furniture was thrown out of his house into the mud as it had been raining. Since then he and his family had been living in the little cottage next to our house. He was scared out of his wits. Veterai came into our lounge and sat down, saying that he and his family and guards would be moving in with us that day, whether we liked it or not. When I said that I objected, he called me a racist and said that it was because he is black that we did not want him living with us. He shouted and ranted and raved like a madman again, saying that he knew how to eat with a knife and fork and that he knew how to use the bathroom properly. Anyway, he just made himself at home in the lounge for the rest of the day while his family moved their pots and pans etc into our kitchen. They took over the three guest rooms down the passage and the guards were posted in the lounge and dining room. Our front gate was locked and two booms were put up, one down at the compound and one just outside by the stables. We were prevented from leaving the house - just pure intimidation.
On the Wednesday morning–the guards unlocked our front gate obviously wanting us to leave everything and run. Our minister’s wife and another friend came to see how we were doing and we were sitting in the one section of the lounge, away from where the guards were. Veterai walked in from the bedroom where he had locked himself in until that time. He said that I had called him a baboon and started shouting and screaming and going beserk like a lunatic. I was flabbergasted as it was a total lie – I would never insult anyone like that, no matter what. Anyway, he calmed down eventually and went out of the room. After my visitors had left and I was walking back to the lounge, Veterai came walking out and as I passed him, my dogs (dachsi, jack Russell and two very gentle mongrel crosses) started barking at him. He immediately lashed out at me, saying that I had set the dogs on him and kicked them, at the same time pulling out his pistol and pointing it at them, saying that he would shoot them and anyone else who got in his way. That night we locked ourselves in our bedroom at about 5.30 and went to bed absolutely exhausted. My poor dogs and cats were absolutely terrified with all these strangers traipsing in out of our house like they owned the place.
On the Thursday morning we woke up, got dressed and went through to the kitchen to organize breakfast only to find about four women busy cooking sadza on our stove. We then proceeded to the lounge and found an absolute mess, obviously a party had been held the previous night as there were empty beer, liquor and coke bottles scattered all over the carpet and the furniture was in disarray. When Digby confronted Veterai about the mess and said that it was disgusting, he immediately twisted what he said and accused Digby of calling him disgusting. Later that morning the member-in-charge from the Police Station in Chiredzi came out to the farm and basically informed us that there was nothing they could do about the situation unless there was any violence as this is a land issue.
On the Friday morning no visitors were allowed to come out and see us at the house. We were sitting in the one section of the lounge listening to some Christian music and minding our own business. What happened next was just pure intimidation and when I think about it now I can’t believe what a cheek these people had – doing this to us in our own home where we have lived since 1983. One of Veterai’s green bombers came and put a C.D. player on the little table right next to me where I was sitting and plugged it in. He then put a C.D. in and turned the volume up, trying his utmost to really irritate and infuriate me. My immediate reaction was to get up and turn up the volume of my Christian music that we had been listening to. This carried on for some time and then we decided we would move to the other part of the lounge and turn our music down and just pretend that we could not even hear their music. They were trying their level best to irritate us and get us all worked up, so that we would say “enough, I am out of here” but they were wrong as it takes a lot more than that to get us out of our home where we have spent so many happy years. This is the house where our three children had grown up and also, it had taken us many years to pay the farm off when we bought it. We had to sell our transport business to pay the deposit.
Veterai carried his pistol with him at all times but when he arrived back from Harare which was normally late at night, he always arrived carrying his folding AK 47 machine gun as well. It was almost like he feared for his life and seemed to think that we might try to harm him during the night, as he always locked his bedroom door as well.
Our staff were prevented from coming to work for two days as they were told by the green bombers to stay away. My poor maid, Chipo, at this stage, was crying constantly and was suffering from severe headaches. She had also been chased away from her house in December and was having to share a room with a friend in the main compound.
On the Saturday we had a few visitors during the morning which we really appreciated as they brought us groceries which we really needed by this time and it was just no nice to see some friendly faces. While we were talking, the green bombers and Veterai’s relatives were playing their music loudly, trying to irritate us. That evening while we were sitting on the steps outside the lounge with our doctor and his wife ; our lounge had people coming in and out all afternoon– the doctor had come out to check our blood pressure just to make sure we were okay – men dressed in army uniforms started arriving as well as other people. Next minute we saw crates of beer, liquor and cokes being carried into the lounge so obviously a big party was being planned for that night. We just sat chatting, pretending we were not perturbed but knew we were in for a night of intimidation. As soon as our guests had left, we went through to the bedroom and locked ourselves in for the night. Fortunately the power that had gone out at 5 p.m. stayed off until 11 p.m. and it seemed that the party was a flop as the whole house was in darkness. We had our invertor on in the bedroom so we had a light and a fan. As you can imagine, we did not fall asleep for a long time as there were vehicles coming and going throughout the night and we heard people walking past our bedroom until late.
On the Sunday morning I went to my mother’s cottage (she is in South Africa with her sister and is unable to come back until things are back to normal) to feed her two cats. I had to climb through the window again. Veterai’s manager and another man have been sleeping in the lounge every night. On the way back I saw Veterai and about 12 of his guards sitting with him having a meeting. He was speaking on his cell phone at the time. Later that morning about ten or twelve members from our church tried to come and visit us after church but were not allowed in. They tried everything to persuade the guards to let them in and spent a couple of hours arguing with them until eventually our minister and his wife were allowed through. They gave us communion and were only allowed to stay for about 15 minutes.
On the Monday I went to my mother’s cottage to feed the cats and when I arrived there, I saw that the lounge door was open. I walked in, only to find Veterai sprawled on the couch in the lounge with three or four men around him having a meeting. I was taken aback but said nothing and just walked through to the kitchen and fed the cats. I then walked straight through the lounge again and pretended they were not there. They said nothing. The reason I did not say anything is because I had sworn on the Bible that I would never in my life say another word to Veterai because I had realized by this time that he was trying to provoke me and if I said nothing, then he could not accuse me of saying something I did not say, which was his way of provoking me and intimidating us.
By Tuesday our lawyers in Masvingo had managed to draw up a court order to have Veterai evicted from the farm until such time as the court case on 10th March. The court order stated that he had to evacuate the farm with immediate effect and that he could not come within 30 metres of the farm. Needless to say, this was totally ignored and nothing happened. By this time the guards were allowing us to have visitors but not more than two cars at one time. They wanted everyone’s names, I.D. numbers, vehicle registration numbers and the reason for visiting.
For the rest of the week there were comings and goings of Veterai and his family and staff. The only way we were coping with this unbelievable invasion of our privacy and intimidation was through our faith in God and our many friends and family who prayed continually and sent many sms’s giving us encouragement and support. Many people brought us groceries which were accepted with gratitude because by this time we had very little food left in our kitchen. I just want to mention that we had incredible support from many blacks as well as whites. We had many visits and phone calls from black friends and people we hardly knew which we really appreciated.
On the Saturday afternoon we were in our bedroom when the dogs started barking like mad. We saw two black men walking past from our bedroom, one who was carrying a firearm. I thought “what now?” Digby went outside only to find that it was our groom who was bringing the war veteran by the name of Satan from the farm next door. He wanted to see Digby and said to Digby that he is on our side and that he does not want to us leave our farm. He also said that he does not want Digby to get BP (blood pressure) which I found rather amusing. This guy Satan is one of the genuine war vets and has been on the farm next door for about six years now. He said that all the local war vets support us as they do not want Veterai taking over our farm. He said that Veterai had approached him and other war vets in the area and asked them to help jambanja us and they refused as they have the utmost respect for Digby He said he knew how much we have done for the community in the Lowveld, such as building an orphanage in Chiredzi which has 47 orphans in at present. He also built a clinic on the farm (which has been occupied by some of Veterai’s staff for the past year)and he had helped many people over the years.
On the Sunday morning we woke up to the sound of rapid gun fire just outside our yard. We immediately panicked, wondering what on earth was going on.
The dogs were barking like crazy so I went through to the kitchen to find about four women cooking on my stove. I then went through to the dining room and there was Veterai sitting at my dining room table with about six other men, eating sadza and having a meeting. They stayed most of the morning and we had people all over the house and in the garden. Our friend, Leon Kruger came around for tea and a visit so we went to sit outside in the corner of the garden, far from the maddening crowd. While we were sitting there, I felt like I had such a weight on my chest and I put my hand on my heart which by this time was beating so fast, I thought I was on the verge of having a heart attack. I got up, went to the lounge, passed Veterai who was still sitting in the dining room with his children and another man, just ignored him and went to sit in the lounge and listened to my Christian C.D. I just needed something to calm my nerves – the green bombers stared at me as though I was mad because I was singing with the music. I then sat on the carpet, in full view of Veterai, and played with my dogs while listening to the music. The next minute Veterai disappeared down the passage and came back with two bags in his hands and went out the door. He must have gone to Harare because with the elections coming on so soon and with him being so high up in the Police, he no doubt has his work cut out for him. We discovered later that the gun shots that we had heard that morning was some of Veterai’s men doing target practice right outside our yard!! Pure intimidation!!
By the Thursday Leon Kruger, a director in our company and Johan Hundermark, a member of our staff at the head office were no longer allowed to come and see us – what the reason is, I don’t know but I can only guess it is because they always bring us papers from the office or come to discuss business and it seems that, according to stories we have heard from various staff members, mine and his, is that Veterai wants us to go off the farm, to work or church and then he has given his guards instructions to lock us out once we go through the boom. Another two people who were banned from coming to see us was our son Rory and also Mike Clark. Later that morning Veterai’s manager came up the driveway in his pick-up to ask Digby when the pump, which had broken a few days before, was going to be ready and he must hurry up and get it fixed. Incidently the quote Digby got for having the pump repaired, was$15 billion.
On Sunday morning at about 2 a.m. we were woken up to the sound of a vehicle coming up our driveway and car lights shining through our bedroom window. Digby peeped through the curtain and saw Veterai and his wife get of the vehicle which was a brand new silver twin cab. Veterai was armed with a pistol and his AK47. He and his wife came inside and went and slept in the guestrooms down the passage. The dogs were at this stage barking like crazy and needless to say, we hardly slept for the rest of the night. Thankfully he left early the next morning.
We could not believe that we had now been prisoners in our own home for almost three weeks. If it was not for the incredible support of our family, friends and church members, we would never have survived up to now. We had so many sms’s, phone calls and e-mails from people near and far. They were so worried about our safety especially with Veterai walking around armed all the time.
On the Sunday we were lying on our bed feeling very despondent as the court order had been totally ignored and we did know which way to turn now.
We think back to 1980 and where we are right now. The honourable president Robert Mugabe said in his speech that any whites who wanted to stay after Independence and help to build a new Zimbabwe, were welcome. In 1990 when he said “one man, one farm” we realized that land reform was inevitable and we did not contest it when our two ranches, totaling 15,000 acres was taken for resettlement. These ranches were in the Chiredzi River Conservancy which would eventually become part of the trans-frontier park and we had bought all the game that was on the ranch and built a safari camp and a compound for our staff. Both properties were totally resettled and we did not protest as we believed in land reform even though this safari camp would have attracted tourists and brought in foreign currency. We thought back to what the President had said about one man, one farm and accepted the inevitable.
After that, suddenly three A2 settlers were allocated 20 hectares of sugar cane each on my remaining sugar cane farm. This cane had just been replanted. The farm is only 126 hectares altogether so this left us with 66 hectares which included the houses, compounds, crocodile operation and a hill behind the house.
Then in March 2007 Veterai arrived on the farm with an offer letter for 40 hectares which would mean that we were only left with 26 hectares which we did not agree with but we thought at least our house, my mothers’ cottage, our manager’s house and small compound and the crocodile set-up (a total of 8000 crocodiles) would not be included in the deal. Veterai said he wanted all the houses for himself, his family and staff and that afternoon he arrived at the house while Digby was at work and said that if we did not move out, he and I would sleep together that night. He then left and that night he returned at about 9.30 and said that he wanted the houses immediately. He got in his car and drove to our manager’s house where our operations manager was living and started harassing her and intimidating her, banging on the windows and scaring her half to death. Digby got a frantic sms from her and immediately got in his truck and drove over there. When he got there, there was Veterai at the house armed with an AK 47 and his wife was standing next to him, also armed and six armed guards were standing behind them. Digby, who was unarmed and had no weapon on him whatsoever, thought that this was the end of the road and expected to be shot any minute. Anyway he managed to get the operations manager out of the house and they came home shaken but thankfully unharmed, where she spent the night. She was totally traumatized by this event.
The next morning we found that our gates were locked and that we were unable to get to work. There were armed guards at the gate. At about 11 a.m. the D.A., the lands committee and about eight other people arrived to tell me that my manager had 24 hours to move out of her house because Veterai wanted to move in with his family. Digby kept asking them which 40 hectares was Mr Veterai taking over and they could not answer but they insisted that he was allowed to move into that house immediately. By this time our manager was so distraught that she just wanted to move out of her house and move into town where fortunately we had a little flat available.
Digby took the incident up with the local authorities and various ministers and was told that a meeting had been held with minister Mutasa and he had agreed that Veterai’s offer letter had been withdrawn and that he himself would come down to sort out the matter in December.
During the second week of December, we went to Pretoria to visit my brother for four days. While we were away, we got an urgent phone call from our manager to say that Veterai had chased all our senior staff and domestic staff out of their houses on the farm. Their furniture had been thrown out in the mud as it had been raining and they had to ask various friends if they had a spare room for them to move into. Veterai did this in the same way that he had conducted Operation Murambatsvina in Harare in 2006. He seemed to care very little about people’s feelings.
We left as soon as we could and wondered what was going to happen when we crossed the border at Beit Bridge as our staff had been told that Digby was going to be arrested and put in jail the moment we arrived in Zimbabwe. When we arrived home, there was a seven ton trailer parked in our driveway that prevented us from driving up to the house. We had picked up some of our staff from our office in town and they towed the trailer out of the way. Veterai had taken our landcruiser out of our garage and towed it to the compound and then parked his landrover in our garage in its place. He took our four vintage cars that were parked in our hangar and towed them to the compound too and then put some of his equipment there. He had also parked an old trailer full of old tyres on our lawn. Our staff took everything of Veterai’s out of our yard and left them outside our gate.
Our crocodile manager, Sam moved into the little cottage right next to our house where he and his family are still living.
Six weeks later Veterai moved into our house with his family and staff. And that is where we are now.
Continuation
On Saturday 16th February Veterai and family came to stay in our guestroom for the night. Thankfully they left quite early the next morning. He as usual locked the bedroom when he left.
From the Monday to the Friday there were no incidents – we just had the guard sitting in our lounge or should I say, sleeping on our chaise longue with his army boots on. We had a number of visitors and numerous sms’s and e-mails which was great.
On the Saturday night Veterai and wife arrived late yet again and spent the night in our guestrooms. They left early the next morning.
On Monday the 25th February Nathan and Tessa and Mark and Meghan came to visit us. We had a nice time and that was the last time we saw Mark and Meghan as they were leaving to go back to the States on the Wednesday.
On Tuesday morning Barry and Kim Styles and their little baby girl Brianna came to have tea which was lovely.
On Wednesday morning at 3.00 we were woken by the sound of a vehicle and saw the headlights shining through the window of our bedroom. The dogs were barking like mad. Veterai came in and went down the passage to the guestroom. The power went out at 5 a.m. so the house was in total darkness. Veterai left at about 6.30 after having used our house like a guesthouse where he can just come and go free of charge. His family has been in our manager’s house for a year and he has not paid one cent towards rent, lights, water and repairs and maintenance of pumps etc. The audacity of the man boggles the mind.
Tore, Leon and Nathan came to visit and to give us some moral support. At this stage all we know is that Vet is in the wrong and we are in the right and are fighting for what is right in God’s eyes and our eyes. On Thursday we had lights and power and cellphone signal after having had none the previous day. We had had no rain for five weeks and everything was starting to look dry and wilted.
I was just sitting there thinking that we could not get on with the every day running of our business because all we were doing was fighting to stay ino ur house and trying to hold onto what is rightfully ours. How absolutely absurd!!
We spent our days sitting in the garden under the trees because we did not want to sit in the lounge with the guards. We spent much of our time on the cellphone trying to keep our businesses from falling apart. At night we would go through to the bedroom and lock ourselves in for the night. We have a drink and some snacks before retiring to bed early, exhausted even though we were not doing much – I think it was just pure mental and emotional exhaustion. This we had been doing for six weeks now.
Gina, Julie and Brian came for tea and to see how we were doing. Lucy sent all our groceries that she had bought for us in S.A. with Brian which was so kind of her as we now at least had some fruit, vegetables and various other groceries to carry us through. Gina brought us some muffins and some lovely homemade lemon juice.
On Friday morning Norton came for coffee. Val and Susan came out to bring some cheques for signing and to go through various documents. Tommy and Molly sent us some mealies, bananas and avos which was so sweet of them. Gary and Theresa sent us some meat and biltong which we received with much appreciation. Alex Gagiani popped around in the afternoon – it was great to see him. At about 4.30 Tracy and Matthew arrived to visit us and spend the night. We had snacks and drinks outside as we were not using the lounge because of the guards.
Saturday 1st March, Noeline, bless her soul, arrived to do my hair which was by now showing the grey hairs profusely. She very kindly coloured and trimmed my hair as well as giving me a blow dry. I felt a different person afterwards! Tracy and Matt left at about 12.30 as we did not want them spending another night in case Veterai arrived which he had been doing every Saturday for five weeks already.
That afternoon Paul and Christine came for tea – they are now living in Mocambique and just came to Chiredzi to collect their deep freeze. They had lost their sugarcane farm in the Lowveld a couple of years before.
On Sunday 2nd March Tessa, Nathan, Norton, Noeline and Leon all came for lunch. They all brought a dish of some sort which was great and we had a nice lunch together. Rory arrived just after lunch from Bulawayo. That afternoon Zebedee, Fran and Tore came for tea and to see how we were doing. So it was a very busy day with all the visitors but most enjoyable. That night the phone rang and somebody asked to speak to Veterai, obviously expecting him to answer the phone.
On Monday 3rd March Norton phoned to say that he had heard that Veterai was trying to get the war vets in the area to come and jambanja us, but they did not want to know his troubles.
We had now been prisoners in our home for five weeks but it is amazing how the time flew by. Rory went to the office to do some work. Greg, Claire and Mac came for tea about mid morning.
On Tuesday 4th March Veterai and wife arrived at 2.00 a.m. and spent the night. He left early the next morning as he had to be in Masvingo for the court case re the farm. Rory left at 5.00 a.m. as he was going up to the court case on behalf of Digby. At about 8.00 a.m. Veterai’s guards were waiting to see Digby. They complained that our staff were stealing and eating “their” sugarcane. This was the very sugarcane that they had taken from us and they were complaining about theft. The mind boggles! Anyway, Digby said to them they must report them to the police but that our staff would lay assault charges against them as apparently the guards had beaten our staff and the one had a very sore hand. When Digby asked the guards if they had hit them, they said they had not and that they had chased the guys and they had fallen, hurting themselves in that way. We knew that was not true. They left the matter at that and did nothing.
We managed to get hold of Rory in the afternoon to find out how the court case went and he said it went well. The court ruling was that Veterai had to get out of our house and Digby’s mom’s house with immediate effect. Theoretically the guards had to move out too.
On Wednesday the guards were still here. Veterai had not given them instructions to move out. The court order was supposed to be ready on Thursday afternoon. Penny and Maureen came for tea and to see how we were doing.
On Thursday Noeline, Sally and Eric Bemont came for tea. Had a lovely time together. We had no cellphone signal in the afternoon.
Pete and Morag came to visit on Friday morning. It was good to see them as they had been away in S.A. for about a month. They had smsed us daily while they were away to see what the situation was on the farm. Ben Fayd’herbe came around too to chat to Digby about crocodile food. Tore popped in during the afternoon – he has been so good to us and has visited about a dozen times already. Still waiting for court ruling which has not yet arrived.
On Saturday 8th March Lucy and Rob came to see us and we had a great time chatting. In the afternoon Penny, Gerry and Rose came to visit. No sooner had they arrived, when Norton, Noeline, Nathan and Tessa came so we all had a wonderful time together. We were able to sit in the lounge for the second time in a very long time as the guards had now moved out of the house.
On Sunday we had a quiet uneventful day. At about 5.30 Brian and Sally and kids came around to see how we were doing. They had lost both their farms where they farmed sugarcane, citrus and various other crops and they had the only dairy in the Lowveld. They were planning on going to the U.S.A. They will be a great loss to the community.
That night we were watching “The last king of Scotland” when we looked out the window and saw Veterai’s vehicle parked outside. He and his wife and another couple came and spent the night, totally defying the court ruling which said that he was not allowed to do so. As usual Veterai came in armed with his AK rifle. They left quite early the next morning. Our court case which was postponed from the 28th January to 10th March was due to be held that morning, but we had not yet had the summons for it. We got hold of our lawyer and he said that they had managed to postpone the court case to the 7th April which we were pleased about. We still do not have a copy of the court ruling from last Tuesday’s court case but have been told that it will be here tomorrow.
Since Veterai’s stay here on Sunday night, his guards have moved back to outside the house. Apparently Vet told his guards that they must spit in our faces when they see us.
On Tuesday the 11th March we finally received the second court ruling which stated that Veterai must move out of our house and my mother’s house and that everything must revert to the way it was in 2007, meaning that Veterai must move back to the manager’s house which is a big three-bedroomed house where he has been for a year already.
I informed the guard who was sitting outside our lounge that we had received the court order and told him to call his supervisor so that I could tell him as well. They did not return and still had not done so by the evening.
We were feeling very positive about everything when we received the court order and really thought that the situation on the farm would now change and we would be able to go back to work. It was already over six weeks that we had been virtual prisoners in our home.
However, that night we went to bed at 8.30 only to be awakened at 10.30 by voices in our passage. I got out of bed and went to see who in their right mind would have the nerve to come into our house at that hour of the night. Lo and behold, there was Mrs Veterai and her children plus a number of guards walking down the passage. I asked them if they realized that they were contravening the court order and they said that it did not matter and they were going to spend the night. They then went down the passage to the guest bedrooms and proceeded to make themselves comfortable for the night.
The next morning I saw Veterai’s manager coming out of our guest bathroom so he must have spent the night as well.
This came as no surprise to us as this is the second court order that we have received that has been totally defied by Veterai. We received a court order for the 5th February banning him from coming within 30 metres of our house. This was ignored by him and he and his family continued to come and stay at our house on numerous occasions. And his guards were still posted outside our lounge.
This latest violation comes one day after we received the new provisional court order.
The court case which was due on the 7th April has now been suddenly moved to the 19th March. A summons was received on Friday. Our Lawyers now unprepared.
That night Veterai’s manager and wife and children as well as the guard came and slept in our house yet again. We did and said nothing as they left early the next morning. All we knew was that they were totally and blatantly defying the court order that had been issued the previous day.
That afternoon Veterai’s senior guard came to see me together with their tractor driver. When I asked him about he and Veterai’s manager and wife staying in our house for the two previous nights and said that they were contravening the court order, he just said that he was taking instructions from Veterai and that he was just doing his job. That night nobody came to stay. I think he was beginning to feel afraid as we had heard that four of his security guards had run away the previous day and two had run away the previous week. I think they were getting fed up and were obviously not paid enough to want to stay.
On Thursday morning we were sitting outside in the garden when two youngsters came walking through the gate. The older one shook hands and introduced himself very politely as Veterai’s nephew. The younger was Veterai’s maid’s son. The older one sat and chatted and said that he has just written his O levels and that he has many ideas as to what he wants to do with his life. He asked if he could please borrow our cellphone charger which we lent him. He said that he would bring it back as soon he was finished with it and could he please come and chat to me and get some advice from me about various business ideas that he had. He spoke very good English and was a nice-looking and extremely pleasant young lad. I thought how bizarre that was and we think he must take after his grandfather who we have heard is a very nice and respected gentleman.
On Friday Penny came to visit and to give us some moral support. She was been so supportive and has been praying constantly for us. On the Saturday Pete and Morag came to see how we were doing and then Tore and Smithy arrived for tea. Everyone has been so wonderful to us that we feel absolutely overwhelmed by the kindness and prayers from friends near and far. It has really touched our hearts in such a big way and made us realize again just what an incredible place the Lowveld is because the people are so special and care so much for one another.
That night about six guards arrived and took over the lounge. I asked them what was going on and they said that Veterai was coming. Quite early in the evening Veterai, his wife and family and the manager and his family arrived and made themselves at home in our house. Then about four more guards arrived. At about midnight the guards started playing the bongo drums and singing just outside out bedroom and this carried on for about two hours. They were trying their best to scare and intimidate us but fortunately with our air conditioner on, we hardly even heard them. Needless to say, we did not get much sleep as the dogs barked throughout the night.
The next morning which was the Sunday we were having breakfast in the dining room as it was drizzling outside. We noticed that there were election posters on the lounge walls, on the trees outside, on the bonnet of our car and on the table where we always sit outside in order to keep away from the guards. The guards were sitting in the lounge eating huge bowls of sadza that had been cooked in a half drum right outside the dining room. Two of the guards got up and came and sat down at the table with us. They began talking to us and one of them asked me if I had a spare bible for him. I said that I did and went through to the bedroom to fetch it for him. When I tried to hand it to him, he said that he had better not take it then as he would get into trouble. I said that I would leave it on the table and he could take it when he felt it was safe to do so. Just shows how petrified these guards are of Veterai and how intimidating he is to them.
The next minute Veterai came strutting through from the bedroom, walked past us and went outside, with his AK rifle over his shoulder. Then our maid who was in a state of panic came to me and said that Veterai had gone into their little guestroom next to our house where her husband was. I asked him what he was doing and then he started screaming and shouting and asking why we had locked the one interleading door in the house. When I asked him to show me which door it was, I explained to him that the door sticks and it looks like it is locked, but it is not. He then ranted and raved saying that we were planning all kinds of things to harm him. He swore like a trooper and called Jessie “that stupid girl” because of the article that had appeared in the newspaper. Jessie did say a word as she had sworn that she would never say another word to him again. He then stormed off. Just then our friends, Rob and Lucy arrived so we went outside and had tea with them in the garden.
It started raining so we went into the lounge. No long afterwards two policemen arrived to ask Rob and Lucy why their new single twin cab did not have licence plates. Rob explained that they had just bought the vehicle and that the papers were at Croco Motors whom they had bought the truck from. The one policemen asked them to go with them to the police station and prove that what they said was true. This they did and everything was in order. Veterai had phoned the police to tell them about the truck and was wanting to get them into trouble.
That afternoon our friends Norton and Noeline came for tea so again we sat in the lounge because it was drizzling outside. We sat on the one side of the lounge and the guards sat on the other side. That night it was fairly quiet but the guards and Veterai’s family were still using our house like it was theirs. They were using our bathrooms, leaving them in a mess by not cleaning up after they had bathed or used the toilet. They stole my soap and my candle out of the bathroom. I also noticed a number of other items missing too. One of my brass ornaments in the lounge went missing, a carving knife and bread out of the kitchen as well as the soap that was next to the basin. Almost every day there were things being taken.
On Monday afternoon our friend Penny came to see how we were after the traumatic weekend as she knew we were feeling down. That night the power went out and we were sitting locked in our bedroom when at about 7.00 p.m. there was a knock at our door. It was our maid Esnat with her son and they said that the guards were in the dining room waiting to see me. I went through and there were about 16 guards all in all and they said that they had been given instructions by Veterai that our crocodile manager who was living with his family in the little guestroom next to our house had to move out immediately. I could see that some of the guards had been drinking and smoking dagga as they had a glazed look in their eyes. They needed something to give them the courage to confront me. I said that we would sort something out the following day, but I knew that Sam was afraid for his safety and his family’s and would have to move him the next morning.
Two of the guards and their families moved into the outside guestroom. Poor Sam and his wife have to come in from town every morning, do their work and then return to town in the evening. Rather expensive considering that diesel is now 60 million dollars a litre.
On Tuesday Tore and Smithy came to have tea and to give us a bit of moral support. We really appreciated our friends coming around as it always brightened our day.
That night Veterai arrived just after midnight. We knew he was coming because suddenly their were a lot more guards in the lounge and dining doom. We also knew he had to come for the court case which was being held in Chiredzi the following morning.
The next day I got dressed and left for the court case at 7.30 a.m.– this was the first time I had left the house for over seven weeks. Eight of our friends came to the house so that they could keep Jessie company while I was at the court case. I got to the court room and my lawyer, Mr Rodney Makausi was already there. Veterai arrived with his wife but without a lawyer, so he must have been very sure that he was going to win the case. The magistrate said because not enough time had been given to prepare for the case, the court case was postponed to the 9th April. I was very relieved to hear this but could see that Veterai was furious.
I arrived back home with my lawyer as I was not sure if I would be allowed back through the boom. Everyone was overjoyed and relieved about the outcome of the court case. I just want to mention that we had three anonymous calls warning me that I must make sure that I attend the court case as the police had been given instructions to arrest me if I did not do so. We also a visit from one of the A2’s who lives near us, just to see how we were doing.
On Thursday morning Tommy and Mollie Warth arrived to visit with us. They are an elderly couple who live on a ranch about 50 kilometres out of Chirdezi. Shame, they got stuck on our road and had to get our tractor to pull them out. Poor Mollie had to walk about two kilometers through the mud to call the driver and then got on the tractor with the driver and drove back to their vehicle where he managed to pull them out. Then there was nobody manning the boom so Mollie who is in her mid seventies, had to get out the truck and open the boom herself. Needless to say, they were exhausted by the time they arrived at the house. They stayed for lunch and caught up with all the news from the past two months.
At lunchtime on Friday our son Rory and our daughter Tracy arrived from Bulawayo to spend the night and to see how we are doing. They brought us some meat, vegetables and various groceries as we were beginning to run out – have not been to town for almost 8 weeks now. It was so wonderful to see them as we are a very close family and they have been very worried about us. They did not bring their spouses and our granddaughter as we never know how safe it is. Also, most of our guestrooms are being used by Veterai, family and guards. I only have one guestroom that we are able to use for our family and it is does not have a lock on it – that is why they do not use it.
That night Rory, Tracy, Jessie and I locked ourselves in our bedroom and had a few snacks and just chatted about all the good times we had had on the farm when the kids were young. We had so many happy memories and now some total stranger had come along and wanted to take all this away from us. This makes us even more determined to stay and not be intimidated. Although I must admit, the invasion of our privacy gets us down at times.
I slept on a mattress on the floor that night so that Tracy could sleep in the kingsize bed with Jessie. Rory slept in the guest room. Rory and Tracy both wanted to sleep on the floor instead of me but I would not hear of it.
When we woke up the next morning and looked out of the window, as sure as eggs, there was Veterai’s twincab vehicle. Then I heard him right outside of our bedrom door talking on his cellphone. I am sick to death of the audacity of this man who keeps blatantly defying all the court orders and thinks that he is above the law and openly says so. His day of reckoning is coming, it is just a matter of time.
The next morning, Saturday, we got up and had breakfast in our bedroom. There were guards all over the house again because of Veterai’s presence. Thankfully he left early and we could relax and enjoy one another’s company. We had an early lunch and Rory and Tracy left soon after to go back to Bulawayo.
Then we just lay on the bed most of the afternoon, feeling rather down since the kids had left. The guards and their wives and babies were sitting in the lounge talking and making themselves right at home. I felt angry but tried not to let my emotions get the better of me.
On Easter Sunday our minister, his wife and another friend, Noeline came to have lunch with us. We had been feeling very down and welcomed the visitors with open arms.
On the Monday we had a very quiet day with no visitors and were feeling terribly isolated and cut off from everybody. This was definitely the worst Easter we had ever experienced. It was now exactly eight weeks that we had been virtual prisoners in our home. We are hoping that the situation will change after the elections which are in three days time. This and the SADC tribunal outcome is the only hope we have left.
On Tuesday Rory drove down from Bulawayo to Masvingo for the court case re Veterai’s failure to the two previous orders. He met our lawyers, Rodnay Makausi and Miss Maposa who are representing us at the court. To the disgust of both lawyers, they were told that the decision was postponed to the 3rd April, and no reasons were given, although we had overwhelming evidence that he had contravened the court orders.
On Wednesday I noticed that some sugar had been stolen out of the kitchen. I mentioned it to one of Veterai’s staff and he assured that it would be replaced. Another one of his staff came to me in the afternoon and asked me if we had any old clothes for her because her house in the T.T.L. had burned down. I said to her that if she worked for me, I would willingly help her but told her that she needs to ask her boss, Veterai, for help. She could not understand why I declined to give her any assistance.
Later that morning one of my staff came to see me and told me that Veterai said that if things did not go according to plan in the upcoming elections, then he would shoot Jessie and I. When I told my brother in Jo’burg what he had said, he said that we should pack our bags and leave. Of course we would not do that and that is when he said that if anything should happen to us, then he would get the best lawyers and fight this case to the bitter end.
We have just had a phone call from a total stranger in Harare, a lady by the name of Agnes who goes to the Celebration Centre Church. She said that she and the other ladies in her church are getting together to-morrow morning to pray for us. I thought that was just so amazing and can just see how God is working in our favor and so many people’s lives because of what we are going through.
Please credit www.kubatana.net
http://thebeardedman.blogspot.com/2008/03/thursday-20th-march-2008.html
Chipoka (J1)
Name:Chipoka
Chipoka is a town located in the Central Region district of Salima, in Malawi.
Google count:17,500 for Chipoka (the web)
Date: 17 November 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Chipoka is a town located in the Central Region district of Salima, in Malawi.
Google count:17,500 for Chipoka (the web)
Date: 17 November 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Chingola (E2)
Name:
Chingola is a city in Zambia's Copperbelt Province, the country's copper-mining region, with a population of 147448 (2000 census).
Google count:
Date:
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Chingola, most picturesque of the Copperbelt towns, is where the Protea ... Protea Hotel Chingola - Affordable Luxury in the heart of Zambia's Copperbelt ...
www.proteahotels.com/protea-hotel-chingola.html
Chingola is a city in Zambia's Copperbelt Province, the country's copper-mining region, with a population of 147448 (2000 census).
Google count:
Date:
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Chingola, most picturesque of the Copperbelt towns, is where the Protea ... Protea Hotel Chingola - Affordable Luxury in the heart of Zambia's Copperbelt ...
www.proteahotels.com/protea-hotel-chingola.html
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Chimoio (J4) Moc.
Name:Chimoio
Chimoio's name under Portuguese administration was Vila Pery. Vila Pery developed under Portuguese rule as an important agricultural and textiles centre.
Google count:
Date:
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Give Chimoio five years. Capital of the Manica Province in Mozambique, the breadbasket area for the country, will soon be a bustling town (2002).
Where to stay:
Ibis Maputo
Avenida 25 de Setembro 1743, Maputo, MozambiqueHotel Zambeze Tete
Avenida Eduardo Mondlane, 6, Inhambane Tete, MozambiquePescador Vilanculos
Beach Road, Vilanculos, MozambiqueHotel Tivoli Beira
Av. Bagamoyo, 336, Beira, MozambiqueQuilalea Island Resort
Quilalea, Quirimbas Archipelago, MozambiqueVip Maputo
Avda 25 de Setembro 692, Maputo, Mozambique
Chimoio's name under Portuguese administration was Vila Pery. Vila Pery developed under Portuguese rule as an important agricultural and textiles centre.
Google count:
Date:
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Give Chimoio five years. Capital of the Manica Province in Mozambique, the breadbasket area for the country, will soon be a bustling town (2002).
Where to stay:
Ibis Maputo
Avenida 25 de Setembro 1743, Maputo, MozambiqueHotel Zambeze Tete
Avenida Eduardo Mondlane, 6, Inhambane Tete, MozambiquePescador Vilanculos
Beach Road, Vilanculos, MozambiqueHotel Tivoli Beira
Av. Bagamoyo, 336, Beira, MozambiqueQuilalea Island Resort
Quilalea, Quirimbas Archipelago, MozambiqueVip Maputo
Avda 25 de Setembro 692, Maputo, Mozambique
Chililabomwe (E2) Zambia
Name: Chililabomwe (Zambia)
Chililabombwe (formerly named Bancroft) is a city located in Zambia's Copperbelt
Province. The name means 'place of the croaking frog'.
Google count: 18,600 for Chililabomwe
Date: 6 November 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
CHILILABOMWE Municipal Council has awarded given 10 hectares of land to an investor for the construction of a US$15 million shopping mall
Where to stay:
Chililabombwe (formerly named Bancroft) is a city located in Zambia's Copperbelt
Province. The name means 'place of the croaking frog'.
Google count: 18,600 for Chililabomwe
Date: 6 November 2008
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Other interesting info:
CHILILABOMWE Municipal Council has awarded given 10 hectares of land to an investor for the construction of a US$15 million shopping mall
Where to stay:
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Groot Brakrivier (E17)
Name: Google count: Date: Historic fact: Other interesting info: Where to stay:
Groot Brakrivier Museum
LOCATION: Groot-Brakrivier, Mossel Bay
OWNED / FUNDED BY / ENDORSED BY: Department of Cultural Affairs & Sport (Provincial Government of the Western Cape)
FACILITY CATEGORY: Museums
Groot Brakrivier Museum
LOCATION: Groot-Brakrivier, Mossel Bay
OWNED / FUNDED BY / ENDORSED BY: Department of Cultural Affairs & Sport (Provincial Government of the Western Cape)
FACILITY CATEGORY: Museums
Chieveley (J12)
Name: Chieveley
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From the book The Man who captured Churchill The following:
On 13 November, Botha's task force slept under heavy clouds next to the railway line and demolished bridge at Hermansspruit. The next day they had breakfast on the banks of the Tugela River, north of Colenso. From here they crossed the river via the Bulwer bridge, and slept near Chieveley.
Early the next morning (06:00) Colonel CJ Long sent 160 men under the command of Captain J A L Haldane on an armoured train from Estcourt to Chieveley. The purpose of this was to monitor the southward movement of the Boers. General Louis Botha immediately saw the opportunity of capturing the train, and left the burghers of Krugersdorp and Wakkerstroom next to the line on a bend near Frere, with instructions to disrupt the rails as soon as the train passed.
The train returned from Chieveley when the British troops found no sign of the Boers. The train was however attacked by General Botha before it reached Frere Station, and when the driver tried to increase speed so as to escape the attack, it was derailed by rocks having been placed on the rail by the Boers when it had completed the run to Chieveley. The young Winston Churchill who acted as war correspondent for the British daily, MORNING POST, was on this train He tried to escape in that section of the train that had not been derailed. This did not amount to much, as the derailed section blocked the escape route. The enemy eventually succeeded in escaping in the locomotive, after bumping it to and fro until the way was cleared.
The Boers attacked the train with, inter alia, a pom-pom (quick-firing Vickers-Maxim). This piece of artillery was so unpopular, that the main buyers were the Boers and the Chinese.
After the locomotive's escape from the ambush, the Boers captured Captain Haldane, a non-commissioned officer of the Dublin Fusiliers, along with 53 more non-commissioned officers and troops. It was here that Field-Cornet Sarel Oosthuizen succeeded in capturing Winston Churchill.
http://www.prominentpeople.co.za/churchill-sir-winston-hamilton.aspx
Other interesting info:
Chieveley Military Cemetery
In this cemetery Lord Robert's son, Freddy lies buried. Follow the dirt road past the railway station to the cemetery set among trees. Off the R103 from Escort to Colenso. Open daily.
http://www.battleguide.co.za/Chieveley.htm
http://www.icon.co.za/~dup42/toer01.htm
Where to stay:
Google count:
Date:
Historic fact:
From the book The Man who captured Churchill The following:
On 13 November, Botha's task force slept under heavy clouds next to the railway line and demolished bridge at Hermansspruit. The next day they had breakfast on the banks of the Tugela River, north of Colenso. From here they crossed the river via the Bulwer bridge, and slept near Chieveley.
Early the next morning (06:00) Colonel CJ Long sent 160 men under the command of Captain J A L Haldane on an armoured train from Estcourt to Chieveley. The purpose of this was to monitor the southward movement of the Boers. General Louis Botha immediately saw the opportunity of capturing the train, and left the burghers of Krugersdorp and Wakkerstroom next to the line on a bend near Frere, with instructions to disrupt the rails as soon as the train passed.
The train returned from Chieveley when the British troops found no sign of the Boers. The train was however attacked by General Botha before it reached Frere Station, and when the driver tried to increase speed so as to escape the attack, it was derailed by rocks having been placed on the rail by the Boers when it had completed the run to Chieveley. The young Winston Churchill who acted as war correspondent for the British daily, MORNING POST, was on this train He tried to escape in that section of the train that had not been derailed. This did not amount to much, as the derailed section blocked the escape route. The enemy eventually succeeded in escaping in the locomotive, after bumping it to and fro until the way was cleared.
The Boers attacked the train with, inter alia, a pom-pom (quick-firing Vickers-Maxim). This piece of artillery was so unpopular, that the main buyers were the Boers and the Chinese.
After the locomotive's escape from the ambush, the Boers captured Captain Haldane, a non-commissioned officer of the Dublin Fusiliers, along with 53 more non-commissioned officers and troops. It was here that Field-Cornet Sarel Oosthuizen succeeded in capturing Winston Churchill.
http://www.prominentpeople.co.za/churchill-sir-winston-hamilton.aspx
Other interesting info:
Chieveley Military Cemetery
In this cemetery Lord Robert's son, Freddy lies buried. Follow the dirt road past the railway station to the cemetery set among trees. Off the R103 from Escort to Colenso. Open daily.
http://www.battleguide.co.za/Chieveley.htm
http://www.icon.co.za/~dup42/toer01.htm
Where to stay:
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Chicuacuala - Moz
Name:Mozambique - Gaza - Chicuacuala
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Chicuacuala District is a district of Gaza Province in south-western Mozambique. It has a population of 38,780 (2007)
Where to stay:
www.maplibrary.org/stacks/Africa/Mozambique/Gaza/Chicuacuala/index.php
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Date:
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Chicuacuala District is a district of Gaza Province in south-western Mozambique. It has a population of 38,780 (2007)
Where to stay:
www.maplibrary.org/stacks/Africa/Mozambique/Gaza/Chicuacuala/index.php
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Chatsworth (H4)
Name: Chatsworth (H4)
Google count: 109,000 for Chatsworth
Date: 15 October 2008
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Other interesting info:
Police are making inroads against Chatsworth's drugs problem with Durban's organised crime unit, in co-ordination with other law-enforcement wings, arresting 36 dealers and users and seizing drugs and assets valued at more than R500 000 in the past three months. (10 October 2008)
Where to stay:
http://www.chatsworth-online.co.za/
Google count: 109,000 for Chatsworth
Date: 15 October 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Police are making inroads against Chatsworth's drugs problem with Durban's organised crime unit, in co-ordination with other law-enforcement wings, arresting 36 dealers and users and seizing drugs and assets valued at more than R500 000 in the past three months. (10 October 2008)
Where to stay:
http://www.chatsworth-online.co.za/
Chatsgen (L14)
Name:Chatsgen
Location of Chatsglen, Natal, South Africa (Latitude: 29° 53' 60 S, Longitude: 30° 52' 60 E) displayed on world map, coordinates and short location facts.
www.traveljournals.net/explore/south_africa/map/m1785685/chatsglen.html - 22k -
Google count:78 for Chatsglen
Date:15 October 2008
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Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Location of Chatsglen, Natal, South Africa (Latitude: 29° 53' 60 S, Longitude: 30° 52' 60 E) displayed on world map, coordinates and short location facts.
www.traveljournals.net/explore/south_africa/map/m1785685/chatsglen.html - 22k -
Google count:78 for Chatsglen
Date:15 October 2008
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Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Charlestown (H11)
Name: Charlestown (H11)
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CHARLESTOWN
In the 1890s a desperate race for trade began between the three major city ports of Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth. The objective was to complete a railway link to the treasured gold fields of Johannesburg. The railway from Durban reached the Transvaal border first, but President Paul Kruger refused permission to continue until his railway from Pretoria to Lourenco Marques in Mozambique , was completed. The town which grew around this junction at the Transvaal border was named Charlestown in honour of Sir Charles Mitchell, Governor of Natal. The railway was finally completed in 1895 and Charlestown lost the significance of its earlier days as a busy rail junction.
http://home.mweb.co.za/sa/salbu/Charlestown.html
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CHARLESTOWN
In the 1890s a desperate race for trade began between the three major city ports of Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth. The objective was to complete a railway link to the treasured gold fields of Johannesburg. The railway from Durban reached the Transvaal border first, but President Paul Kruger refused permission to continue until his railway from Pretoria to Lourenco Marques in Mozambique , was completed. The town which grew around this junction at the Transvaal border was named Charlestown in honour of Sir Charles Mitchell, Governor of Natal. The railway was finally completed in 1895 and Charlestown lost the significance of its earlier days as a busy rail junction.
http://home.mweb.co.za/sa/salbu/Charlestown.html
Monday, October 13, 2008
Ceres (C15)
Name: Ceres
Principal town of magisterial district and division of Ceres, 79 miles (127km) by road north-east of Cape Town, 33° 22' 19° 18' E.; altitude 1,481 ft (451.4metres); inches (1,041 mm). It lies on a branch railway from Wolseley (10 miles, 16 km) to Prince Alfred! (6 miles, 9.6 km). Population (1960): Coloured 3,501; Bantu 401.
Ceres was established in 1854 on a part of the belonging to Jan Frederik Munnik, the Senator G. G. Munnik, and was named _ Roman goddess of agriculture, on account of the fertility of the soil. It became a municipality in Situated in the Warm Bokkeveld on the River with its well-wooded banks and surrounded by the Witsenberg, Skurweberg and Hex Ranges and the Gydo Mountain, it is one of the most attractive towns in South Africa. It can be reached only through the Michell's, Theronsberg and Gydo Passes. The mountains are frequently snow-capped in winter, and hence Ceres is sometimes referred as 'the Switzerland of South Africa'. It is a popular holiday resort, with a camping site and rondavels at the pleasant open-air swimming-bath. In winter the snow-covered slopes of the Matroosberg (7, 381 ft, 2,250 metres) attract skiing enthusiasts from far and near. The town is the centre of an important of agricultural and fruit-growing district. It has factories for dried fruit, canned fruit and fruit juices, and a large co-operative cold storage. Water for domestic use is brought from the Witsenberg. Electricity is s by hydro-electric generators, supplemented t power during the summer months.
http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/places/places.htm
Google count: 198,000 for ceres
Date: 13 October 2008
The traditional southern entrance to the Karoo was from Ceres through Karoo Poort.
Historic fact:
Ceres Road was located at the entrance to Mitchell's Pass, and adjoined the village of Wolseley. Both were established after the railway line from Cape Town and Tulbagh Road reached Ceres Road on 3 November 1875.
Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Ceres is situated 150 km north east of Cape Town, snugly wedged at the foot of the Skurweberg Mountains. The valley can be reached through Michell's Pass (from Cape Town), Theronsberg Pass (from Touwsriver via "Warm Bokkeveld") and Gydo Pass (from Citrusdal via "Koue Bokkeveld").
More: http://www.ceres.org.za/location.html
Principal town of magisterial district and division of Ceres, 79 miles (127km) by road north-east of Cape Town, 33° 22' 19° 18' E.; altitude 1,481 ft (451.4metres); inches (1,041 mm). It lies on a branch railway from Wolseley (10 miles, 16 km) to Prince Alfred! (6 miles, 9.6 km). Population (1960): Coloured 3,501; Bantu 401.
Ceres was established in 1854 on a part of the belonging to Jan Frederik Munnik, the Senator G. G. Munnik, and was named _ Roman goddess of agriculture, on account of the fertility of the soil. It became a municipality in Situated in the Warm Bokkeveld on the River with its well-wooded banks and surrounded by the Witsenberg, Skurweberg and Hex Ranges and the Gydo Mountain, it is one of the most attractive towns in South Africa. It can be reached only through the Michell's, Theronsberg and Gydo Passes. The mountains are frequently snow-capped in winter, and hence Ceres is sometimes referred as 'the Switzerland of South Africa'. It is a popular holiday resort, with a camping site and rondavels at the pleasant open-air swimming-bath. In winter the snow-covered slopes of the Matroosberg (7, 381 ft, 2,250 metres) attract skiing enthusiasts from far and near. The town is the centre of an important of agricultural and fruit-growing district. It has factories for dried fruit, canned fruit and fruit juices, and a large co-operative cold storage. Water for domestic use is brought from the Witsenberg. Electricity is s by hydro-electric generators, supplemented t power during the summer months.
http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/places/places.htm
Google count: 198,000 for ceres
Date: 13 October 2008
The traditional southern entrance to the Karoo was from Ceres through Karoo Poort.
Historic fact:
Ceres Road was located at the entrance to Mitchell's Pass, and adjoined the village of Wolseley. Both were established after the railway line from Cape Town and Tulbagh Road reached Ceres Road on 3 November 1875.
Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Ceres is situated 150 km north east of Cape Town, snugly wedged at the foot of the Skurweberg Mountains. The valley can be reached through Michell's Pass (from Cape Town), Theronsberg Pass (from Touwsriver via "Warm Bokkeveld") and Gydo Pass (from Citrusdal via "Koue Bokkeveld").
More: http://www.ceres.org.za/location.html
Cement (G5) Zim
Name:Cement (G5) Zim
Cement, on the Zimbabwe railway, between Bulawayo and Heany Junction
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http://www.planet.nu/sunshinecity/nrz/railinfo.html
Cement, on the Zimbabwe railway, between Bulawayo and Heany Junction
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http://www.planet.nu/sunshinecity/nrz/railinfo.html
Saturday, October 11, 2008
For more info on place names and other historic information - go to
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/SOUTH-AFRICA/2006-06/1151213571
Friday, October 3, 2008
Cedarville (J14)
Name: Cedarville
Map:
http://www.saexplorer.co.za/south-africa/map/cedarville_map.asp
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East Griqualand / Sisonke District Municipality Creighton, Himeville, Underberg, Cedarville, Matatiele, Kokstad, Ixopo, iNdlovu, Ugu, Bulwer, Pevensey, Stuartsville The name East Griqualand refers to the geographical location of the area and Griqualand refers to the fact that the area was initially occupied by the Griquas. Sisonke is an isiZulu name meaning "we are together". The name draws inspiration from the places of the district under one jurisdiction the people from the formerly divided ethnic, cultural and racial groupings. The district is driven by the spirit of togetherness and unity in diversity and the recognition of co-operative governance in the reconstruction of the district and social delivery.
Other interesting info:
South Africa: At Least 20 Killed In Bus Plunge Near Cedarville, Eastern Cape Province ...
www.wakeupsa.co.za/forum/archive/index.php/f-24-p-8.html -
Where to stay:
Cedarville provides tranquil canoe- borne excursions on its surrounding, ...
Map:
http://www.saexplorer.co.za/south-africa/map/cedarville_map.asp
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East Griqualand / Sisonke District Municipality Creighton, Himeville, Underberg, Cedarville, Matatiele, Kokstad, Ixopo, iNdlovu, Ugu, Bulwer, Pevensey, Stuartsville The name East Griqualand refers to the geographical location of the area and Griqualand refers to the fact that the area was initially occupied by the Griquas. Sisonke is an isiZulu name meaning "we are together". The name draws inspiration from the places of the district under one jurisdiction the people from the formerly divided ethnic, cultural and racial groupings. The district is driven by the spirit of togetherness and unity in diversity and the recognition of co-operative governance in the reconstruction of the district and social delivery.
Other interesting info:
South Africa: At Least 20 Killed In Bus Plunge Near Cedarville, Eastern Cape Province ...
www.wakeupsa.co.za/forum/archive/index.php/f-24-p-8.html -
Where to stay:
Cedarville provides tranquil canoe- borne excursions on its surrounding, ...
Cedara (K12)
Name: Cedara (K12)
Cedara College offers a Higher Certificate and Diploma in Agriculture specialising in Animal Production (Beef, Dairy, Equine, Game, Pigs, Poultry, ...
www.enviropaedia.com/company/default.php
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Hilton has two small shopping centres and various restaurants nearby where you can wine and dine. You will also find a railway museum and vintage steam trains at historic Hilton Station.
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Cedara College offers a Higher Certificate and Diploma in Agriculture specialising in Animal Production (Beef, Dairy, Equine, Game, Pigs, Poultry, ...
www.enviropaedia.com/company/default.php
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Hilton has two small shopping centres and various restaurants nearby where you can wine and dine. You will also find a railway museum and vintage steam trains at historic Hilton Station.
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Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Place names in South Africa
http://sagns.dac.gov.za/Public/asp/intro_inter.asp?State=LoggedOut
http://www.demarcation.org.za/MunicProfileOnline/location.aspx?code=EC136&type=Local
http://www.demarcation.org.za
http://www.demarcation.org.za/MunicProfileOnline/location.aspx?code=EC136&type=Local
http://www.demarcation.org.za
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Cavendish (L14)
Name:Cavendish (L14)
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20 February: Vehicle hijacked earlier in Burlington Heights is used by suspects to rob a security guard at the Shallcross Railway station at about at 10pm. Robbers hoot for security guard to approach and then rob him of shotgun. They repeat the same modus operandi and rob two other security guards at the Cavendish Railway Station of their shotguns.
http://www.expressonline.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=272&Itemid=26
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20 February: Vehicle hijacked earlier in Burlington Heights is used by suspects to rob a security guard at the Shallcross Railway station at about at 10pm. Robbers hoot for security guard to approach and then rob him of shotgun. They repeat the same modus operandi and rob two other security guards at the Cavendish Railway Station of their shotguns.
http://www.expressonline.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=272&Itemid=26
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Saturday, September 27, 2008
Cato Ridge (L13)
Name:Cato Ridge
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The 1000 Hills Choo Choo offers steam train trips from Kloof station to Cato Ridge on weekends. There are also boat cruises on Shongweni, Nagle and Inanda ...
www.wheretostay.co.za/information/kzn/mi/cato-ridge
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The 1000 Hills Choo Choo offers steam train trips from Kloof station to Cato Ridge on weekends. There are also boat cruises on Shongweni, Nagle and Inanda ...
www.wheretostay.co.za/information/kzn/mi/cato-ridge
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Cathcart (G14)
Name: Cathcart
Google count:
Date:
Cathcart is a town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, named after Sir George Cathcart. Sir George Cathcart was governor of the Cape of Good Hope 1852-1853.
The town is situated on the N6, just north of Stutterheim on route to Queenstown.
http://www.ectourism.co.za/city/27/Cathcart
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Cathcart is a town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, named after Sir George Cathcart. Sir George Cathcart was governor of the Cape of Good Hope 1852-1853.
The town is situated on the N6, just north of Stutterheim on route to Queenstown.
http://www.ectourism.co.za/city/27/Cathcart
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Thursday, September 25, 2008
Carolina (J9)
Name:Carolina
Google count:
Date:
Carolina is a town situated on the Johannesburg to Swaziland route in the Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. It is a mixed farming and on a small scale coal and precious stone mining community. Carolina was establish by Cornelius Coetzee as a permanent outspan for wagons when gold was discovered in 1883 in Barberton and named after his wife Carolina. Carolina was rebuilt after it was razed during the Second Boer War.
http://www.countryroads.co.za/content/carolina.html
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Photos of the station 1996 http://www.sa-transport.co.za/trains/sa_stations/mpumalanga.html
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Carolina is a town situated on the Johannesburg to Swaziland route in the Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. It is a mixed farming and on a small scale coal and precious stone mining community. Carolina was establish by Cornelius Coetzee as a permanent outspan for wagons when gold was discovered in 1883 in Barberton and named after his wife Carolina. Carolina was rebuilt after it was razed during the Second Boer War.
http://www.countryroads.co.za/content/carolina.html
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Where to stay:
Photos of the station 1996 http://www.sa-transport.co.za/trains/sa_stations/mpumalanga.html
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Carnarvon (C13)
Name:Carnarvon
Google count: 49,300 for Carnarvon
Date: 24 Sept 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
The town itself is a two Pep Stores kind of place, fairly large, brooded over by an Anglo Boer War fort on top of Carnarvon Koppie. On Market Plein, next to the old market bell, the 147-year-old Rhenish church sits firm. Well sort of as the local entrepreneur, Henk van den Bergh, relates, the cockerel weather vane is skew, thanks to a brawl of hunters who got drunk on the balcony of a nearby hotel and decided to play target practice with the unfortunate fowl. It hasn't been fixed since and now the cocked cockerel is something of a landmark, along with the rebuilt corbelled house next to the museum and the Blik Bar, with its 4 000-odd beer can collection.
Henk's a character. He runs the Ou Kraal collection of budget guesthouses scattered through town. When he's not behind the counter at the Ou Kraal café or serving plates of Van Wyksvlei lamb in his, yup, Ou Kraal Kombuis, he keeps busy running a popular see-the-Northern-Cape 4x4 tour, which meanders all round the province
Carnarvon is one of those onion Karoo dorps; peel back the layers to find the good stuff. Go and look at the abandoned railway station's mural; find the hidden antique shop in Church Street; ask Henk to take you to the immense but forgotten railway graveyard just outside of town.
Much more: http://www.getaway.co.za/content/magazine/features/feature.asp?id=961Where to stay:
History, property sales & accomodation - http://www.carnarvon.co.za/
Google count: 49,300 for Carnarvon
Date: 24 Sept 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
The town itself is a two Pep Stores kind of place, fairly large, brooded over by an Anglo Boer War fort on top of Carnarvon Koppie. On Market Plein, next to the old market bell, the 147-year-old Rhenish church sits firm. Well sort of as the local entrepreneur, Henk van den Bergh, relates, the cockerel weather vane is skew, thanks to a brawl of hunters who got drunk on the balcony of a nearby hotel and decided to play target practice with the unfortunate fowl. It hasn't been fixed since and now the cocked cockerel is something of a landmark, along with the rebuilt corbelled house next to the museum and the Blik Bar, with its 4 000-odd beer can collection.
Henk's a character. He runs the Ou Kraal collection of budget guesthouses scattered through town. When he's not behind the counter at the Ou Kraal café or serving plates of Van Wyksvlei lamb in his, yup, Ou Kraal Kombuis, he keeps busy running a popular see-the-Northern-Cape 4x4 tour, which meanders all round the province
Carnarvon is one of those onion Karoo dorps; peel back the layers to find the good stuff. Go and look at the abandoned railway station's mural; find the hidden antique shop in Church Street; ask Henk to take you to the immense but forgotten railway graveyard just outside of town.
Much more: http://www.getaway.co.za/content/magazine/features/feature.asp?id=961Where to stay:
History, property sales & accomodation - http://www.carnarvon.co.za/
Cape Town (A16)
Name:Cape Town
Google count: 26 600 000 (the Web), 5,070,000 for Cape Town (SA only)
Cape Town "Railway Station" 14 500
Date: 24 September 2008
Photos: http://mybroadband.co.za/photos/showphoto.php/photo/5544
News: http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=561&fArticleId=3665471Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Google count: 26 600 000 (the Web), 5,070,000 for Cape Town (SA only)
Cape Town "Railway Station" 14 500
Date: 24 September 2008
Photos: http://mybroadband.co.za/photos/showphoto.php/photo/5544
News: http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=561&fArticleId=3665471Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
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Thursday, September 18, 2008
Canelands (M13)
Name:Canelands
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Canelands Industrial Estate Positioned on the Umdloti River, adjacent to the Durban/Richards Bay Railway line, serviced by Sasol Gas and 5 minutes away from ...
www.thdev.co.za/content/view/32/4
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Canelands Industrial Estate Positioned on the Umdloti River, adjacent to the Durban/Richards Bay Railway line, serviced by Sasol Gas and 5 minutes away from ...
www.thdev.co.za/content/view/32/4
Where to stay:
Camperdown (L13)
Name:Camperdown
Google count:41,100 for Camperdown.
Date:18 September 2008
Historic fact:
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M
unicipality: Mkhambathini Local Municipality
District Municipality: Umgungundlovu District Municipality
Name
Camperdown is named after the British Naval battle and victory over the Dutch in 1797.
Where to stay:
Google count:41,100 for Camperdown.
Date:18 September 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
M
unicipality: Mkhambathini Local Municipality
District Municipality: Umgungundlovu District Municipality
Name
Camperdown is named after the British Naval battle and victory over the Dutch in 1797.
Where to stay:
Friday, September 12, 2008
Camfer
Name:Camfer
http://www.southerncape.co.za/history/transport/railways/stations/camfer.html
http://www.sa-transport.co.za/trains/sa_r-stock/coaches/union_limited/ul.html
T h e U n i o n L i m i t e d
The only authentic vintage steam rail company in Southern Africa, we cater for passengers wishing to experience the Garden Route of the Western Cape, as well as providing photographic steam safaris for enthusiasts from around the world.Our unique South African scenery provides breathtaking views of sea and mountains on the Golden Thread. Our locomotives are also available for hire for corporate tours, and some of our grand ladies have graced cinema and television screens around the globe.
http://home.intekom.com/bluegrass/sites/steamsa/tours.html
Rovos Rail’s unique luxury trains in Southern Africa evoke the glamour of the golden era of rail and air travel. Rebuilt wood-panelled coaches combine the ...
www.mojaheritage.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=5&Itemid.
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Mick Kerford, a Garden Route resident, joined a rail journey over the Outeniqua Mountains. He was pleasantly surprised. He wrote about his experience.
Inset: Railway journey over the Outeniqua Mountains
One of the world’s most exciting and picturesque railway journeys begins right here at George Railway Museum. No -not the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe - though that is a remarkable journey. This is a rare opportunity to experience the unspoilt mountain scenery of the railway Montagu Pass with a journey over the top to Camfer, Oudtshoorn and Toorwaterpoort.
Many George residents have heard the mournful hoot of diesels in the night or early morning emanating from the mountainside. This was the opportunity to find out where they go as they issue their mating calls.
This exciting mountainside assault - with its tunnels and ravines and breathtaking views - is reminiscent of the Darjeeling Himalaya Railway. It’s a treat usually reserved for the crew of the heavy freight trains carrying timber and building materials to industrial cities in the north. On Saturday 23 August, over 500 passengers were privileged to enjoy a full day excursion organised by The St Francis United Church, Sedgefield.
According to Allen Duff, who compiled the notes for the programme, the line climbs 1 in 100 through the forests, out of George, steepening to 1 in 80 and finally onto the punishing incline of 1 in 36. It zig-zagged its way 2000 feet up the mountainside with no discernible loss of power even as the incline became steeper. Each le-vel revealed a new and fascinating view of George and its surroundings. To the summit, the train climbs over 1000 feet in the space of six miles.
Class 32 diesels
The two Class 32 diesels, ope-rated in tandem, are part of the Transnet National Collection. Almost fifty years old, the locomotives remain in excellent condition. Manufactured by General Electric, they are po-wered by V12 turbo-charged engines which drive a DC ge-nerator which supplies power to six axle-hung traction motors. Coaxing a superb performance and steady pace of 60 to 80 kph out of them was driver James van der Berg, a popular personality best known as the steam locomotive driver on the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe. James is a versatile craftsman, just as much at home on diesel, though he prefers steam.
The varied scenery kept everyone’s attention: once beyond Camfer, the rolling plains of the Klein Karoo; the brooding Swartberg Mountains; the Stompdrift Dam; the brilliant vermillion ‘red cliffs’; the rugged gorge that is Toorwaterpoort, the scene of some action during the Anglo-Boer War; the quiet hamlet of Vonderling where the locomotives changed ends and the train reversed.
In addition to the beautiful scenery, there was a diversity of wildlife on display: a herd of blesbok, a troupe of monkeys, hares, rare water birds and of course fields of ostriches fleeing knees-up hysterically from the train.
The train left George at 08:00 and arrived back home at 18:10 completing a highly satisfying and memorable journey.
http://www.gardenroute.com/article/view/3852/
Where to stay:
http://www.sa-transport.co.za/trains/sa_bridges/eastern_cape.html
http://www.southerncape.co.za/history/transport/railways/stations/camfer.html
http://www.sa-transport.co.za/trains/sa_r-stock/coaches/union_limited/ul.html
T h e U n i o n L i m i t e d
The only authentic vintage steam rail company in Southern Africa, we cater for passengers wishing to experience the Garden Route of the Western Cape, as well as providing photographic steam safaris for enthusiasts from around the world.Our unique South African scenery provides breathtaking views of sea and mountains on the Golden Thread. Our locomotives are also available for hire for corporate tours, and some of our grand ladies have graced cinema and television screens around the globe.
http://home.intekom.com/bluegrass/sites/steamsa/tours.html
Rovos Rail’s unique luxury trains in Southern Africa evoke the glamour of the golden era of rail and air travel. Rebuilt wood-panelled coaches combine the ...
www.mojaheritage.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=5&Itemid.
Google count:
Date:
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Mick Kerford, a Garden Route resident, joined a rail journey over the Outeniqua Mountains. He was pleasantly surprised. He wrote about his experience.
Inset: Railway journey over the Outeniqua Mountains
One of the world’s most exciting and picturesque railway journeys begins right here at George Railway Museum. No -not the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe - though that is a remarkable journey. This is a rare opportunity to experience the unspoilt mountain scenery of the railway Montagu Pass with a journey over the top to Camfer, Oudtshoorn and Toorwaterpoort.
Many George residents have heard the mournful hoot of diesels in the night or early morning emanating from the mountainside. This was the opportunity to find out where they go as they issue their mating calls.
This exciting mountainside assault - with its tunnels and ravines and breathtaking views - is reminiscent of the Darjeeling Himalaya Railway. It’s a treat usually reserved for the crew of the heavy freight trains carrying timber and building materials to industrial cities in the north. On Saturday 23 August, over 500 passengers were privileged to enjoy a full day excursion organised by The St Francis United Church, Sedgefield.
According to Allen Duff, who compiled the notes for the programme, the line climbs 1 in 100 through the forests, out of George, steepening to 1 in 80 and finally onto the punishing incline of 1 in 36. It zig-zagged its way 2000 feet up the mountainside with no discernible loss of power even as the incline became steeper. Each le-vel revealed a new and fascinating view of George and its surroundings. To the summit, the train climbs over 1000 feet in the space of six miles.
Class 32 diesels
The two Class 32 diesels, ope-rated in tandem, are part of the Transnet National Collection. Almost fifty years old, the locomotives remain in excellent condition. Manufactured by General Electric, they are po-wered by V12 turbo-charged engines which drive a DC ge-nerator which supplies power to six axle-hung traction motors. Coaxing a superb performance and steady pace of 60 to 80 kph out of them was driver James van der Berg, a popular personality best known as the steam locomotive driver on the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe. James is a versatile craftsman, just as much at home on diesel, though he prefers steam.
The varied scenery kept everyone’s attention: once beyond Camfer, the rolling plains of the Klein Karoo; the brooding Swartberg Mountains; the Stompdrift Dam; the brilliant vermillion ‘red cliffs’; the rugged gorge that is Toorwaterpoort, the scene of some action during the Anglo-Boer War; the quiet hamlet of Vonderling where the locomotives changed ends and the train reversed.
In addition to the beautiful scenery, there was a diversity of wildlife on display: a herd of blesbok, a troupe of monkeys, hares, rare water birds and of course fields of ostriches fleeing knees-up hysterically from the train.
The train left George at 08:00 and arrived back home at 18:10 completing a highly satisfying and memorable journey.
http://www.gardenroute.com/article/view/3852/
Where to stay:
http://www.sa-transport.co.za/trains/sa_bridges/eastern_cape.html
Cambridge (J16)
Name: Cambridge
Google count:Date:
Historic fact:
http://www.knowledge4africa.co.za/eastlondon/cambridge01.htm
When the British German Legion arrived in British Kaffraria in 1857, many new villages with German names sprang up throughout the territory: towns like Potsdam, Stutterheim, Berlin and Breidbach. Nearer the coast, however, two villages were created which were given English titles: Panmure and Cambridge, the latter being named after the Duke of Cambridge, Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces in 1856. Here the German soldiers were given small building plots, one-acre lots further afield and ten-acre agricultural lots along the Nahoon River. When the East London Municipality was formed in 1873, Cambridge was not included. Instead, it formed its own Village Management Board in April 1882 and became an independent municipality in 1902, incorporating the area that today marks the suburbs of Berea, Nahoon, Stirling and Vincent. An attempt in 1914 to bring Cambridge into the East London Municipality failed and it would wait until as late as 1942 before the two municipalities were united.
Dr Keith Tankard
http://www.knowledge4africa.co.za/eastlondon/cambridge01.htm
Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Google count:Date:
Historic fact:
http://www.knowledge4africa.co.za/eastlondon/cambridge01.htm
When the British German Legion arrived in British Kaffraria in 1857, many new villages with German names sprang up throughout the territory: towns like Potsdam, Stutterheim, Berlin and Breidbach. Nearer the coast, however, two villages were created which were given English titles: Panmure and Cambridge, the latter being named after the Duke of Cambridge, Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces in 1856. Here the German soldiers were given small building plots, one-acre lots further afield and ten-acre agricultural lots along the Nahoon River. When the East London Municipality was formed in 1873, Cambridge was not included. Instead, it formed its own Village Management Board in April 1882 and became an independent municipality in 1902, incorporating the area that today marks the suburbs of Berea, Nahoon, Stirling and Vincent. An attempt in 1914 to bring Cambridge into the East London Municipality failed and it would wait until as late as 1942 before the two municipalities were united.
Dr Keith Tankard
http://www.knowledge4africa.co.za/eastlondon/cambridge01.htm
Other interesting info:
Where to stay:
Calvinia (B13)
Name:Calvinia
Google count:
Date:
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Founded in 1851 on the Oorlogskloof River and named after religious reformer John Calvin, Calvinia lies at the foot of the Hantam Mountains. Hantam being a Khoi word meaning "where the red bulbs grow". Calvinia is the region’s key growth point and one of the country’s largest wool-producing areas.
The museum is housed in the art deco Old Synagogue built in 1920 and exhibits portray the lives of the early European settlers. A cedarwood horsemill and a display of mounted Cape fat-tailed, Merino and Dorper sheep relate the history of the area.
The Hantam House is built in Cape Dutch style with a concave-convex gable. Retaining its original cedarwood woodwork, traditional delicacies are served in an exclusive coffee house built in the original kraal.
There are various 4x4 routes, some steeped in Anglo-Boer War history, along the escarpment with picturesque views and bushman paintings along the riverbed with huge Namaqua fig trees clinging to the rock surfaces.
These are a must during spring when thick carpets of Namaqualand flowers adorn the countryside.
http://www.places.co.za/html/calvinia.html
Also:
hierdie
vervalle monumentjie net buite Calvinia. Het n tyd daar deurgebring en kon nie help om te wonder oor die ironie
van die inskripsie en waar ons vandag staan. Ek gaan fotos probeer pos.
Hier is dan die inskripsie :-
Die laaste wapenneerlegging van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog 1899 - 1902 het in hierdie omgewing langs
die Oorlogskloofrivier plaasgevind.
Sedertien het die gewere geswyg maar met die pen is daar verder vir ons republiek geveg.
Hierdie gedenkteken is op Saterdag 30 - 3 - 68 deur sy edele ADV.B.J. Vorster eerste minister van
die republiek van Suid Afrika onthul.
Dit is net so n staal man met n pen in sy hand omhoog in sy regterhand en n geweer onderstebo in sy linker met die
geweerloop in die grond so of dit neergesit word op so n klipstapel met n houtgeweer in glaskas bo op die brons plaat.
Where to stay:
Google count:
Date:
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Founded in 1851 on the Oorlogskloof River and named after religious reformer John Calvin, Calvinia lies at the foot of the Hantam Mountains. Hantam being a Khoi word meaning "where the red bulbs grow". Calvinia is the region’s key growth point and one of the country’s largest wool-producing areas.
The museum is housed in the art deco Old Synagogue built in 1920 and exhibits portray the lives of the early European settlers. A cedarwood horsemill and a display of mounted Cape fat-tailed, Merino and Dorper sheep relate the history of the area.
The Hantam House is built in Cape Dutch style with a concave-convex gable. Retaining its original cedarwood woodwork, traditional delicacies are served in an exclusive coffee house built in the original kraal.
There are various 4x4 routes, some steeped in Anglo-Boer War history, along the escarpment with picturesque views and bushman paintings along the riverbed with huge Namaqua fig trees clinging to the rock surfaces.
These are a must during spring when thick carpets of Namaqualand flowers adorn the countryside.
http://www.places.co.za/html/calvinia.html
Also:
hierdie
vervalle monumentjie net buite Calvinia. Het n tyd daar deurgebring en kon nie help om te wonder oor die ironie
van die inskripsie en waar ons vandag staan. Ek gaan fotos probeer pos.
Hier is dan die inskripsie :-
Die laaste wapenneerlegging van die Tweede Vryheidsoorlog 1899 - 1902 het in hierdie omgewing langs
die Oorlogskloofrivier plaasgevind.
Sedertien het die gewere geswyg maar met die pen is daar verder vir ons republiek geveg.
Hierdie gedenkteken is op Saterdag 30 - 3 - 68 deur sy edele ADV.B.J. Vorster eerste minister van
die republiek van Suid Afrika onthul.
Dit is net so n staal man met n pen in sy hand omhoog in sy regterhand en n geweer onderstebo in sy linker met die
geweerloop in die grond so of dit neergesit word op so n klipstapel met n houtgeweer in glaskas bo op die brons plaat.
Where to stay:
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Calitzdorp (D16)
Name:Calitzdorp
Google count: 138,000 for Calitzdorp
Date: 11 September 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Since 1928, when fifteen farmers founded the Calitzdorp Wine Cellar in order to export Hanepoot grapes, this cellar in the heart of the "Port capital of South-Africa" has offered choice products to discerning clients. Exciting wines like Touriga Nacional can be tasted at the cellar. These wines boast with a new label on which the rare ecological phenomenon, the red hills surrounding Calitzdorp, appears.
The cellar is situated overlooking the beautiful Gamka River Valley, with a big stoep where wines can be tasted while enjoying a picnic lunch.
Business hours:
Monday - Friday: 08h00 to 17h00
Saturday: 08h00 to 13h00
Public Holidays: 08h00 to 17h00
(Not including Good Friday, Christmas Day & New Year's Day)
http://www.calitzdorpwine.co.za/
Where to stay:
http://www.calitzdorpspa.co.za/
Western Cape - Klein Karoo - Oudtshoorn
Type of Resort Spa Resort
Location: Western Cape - Klein Karoo - Oudtshoorn
Calitzdorp Spa is the ideal resort for relaxing in our natural hot spring baths, be it for having fun, or for therapeutic relief. Set halfway between Calitzdorp and Oudtshoorn in the Klein Karoo, 105 km from George and within 60 minutes of the Cango Caves, Calitzdorp Spa is your Hinterland Haven blessed by Mother Nature Herself.
Welcome:Traditionally a Winter Resort getaway, Calitzdorp Spa is equally popular all year round. At the source (the eye), the water temperature reaches 50 degrees Centigrade, and it is a well-known fact that the water of this resort has cured many people over the years, and has definitely offered extraordinary relief to persons suffering from sprains, high blood pressure, bruises and rheumatic complaints.
Our Spa is famous for its natural healing waters with rejuvenating mineral water, which bubbles up from mother earth and contains many minerals with iron and manganese in abundance. The natural hot spring baths will soothe the stress of modern living, leaving you relaxed and ready for whatever eventuality the future may hold for you. Calitzdorp Spa is without fail Your Hinterland Haven that has been blessed by Mother Nature exclusively for you.
The views from the Spa are awesome, and there is so much for enthusiastic eco-tourists to do and see in our very special paradise of nature. Approximately 25 Springbok have made Calitzdorp Spa their home, and they can be seen roaming the resort early morning and late evening. There are also numerous mountain tortoises to be seen, as well as very tame peacock with their chicks looking for handouts. Calitzdorp Spa is a birdwatchers paradise with over 72-recorded species, and an impressive variety of unique succulents can also be found here.
Description: Our large Caravan and Camping sites are well shaded with electrical power points available in the one camp. Our second camp is ideal for caravan rallies and camping groups, allowing you to laager under the shady trees. Each site has water points nearby, and our well-located ablution facilities are of an acceptable quality offering abundant hot water, with dishwashing and scullery facilities adjacent.
There are 2 chalet types - ie. pool chalets and mountain chalets. The pool chalets (only 4 bed) are adequately equipped and furnished. 14 of these chalets have been upgraded(No.1 - 14) ensuring a comfortable stay. The mountain chalets (4 and 6 bed) are equipped with all the basic necessities but are not of the same standard as the pool chalets. Each chalet has its own private parking and individual braai facilities. The views from the chalets are awesome. The configuration has been modeled around the traditional Ostrich breeding nests, with thatched roofs, we offer you cool comfort in summer, and cozy snugness in winter.
MOUNTAIN CHALET 6 SLEEP (DUPLEX): 4 single beds; 1 double bed; fully equipped; no shower, only a bath; no toaster or microwave oven.
MOUNTAIN CHALET 4 SLEEP (DUPLEX): 2 single beds; 1 double bed; fully equipped; no shower, only a bath; no toaster or microwave oven.
SWIMMING POOL CHALET 4 SLEEP : 1 double bed; 2 single bunks in living area; fully equipped; no bath only shower, no microwave.
What you should bring along : Please provide your own towel , washing liquid, drying cloths and braai grids.
Conveniently situated at our main reception offices is a superette stocking basic necessities where your day-to-day requisites can be obtained. Pleasant conference facilities are available where we can cater for up to 40 delegates for those undisrupted, "in the country" seminars or brain storming meetings can be held.
Resort Symbols:
36 Stands available 220 Volts Electricity
Ablutions with hot and coldwater Braai facilities
Credit cards welcome Conference facilities
Scullery tubs Motorhomes welcome
Self catering accommodation for hire Security fenced and/or patrolled
Stands for caravans Shop facilities
Swimming pool Stands for tents
Water points close to sites Television room
Google count: 138,000 for Calitzdorp
Date: 11 September 2008
Historic fact:
Other interesting info:
Since 1928, when fifteen farmers founded the Calitzdorp Wine Cellar in order to export Hanepoot grapes, this cellar in the heart of the "Port capital of South-Africa" has offered choice products to discerning clients. Exciting wines like Touriga Nacional can be tasted at the cellar. These wines boast with a new label on which the rare ecological phenomenon, the red hills surrounding Calitzdorp, appears.
The cellar is situated overlooking the beautiful Gamka River Valley, with a big stoep where wines can be tasted while enjoying a picnic lunch.
Business hours:
Monday - Friday: 08h00 to 17h00
Saturday: 08h00 to 13h00
Public Holidays: 08h00 to 17h00
(Not including Good Friday, Christmas Day & New Year's Day)
http://www.calitzdorpwine.co.za/
Where to stay:
http://www.calitzdorpspa.co.za/
Western Cape - Klein Karoo - Oudtshoorn
Type of Resort Spa Resort
Location: Western Cape - Klein Karoo - Oudtshoorn
Calitzdorp Spa is the ideal resort for relaxing in our natural hot spring baths, be it for having fun, or for therapeutic relief. Set halfway between Calitzdorp and Oudtshoorn in the Klein Karoo, 105 km from George and within 60 minutes of the Cango Caves, Calitzdorp Spa is your Hinterland Haven blessed by Mother Nature Herself.
Welcome:Traditionally a Winter Resort getaway, Calitzdorp Spa is equally popular all year round. At the source (the eye), the water temperature reaches 50 degrees Centigrade, and it is a well-known fact that the water of this resort has cured many people over the years, and has definitely offered extraordinary relief to persons suffering from sprains, high blood pressure, bruises and rheumatic complaints.
Our Spa is famous for its natural healing waters with rejuvenating mineral water, which bubbles up from mother earth and contains many minerals with iron and manganese in abundance. The natural hot spring baths will soothe the stress of modern living, leaving you relaxed and ready for whatever eventuality the future may hold for you. Calitzdorp Spa is without fail Your Hinterland Haven that has been blessed by Mother Nature exclusively for you.
The views from the Spa are awesome, and there is so much for enthusiastic eco-tourists to do and see in our very special paradise of nature. Approximately 25 Springbok have made Calitzdorp Spa their home, and they can be seen roaming the resort early morning and late evening. There are also numerous mountain tortoises to be seen, as well as very tame peacock with their chicks looking for handouts. Calitzdorp Spa is a birdwatchers paradise with over 72-recorded species, and an impressive variety of unique succulents can also be found here.
Description: Our large Caravan and Camping sites are well shaded with electrical power points available in the one camp. Our second camp is ideal for caravan rallies and camping groups, allowing you to laager under the shady trees. Each site has water points nearby, and our well-located ablution facilities are of an acceptable quality offering abundant hot water, with dishwashing and scullery facilities adjacent.
There are 2 chalet types - ie. pool chalets and mountain chalets. The pool chalets (only 4 bed) are adequately equipped and furnished. 14 of these chalets have been upgraded(No.1 - 14) ensuring a comfortable stay. The mountain chalets (4 and 6 bed) are equipped with all the basic necessities but are not of the same standard as the pool chalets. Each chalet has its own private parking and individual braai facilities. The views from the chalets are awesome. The configuration has been modeled around the traditional Ostrich breeding nests, with thatched roofs, we offer you cool comfort in summer, and cozy snugness in winter.
MOUNTAIN CHALET 6 SLEEP (DUPLEX): 4 single beds; 1 double bed; fully equipped; no shower, only a bath; no toaster or microwave oven.
MOUNTAIN CHALET 4 SLEEP (DUPLEX): 2 single beds; 1 double bed; fully equipped; no shower, only a bath; no toaster or microwave oven.
SWIMMING POOL CHALET 4 SLEEP : 1 double bed; 2 single bunks in living area; fully equipped; no bath only shower, no microwave.
What you should bring along : Please provide your own towel , washing liquid, drying cloths and braai grids.
Conveniently situated at our main reception offices is a superette stocking basic necessities where your day-to-day requisites can be obtained. Pleasant conference facilities are available where we can cater for up to 40 delegates for those undisrupted, "in the country" seminars or brain storming meetings can be held.
Resort Symbols:
36 Stands available 220 Volts Electricity
Ablutions with hot and coldwater Braai facilities
Credit cards welcome Conference facilities
Scullery tubs Motorhomes welcome
Self catering accommodation for hire Security fenced and/or patrolled
Stands for caravans Shop facilities
Swimming pool Stands for tents
Water points close to sites Television room
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