Grootvlei (G 10)

Name: Grootvlei

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Historic fact:

Almost two decades ago, the small town of Grootvlei was a thriving community with a booming economy. For the quaint Mpumalanga town, 15km from Balfour, the 1970s and 80s were a boom time. In its heyday the town had a railway station, mine workshops, churches, schools and chain stores.

It also boasted a golf course, a health centre, sports facilities, restaurants and pubs. Building also boomed as new houses went up to accommodate the burgeoning population.

The wages of the miners, who worked nonstop shifts in the seven shafts of the nearby coal mines to feed the hungry furnaces of Eskom's Grootvlei power station, minutes from the town, contributed hugely to local coffers.
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But then disaster hit the town … Eskom mothballed the power station in the late 1980s because the utility was generating more electricity than was needed, and the coal mine - without its major client - was forced cease operations.

Soon afterwards the railway station closed. Miners and townsfolk who depended on the mines and the power station left, and, almost overnight, businesses were forced to the wall and Grootvlei became a virtual ghost town.

But now, with the recommissioning of the power station as Eskom races to increase its power generation capacity, the town has sprung back to life.



Other interesting info:

Where to stay:

Springfield Hostel & Village

The Springfield Hostel & Village is situated in the ‘old mining town’ of Grootvlei, about 5km from the Grootvlei Power Station entrance, also 5km from the grootvlei off-ramp on the N3.