Place Names Southern Africa

Name: Westonarea

Source Wikipedia
Westonaria is a closely-knit conurbation of ten suburban townships with 156,598 inhabitants in the west of Gauteng province of South Africa. It is situated in the Westonaria Local Municipality in West Rand. During the apartheid era, blacks lived outside town in Bekkersdal.

Westonaria is positioning itself to be Gauteng's town of choice. It is located within easy reach of two important routes in the formof R24 and the N12. it is strategically located to major towns in the province and is situated 45 kilometres away from Johannesburg and is easily accessible by both road and rail.

The town is situated amidst the gold fields of Gauteng. It is home to 110 000 residents and occupies 616km² of land mass. It is made up of the following areas: Bekkersdal, Glenharvie, Hillshaven, Leeudoorn, Libanon, Venterspost, Wagterskop, Waterpan, Westonaria and Zuurbekom.

As a developmental municipality, Westonaria Local Municipality is committed to eradicating poverty and unemployment.

Read more: http://www.westonaria.gov.za/

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Name: West Nicholson

Source: Wikipedia

West Nicholson is a village in the province of Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe. It is located about halfway between Zimbabwe's second largest city, Bulawayo, and the border town to South Africa, Beitbridge, along the main road and rail link to South Africa.

According to the 1982 Population Census, the village had a population of 1,633. The town hosted a large beef factory, that turned the local cattle into corned beef and biltong, but this is now closed. Once a major gold mining area, the country around West Nicholson is riddled with small workings, the only major mining activity still occurs about four kilometers along the main road towards Bulawayo, the mine being called Jessie Mine. Also, there is a supermarket, a butcher and a large primary school. Game and Safari activities are available at Tshabezi Safaris, Tamba, Sondelani and Tod's Guest House. Sporting activities are mainly based on soccer, having two teams namely, Jessie Mine F.C. and West Nicholson United playing in the Zimbabwe Football Association's Division Two league.

The Mzingwane River runs through the town and a railway run past it, carrying passengers and cargo. There is a turn-off that leads to a secondary school 12 km further on, the J.Z. Moyo Secondary School for Education with Production.

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Name: Westminster

The timezone in Westminster is Africa/Johannesburg
Latitude. -29.1666667°, Longitude. 27.15°

Free State South Africa

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Name: Westleigh

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Name: Westgate

Westgate Railway Station
Bezuidenhout Street, Johannesburg

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Name: Westbury

Location of Westbury, Transvaal, South Africa (Latitude: 26° 10' 60 S, Longitude: 27° 58' 0 E)

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http://villagecorps.org/sustainable_villages/northern.html

Name: Wesselsnek

Wesselsnek is a railroad station in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Africa. Wesselsnek is also known as Wesselnek.

Location of Wesselsnek, Natal, South Africa (Latitude: 28° 22' 0 S, Longitude: 30° 4' 0 E)

Wesselsnek - Biggarsberg (now Glencoe). 15th May 1890. Biggarsberg - Newcastle. 7th April 1891. Newcastle - Charlestown

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Name: Wesselsbron

Source: Wikipedia

Wesselsbron is a small maize farming town 75 kilometres south of Bothaville in Free State province of South Africa. It was named after the Boer Commandant Cornelius Wessels who led the 1899 Siege of Kimberley during the Second Boer War.[citation needed]

The most famous in town “TJ’s Paradise Guesthouse” is situated in 52 P.L Kotze Street; it’s also the most well known street in Wesselsbron. It started business in July 2006 and has been a huge success since then. The name of the Guesthouse got its origin from the owner Thys Badenhorst, “Thys jnr”.

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Name: Wes-Rand

http://www.wrdm.gov.za/index.asp?pageid=39&parentid=15

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Name: Wepener

Source Wikipedia

Wepener is a village in the Free State, South Africa, located on the border with Lesotho. The town is named after Louw Wepener, the leader of the Boers in their war with the Basotho chief Moshoeshoe I in 1865. It was founded in 1867 on the banks of Jammersbergspruit, a tributary of the Caledon River. Louw Wepener was killed in 1865 while trying to storm Moshoeshoe's stronghold of Thaba Bosiu.

Today the town is a commercial center for a 1,725 square km district where mixed farming is practised. Crops include cattle and sheep ranching, dairying, wheat and maize.

The district of Wepener was the scene of many battles, raids and skirmishes during the 19th century. Many graves, mostly without identification, still exist as reminders of the events in the valley of Jammerbergspruit during this stormy period.

Wepener was the southernmost of several settlements founded by the Free Staters in the "conquered territories" to prevent the Basotho from resettling the land taken from them during the war of 1865. The Dutch Reformed parish was established in 1870 and the town was granted its first management board in 1875.

During the Anglo-Boer War, a British garrison of 2000 men under Colonel E. H. Dalgety was attacked by General Christiaan de Wet at Jammersdrift on the Caledon River. The siege lasted 17 days, until reinforcements arrived on April 25, 1900 to end the battle in favour of the British.

There are two hotels in Wepener, The Wepener Hotel and the Lord Fraser's Guest House. Lord Fraser's was the summer residence of Lord Ian Fraser of Lonsdale. He was the chairman of the board of the once powerful retail business, Frasers, in Lesotho.

biketrips.pitel.co.za/rsablog/index.php?blog=...

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Wepener is situated on the Lesotho border and is home to the Caledon Nature Reserve.

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Name: Welverdiend

http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?location=Gatsrand, between Welverdiend and Frederikstad

Source: http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol101ev.html

Toe dit geblyk het dat 'n verlore stryd gevoer is tydens vele onderhandelinge met die Britse regering en spanning geheers het oor die belastingkwessie het 'n volksvergadering op 8 Desember 1880 te Paardekraal besluit om die ZAR se verlore onafhanklikheid te herstel.(7)

Assistent-kommandant-generaal P Cronjé het opdrag van generaal P Joubert gekry om met 'n patrollie van 400 man vanaf Paardekraal na Potchefstroom te vertrek en die vryheidsproklamasie by J P Borrius te laat druk. Die drukkery moes terselfdertyd teen 'n moontlike Britse aanval beskerm word. Cronjé het Potchefstroom met die poskoetspad vanaf Gatsrand genader. Van die Gatsranders onder leiding van assistent-veldkornet P Martins het die patrollie meegemaak asook Gatsrand se veldkornet, A J O Oosthuizen, wat as kommandant die wyke Gatsrand en Vaalrivier verteenwoordig het.(8)

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Name: Wellington

Source: http://www.wellington.co.za/
Nestling at the foot of the Groenberg, the historic town of Wellington lies in a picturesque valley on the banks of the Kromme River with the majestic Hawequa Mountains standing guard on its eastern border. Wellington, in the heart of the Boland and rich in cultural, religious and educational history, is an unsurpassed area to enjoy the Winelands and scenery of the Western Cape in South Africa.

Wellington, quite accessible to Cape Town International Airport, is conveniently central to many places of interest across all points of the compass. There are five dramatic and scenic mountain passes nearby. All the Cape's various wine and brandy routes, not to mention the fruit routes, are an easy day trip. Spring sees the grand displays of wild flowers of the Cape West Coast, a pleasant few hours journey by car. The sophisticated delights of Cape Town City, and the sunny golden beaches of the Cape Peninsula as well as the whales of False Bay are within an hour's reach. Historic Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Tulbagh and Paarl are neighbouring towns, each full of attractions of their own.

Wellington offers a mix of fabulous shopping treats to tourists. The town is well equipped with all medical and emergency services and branches of all the main banks in South Africa. Wellington boasts two leather factories producing beautiful and quality leather products such as shoes, handbags, book covers and other smaller articles. Furthermore there are towel factory shops, fruit juice kiosks selling to the public, glassware gift shops and many other places to browse around in addition to the more prominent chain stores. Art galleries, antique furniture, ceramic tiles and Bali furniture rounds off a true shopping experience.

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Name: Welkom

Source: Wikipedia

Welkom is a city in the Free State province of South Africa, with a population in 2001 of 408,173. It is 160 kilometres northeast of Bloemfontein, the provincial capital.

The city is the hub of the Free State gold fields, serving several gold and uranium mines. In addition to mineral ore, Welkom produces such goods as steel, lumber, and beef. The city has a technical college and a technological institute. Welkom is served by a small airport and a branch of the main railway between Johannesburg and Cape Town. The city is internationally known for the Grand Prix racing circuit located at its edge.

The city is named after the farm Welkom where gold was first found. The word welkom is Afrikaans and Dutch for welcome. It is now the second largest city in the Free State.

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Name: Welgelee

http://sa-railnews.blogspot.com/2010/07/sightings_11.html

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Name: Welgedag

Welgedag, Springs

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Name: Wattles

Wadeville Railway Station (1km)
Union Railway Station (2km)
Dallas Railway Station (2km)
Elsburg Railway Station (3km)
Webber Railway Station (3km)
Parkhill Gardens Railway Station (3km)
Germiston Lake Railway Station (3km)
Rooikop Railway Station (3km)
Alberton Railway Station (4km)
Germiston South Railway Station (4km)

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Name: Waterval Boven

Source: http://www.linx.co.za/waterval-boven/

The village of Waterval Boven is nestled in the Drakensberg Mountains on the fringe of the escarpment, at the foot of the southern hills. It is rich with historical sites and buildings, which belonged to the old NZASM and are now proclaimed national monuments.

There is also the old ZASM Tunnel and Five Arch Bridge, as well as President Paul Kruger's official residence where he resided in 1900 before going into exile in Europe. The Elands River Waterfall is visible from the mouth of the old Railway Tunnel.

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Name: Waterpoort

Waterpoort is in Limpopo

Location of Waterpoort(Latitude: 22° 53' 60 S, Longitude: 29° 37' 0)

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Waterpoort property for sale

Property Price: R50,000,000
Farm / Smallholding in Waterpoort: Die jagplaas is ongeveer 4200 Ha groot.Gelee 5 km vanaf Waterpoort in die Soutpansberge.Pragtige natuurskoon met 4-5 km rivierfront(Sandrivier). Dit word gebruik as 'n jagplaas en is elke jaar vol bespreek.
Behuising: 9 slaapkamer huis, 3 slaapkamer huis met aparte grasdak rondawel, Dubbel verdieping, 2 slaapkamer houthuis byrivie, 2 slaapkamer huis bo op berg.
Jagkamp bestaan uit:
3 slaapkamer huis, 2 grasdak rondawels, Lapa.
Wild wat voorkom is: Kudu, Eland, Impala, Gemsbuck, Njala, Giraffe, Blue Wildebeest, Baboon, Mountain Reedbuck, Klipspringer, steenbuck, Duiker, Leopard, Bushbuck, Waterbuck, Zebra, Sharp's grrybok, Warthog, ongeveer 200 spesies voels waaronder die kuifkop tarentaal. onegveer 200 - 300 boom spesies. Baie Kremetarte. 2de grootste Kremetart in SA op plaas, 39 m in omtrek. Lapa van jagkamp onder hierdie boom. Goeie en sterk water en rivier wat deur die jaar loop. By prys ingesluit:1 Trekker, 2 Trailors 3 Land Cruiser jag voertuie.

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Name: Wasbank

Longgrass Lodge 17km* from Wasbank
Within a Big 5 Game Reserve, in a Malaria-free area; located in the heart of the wild,the halfway stop between Johannesburg(3.5hours) and Durban

Royal Country Inn
20km* from Wasbank
The Royal Country Inn in Dundee combines the benefits of modern accommodation with an old-world charm. Situated in the heart of the battlefields,

Penny Farthing Country House
27km* from Wasbank
Three Star Graded and AA Highly Recommended Guest House on a Tranquil Game and Beef farm in close proximity of most Battlefields.

Woodlands Lodge
27km* from Wasbank
Within a Big 5 Game Reserve, in a Malaria-free area; located in the heart of the wild, the halfway stop between Johannesburg (3.5hours) and Durban

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Name:Wartburg

Source:http://www.sa-venues.com/attractionskzn/wartburg.php

This little piece of Germany is surrounded by hamlets of definitive origin: Harburg, New Hanover, Kirchdorf, Lillienthal, Schroeders and Hermannsburg. Wartburg itself is named after the castle in Eisenach where Martin Luther translated the bible into German and the village crest also depicts the immigrants' arrival by sailing ship, the Luther Rose and the call to 'pray and work'.

Wartburg is located right in the centre of the KwaZulu Natal Midlands. Settled in the 1850s by German families, today the local industry is mainly mealies (maize), sugar cane, timber and kiwi fruit although there is an increasing arts and crafts community. Many of the inhabitants of Wartburg are now fourth generation Germans and it is not unusual to hear German spoken around Town.

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Name: Warrenton

Warrenton, a town in the Northern Cape, South Africa. Routes: N12, R49.

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Name: Warner Beach

2 Apr 2010 ... Two people were found dead this afternoon on Warner Beach, Amanzimtoti.

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Name: Warmbad

Bela Bela, a Northern Sotho name meaning "Boiling-Boiling", which is synonymous with the town's world-renowned hot water springs was discovered by the Tswana's in the 1800's. Hot water bubbling out of the earth at approximately 22 000 liter per hour with a temperature of 53°C and the close proximity to Gauteng make this destination even more popular. The area has pleasantly mild climate during the winter months with an average of 286 sunny days every year add to the popularity of this destination. Our temperature in summer range between 15,7°C - 29°C and winter from 6,7°C - 24°C. Our resorts offer excellent accommodation, sport & recreation, conferencing, Big Five, hiking, game drives, quad bikes and much much more.

Pop over to Bela Bela where the natural hot springs in town - rich in limestone minerals, attracts thousands of visitors who come to the town to enjoy the healing qualities of the waters for which the local resort is famous. The many game farms offer a wide range of activities from night drives, game walks and testing hiking trails. Golfing and adventure sports centres have also been established here for the adventure enthusiast.

On Gauteng's doorstep, only 100kms North of Pretoria, you will find the holiday of a lifetime! You will be pampered and restored at any of our numerous lodges! Holidays come alive in Bela Bela – fun in the sun in the water and in the bush, with many lovely restaurants and lots of accommodation, plus a low crime rate.

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Name: Warden

Source: Wikipedia

Warden is a town situated in the Free State province of South Africa on the N3 highway between Johannesburg and Durban. The town has one of the largest Dutch Reformed Churches in South Africa, with seating for 1,750. It was named after the former Harrismith magistrate Charles Warden.

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Name: Walvis Bay

Source: Wikipedia

Walvis Bay (Afrikaans Walvisbaai, German Walfischbucht or Walfischbai, all meaning "Whale Bay"), is a city in Namibia and the name of the bay on which it lies.

The bay has been a haven for sea vessels because of its natural deepwater harbour, protected by the Pelican Point sand spit, being the only natural harbour of any size along the country's coast. Being rich in plankton and marine life, these waters also drew large numbers of whales attracting whalers and fishing vessels. The Dutch referred to it as Walvisch Baye and the English as Whale Bay, and in its eventual proclamation it came to be called Walfish Bay, and eventually Walvis Bay. It has also been referred to as Walwich Bay[2] or Walwisch Bay.[3]

A succession of colonists developed the location and resources of this strategic harbour settlement. The harbour's value in relation to the sea route around the Cape of Good Hope had caught the attention of world powers since it was discovered. This explains the complicated political status of Walvis Bay down the years.

The town is situated in the Kuiseb river delta and lies at the end of the TransNamib Railway to Windhoek, and on the B2 road.

Walvis Bay, with its large bay and sand dunes, is the tourism activity centre of Namibia. Other attractions include the artificial Bird Island, centre of a guano collection industry, the Dune 7 sand dune, salt works, birdlife and a museum

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Name: Waltloo

Angry commuters at the Waltloo railway station near Mamelodi are suspected of setting two Metroraiiië coaches alight after a delay caused by a storm. ...

www.dlgh.gpg.gov.za/.../30%20sept%202009%20Fierce%20storm%20leaves%20trail%20of%20da...

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Name: Wakkerstroom

Main Source: http://www.wakkerstroom.co.za/
GPS co-ordinates: S 27° 21.337 E 030° 08.444

PLEASE NOTE: If you are travelling from either Johannesburg or Pretoria, please set your GPS to shortest route rather than fastest/quickest route as it tends to direct via major highways and can add as much as 2 hours to your journey! Happy travelling!

Not long after the War of Independence the railway line from Durban to the
Witwatersrand was under construction. It was planned to go through
Wakkerstroom, but a petition protesting against this was drawn up by the
inhabitants of the town.
The ostensible reason for the protest was that the noise from the steam
engines would frighten their cattle and hens and cause them to stop giving
milk and eggs. The soot from the engines, it was maintained, would also
blemish the skins of their wives and daughters. The real reason which no-one
cared to admit to was more likely that the town’s economy depended heavily
on the transport riders and the wagon trains passing through town. Rail
transport was seen as an unwelcome competitor to this.
The outcome of this was that the line was diverted and the present-day town
of Volksrust was established as a border town in 1887. When the town
fathers realised the magnitude of their mistake they tried to get the line rerouted,
but it was too late. As a consolation prize a branch line was
constructed from Volksrust via Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort to Bethal. Even
here the townsfolk would not allow the line to be built closer than two miles to
the town. Today the line has fallen into virtual disuse and the station,
downgraded to a siding in the early 1990s, is know a restaurant and caravan
park.
This was the first of a series of events that contributed to the downturn in the
economic fortunes of Wakkerstroom that were to deteriorate continually for
the next 100 years
The Anglo-Boer South African War (1899-1902)
The Boer forces under Commandant-General Piet Joubert gathered on the
banks of the Sand River at Dassieklip - the farm where the young Tom
Vinnicombe had stayed some 40 years earlier - before invading Natal.
After the initial Boer victories General Sir Redvers Buller led a British force
into the Transvaal and defeated a Boer force at the Battle of Allemansnek.
After this battle the Boers, fearing that they would be surrounded, retreated
from Laingsnek. Buller occupied both Volksrust and Charlestown.
Wakkerstroom itself was not occupied at this stage of the war, although
Ossewakop, known at the time as Voortrekkerkop, was occupied by General
N. G. Lyttleton and the South Staffordshire Regiment. This may have been
because Buller had a soft spot for the Wakkerstroom people who had raised a
Commando to help the British in the Anglo-Zulu war.
In an effort to restrict the movements and contain the Boers forces during the
guerrilla phase of the war the British established several strategically situated
lines of blockhouses. These blockhouses were of three basic types :
stone structures which were single-, double- or multi-storeyed;
structures with stone bases with corrugated iron upper parts - the so-called
Sangar type; and
wholly corrugated iron structures known as Rice type blockhouses.
More than 9 000 blockhouses connected with over 8 000 km of barbed wire or
entanglements were constructed throughout South Africa. More than 130 of
these were located between Volksrust and the Swaziland border near Piet
Retief. These blockhouses were of the Sangar and Rice types.

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Name: Wadeville (G 10)

Wadeville: a suburb of Germiston, Gauteng, South Africa
The Wadeville Alrode Industrial Corridor project is aimed at creating an integrated platform for the expansion of the tradable goods sector and supporting exports, especially into sub-Saharan Africa.

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Name: Vryheid

After British and Boer mercenaries had helped Dinuzulu defeat his rival Usibepu for succession of the Zulu throne, land and farming rights were granted to them along the banks of the Mfolozi River. On August 5, 1884 the mercenaries formed the Nieuwe Republiek (New Republic) with Vryheid as its capital. It was later incorporated into the South African Republic, but at the end of the Second Boer War the town and its surrounding area was absorbed into Natal. Vryheid is located along the Spoornet Coaline

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Name: Vryburg

Source: http://www.vryburg.com/home.aspx

Vryburg lies in a rich cattle-farming area. The town has an interesting history. When the Republic of Stellaland was proclaimed in 1882, Vryburg was established as its capital. The Republic had its own postal service including a postage stamp series and a magnificent flag. Their freedom however, was short-lived. In the same year President Kruger annexed the state under the Transvaal government. This move in turn displeased the British and in 1885 the territory was annexed to Britain without any resistance.

Vryburg hosts one of the largest cattle sales in the Southern hemisphere with an enormous turnover of more than 250 000 head of cattle per year. It is this, along with its perceived image of being a frontier town that has given it the nickname “Texas of South Africa”

The town today is a thriving industrial and agricultural hub, which radiates an atmosphere of prosperity. Its modern architecture blends naturally with its surroundings and the well-preserved old buildings are carefully maintained.

Vryburg has a strong sense of history, one which its citizens nurture with pride. The name Vryburg comes from the period in the 1882 when Vryburg was established as the capital of Stellaland. The Republicans called themselves Vryburgers (free Citizens), hence the name of the town.

Vryburg is born on September 20, 1882, a site for a township was selected and named Endvogelfontein. On November 15 the same year, the name was changed to Vryburg. In December that year, newly laid out plots were apportioned to the volunteers by means of a lottery and by February 1883 some 400 farms had been established.

On August 16, 1883, Administrator Van Niekerk proclaimed the Republic of Stellaland with Vryburg as capital and himself as President. Stellaland spilt into two rival factions – those who supported annexation into the Cape colony as mooted by Cecil Rhodes, and those who preferred independence.

In February 1884, the London Convention was signed, making Stellaland a British protectorate, with the Reverend John McKensie appointed Commissioner to British Bechuanaland. Vryburg today is the industrial and agricultural capital of the Bophirima (Western) region.

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Name: Vredendal

Source: http://www.namakwa.com/dorpe/Vredendal/vredendal.htm

The town Vredendal was named after a peace settlement between two fighting parties in the 17th century. Vredendal is actually part of the old Vreedensdal farm, dating back to 1748 when it was acquired by Pieter van Zyl. The Van Zyl House was build in 1776 and served as the first Church, school, shop and police station. This house was the starting pint of the farming community and the town Vredendal as it is known today. The Van Zyl house was restored and is now a National Monument.
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In 1944 the settlement received manage board status and a Roman Catholic Church was opened in 1958. This church not only represented a place of worship, but also served as landmark for the community. An interesting architectural theme resulted here because of superstition. Windows, stairs, arches etc. is in the numbers of three and seven.
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The town is situated on the banks of the Olifants River. The irrigation scheme of the Olifants River permits extensive agriculture and viticulture. Various cellars in the area offer export quality wines for sale to visitors. Guide tours of the various cellars can be arranged. Tunnel farming in the area include tomatoes, potatoes, onions, cucumbers, pumpkins and summer fruit like watermelon. Raisins of this area is also much sought after.

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Name: Vredenburg

Source: Wikipedia

Vredenburg is a town of the Cape West Coast in the Western Cape province of South Africa. "Vrede" is Afrikaans for peace. It is the transportation and commercial hub of the West Coast area and administrative center of the Saldanha Bay Local Municipality. It is located 12 kilometres inland from the coast at Saldanha Bay on the Cape Columbine Peninsula 138km north of Cape Town.

[edit] History
The town was established in 1875 initially as a Dutch Reformed Church to serve the surrounding communities, as the closest church was in Hopefield. The town's original name was "Twisfontein", which in Afrikaans would be translated to troubled fountain or similar. This name came about when two competing farmers fought over the only available freshwater spring in the area. The town's name was later changed to "Prosesfontein" which is process fountain if you translate it directly. The town was renamed as they were discussing the matter of the freshwater spring and were trying to come to an agreement. The town's population in 2002 was 31,283.[1]

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Name: Vredefort

Vredefort crater is the largest verified impact crater on Earth. It is located in the Free State Province of South Africa and named after the town of Vredefort, which is situated near its centre. The site is also known as the Vredefort dome or Vredefort impact structure. In 2005, the Vredefort Dome was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for its geologic interest.

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I spoke to a few locals today (20 November 2012) - they say that the last train was in 1994... https://sites.google.com/site/saplacenames/south-africa/v More about the Vredefort Dome: http://www.vredefortdome.org/ More: http://www.hartrao.ac.za/other/vredefort/vredefort.html

Name: Vrede

Vrede a is town in the Free State province of South Africa that is the agricultural hub of a 100 km² region. Maize, wheat, mutton, wool, beef, dairy products and poultry are farmed in the region. The town was established here after a dispute arose regarding as to where to set up the town in 1863 and as a result named the Vrede which means peace in Afrikaans and Dutch.

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Name: Volksrust

Volksrust is a town in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa on the KwaZulu-Natal provincial border. The town has important beef, dairy, maize, sorghum, wool and sunflower seed industries. It was established near to where the Battle of Majuba, wherein the Transvaal won its independence back from the British, was fought. Dorothea de Jager, daughter of Dirk Uys, one of that battle's victims, named the town Volksrust (People's Rest), presumably because it was here that the Transvaal soldiers had rested. During the Second Boer War the British built a concentration camp in Volksrust, where many Boer women and children died.

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Name: Vlottenburg

http://www.vlottenburg.co.za/

With the natural beauty of the three mountains around Stellenbosch as background Vlottenburg is about location. The farm has been a family farm since the late 1700's and has now opened its doors for you to enjoy and explore the sights it has to offer.

De Ouwe Klok @ Vlottenburg is ideal for events such as Weddings, Conferences, Birthday parties Wine tastings, etc. From small personal events for a few guests to festive celebrations, our venue is versatile to suit your needs.

Our main hall can accomodate 120 people with ease and we have adequate and safe parking for guests. A reception lounge with bar area provides access to the main hall. A spacious kitchen is provided for use by which ever catering business you are hiring.

Outside the reception lounge you will find our trademark historic slave-bell with the graceful background of the Stellenbosch mountains and oak trees growing next to the Eersterivier. We also have a large braai area or open bonfire yard just outside our indoor facilities.

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Name:Visrivier (E 14)

■Lowlands (7.9 Km)
■Thornwood (8.7 Km)
■Glen Alfa (9.5 Km)
■Kwaairivier (13.1 Km)
■Edenfield (13.2 Km)
■Grassridge (13.4 Km)
■West Burn (15.6 Km)
■Perserance (15.6 Km)
■Review (15.8 Km)
■Groenkloof (16.8 Km)
■Lindesdal (18.3 Km)
■Leeukuil (20.2 Km)
■Doornylei (20.2 Km)
■Conway (21.6 Km)
■Windy Ridge (23.0 Km)
■Cilleria (24.3 Km)
■Elandsberg (25.3 Km)
■Mooipoort (25.3 Km)
■Vrederus (25.4 Km)
■Welverdien (26.1 Km
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Name: Vishoek

Source: http://www.myfishhoek.com/fishhoekpast.html

Fish Hoek, or Visch Hoek, as was previously known, was used mainly for fishing and even Simon Van Der Stel, the then Govenor, came here for fishing in the 1600`s. He later built a house here for the fishermen. By 1725, Visch Hoek had become a regular post for the The Dutch East India Company and early maps of Visch Baai, show a company house here.

The original `Hoek` (corner), was on Clovelly side, and not Elsies Peak. The opposite end seems to have held a fishing facilities.

In the development of Visch Hoek , the corner played a significant role and posed daunting challanges. The road from Kalk Bay basically ended here. From here, there was a path going down to the beach over a series of ledges, which was known as `die trappe` (the steps).The Silvermine river here also presented its own challanges by blocking the way over the beach and then there were the quicksand issue there too. Travellers had to go inland and then turn back toward Visch Baai.

Lord Charles Somerset later built a proper road across Visch Baai in early 1800`s. Prior to this Visch Hoek was in use as a loan farm, but after the building of this road the first land grants were applied for.

In 1818, Andries Bruyns received a grant with the following conditions:-

There was to be no public winehouse

The fishing rights were to remain free.

The beach was to remain open to the public.

The land was later sold again and went through various hands and was used for different purposes, including Visch Hoek being used as a whaling station. Still later the land was divided into three portions and sold.

The first portion was the `Great or Whale Fishery`.The second portion was the `Haring Fishery`. Both these were later taken over by Hester Sophia De Kock, in 1883. She married Jacob Isaac De Villiers.

The last portion `Kleintuin` (small garden), was later sub-divided and sold again, esp in the 1890`s, with the balance sold during World War One, and this again contributed to the development of Kalk Bay.

Fish Hoek`s own further development lay in the combined Whale and Haring fisheries,belonging to Mrs. De Villiers, who held the property till 1916, when Mr. De Villiers passed away.During this time there were some noteworthy developments, one being the stone quarry on Elsies Peak in 1896. Most of the homes built during this period were built with stone from this quarry.

Another noteworthy development was the arrival of the railway line in 1890. In 1909 the railway authorities began planting grass to keep the sand off the railway line.This later proved very successful and the upper part of Fish Hoek Bay was reclaimed.

After 1916,with the passing on of Mr. De Villiers, the property was surveyed and the Fish Hoek town laid out.The first sale of plots took place in 1918 and by 1924 there were 294 houses already connected to the water supply.

Fish Hoek became a popular beach destination and was later referred to as the `Margate` of the Cape Peninsula.

In 1927, two amateur archaeologists, Victor Stanley Peers and Bertie Peers, his son, discovered the fossil remains of The Fish Hoek Man, who was an ancestor of the Bushmen , who lived here approximately 15000 years earlier.

In 1940, Fish Hoek obtained Municipal status, but today does fall under the city of Cape Town.

Source: The False Bay Story by Jose Burman

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Name: Virginia

Virginia: Despite its rapid progress following the gold discoveries of the 1940s, the city has remained a beautiful, tranquil city enhanced by lovely gardens. The Sand River, on which it is set, is ideal for boating, water-skiing, fishing and swimming. A hiking trail along its banks is much frequented by bird-watchers. Nearby, a small game sanctuary supports a variety of antelope.

Source: http://www.matjhabeng.co.za/towns.htm

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Name:Villiers

Villiers is situated in the Free State on the Vaal River. is named after Lourens de Villiers on whos farms the town was first built.

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Name: Village Main

Village Main Railway Station
Fennell Road, Johannesburg

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Name: Viljoenskroon

Source: http://www.viljoenskroon.co.za/

Viljoenskroon is a small maize and cattle farming town in the Free State Province of South Africa and is located approximately 45km from Bothaville and Orkney, and approximately 60km from Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp, Kroonstad and Parys.

Viljoenskroon is named after the original farm owner JJ Viljoen and his horse Kroon (Crown). Viljoenskroon was laid out in 1921 on the farm Mahemskraal. It became a municipality in 1925.

Viljoenskroon also has its own radio station called Overvaal Stereo 96.1FM

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Name: Viljoensdrif

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Free State, VILJOENSDRIF, Main cemetery
Cemetery information:-

Album incomplete, we have no information about any of the headstones in the cemetery.

The GGSA Cemetery CD only has information on the location of the cemetery
Cemetery ID: 2609
Information submitted by: Peter and Beverley Moss

Google Earth Project Information:-
GPSID: 3151
GPS: -26 44.240, 27 55.182

Where to stay:

Name: Vila de Manhica

Manhica district it is located in southern Mozambique. ...

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Name: Vierfontein

Source: http://www.nwpg.gov.za/transport/NWFTD/nw/rail/freightlines/provincialarterial/4_xml.html

Orkney – Vierfontein – Westleigh (Kroonstad)
This inter-provincial line is 102-km in length, providing a direct route to the Free State and serving an important maize producing agricultural area. Only 7-km of the route to the crossing of the Vaal River at Milner Bridge is in the North West Province. This section of line has recently been closed and uplifted, thus breaking the through route.

The possibility of re-opening the line has been investigated but no decision has been made at this time. A thorough long- term traffic scenario will have to be undertaken to this end.

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Name: Victoria West

Source: http://www.victoriawest.co.za/

Nestled between two mountains and a river, on route from Johannesburg to Cape Town (via Kimberley),lies Victoria West, a small town with an unofficial population of little over 11 000 people. The town was founded in 1855 and since it has grown into a thriving Karoo town. Over the last few years Victoria West has proven that the so called "platteland" still has a lot to offer. Several businesses have opened in recent years and the town hosted the Agri Expo Show of the year in February 2004.

Victoria West is situated on the N12, halfway between Cape Town and Johannesburg making it the ideal stopover point for holiday makers or businessmen on a long journey.

Map courtesy of www.sa-venues.com

Places of interest in Victoria West include the following :
1. A unique collection of Victorian Houses should you enter from Loxton
2. A museum second to none and one of only three regional museums in the Northern Cape.
3. Mannetjies Roux's private collection of Rugby Memorabelia and photos.
4. Then of course there is the Apollo theatre which is the last remaining Art Deco cinema in the whole of South Africa
5. The "Karooland Staproete", a mountain hiking trail on the outskirts of the town, which lets you experience the magic of the Karoo first hand

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Name: Victoria Falls

Source: Wikipedia

Archaeological sites around the falls have yielded Homo habilis stone artifacts from 3 million years ago, 50,000-year-old Middle Stone Age tools and Late Stone Age (10,000 and 2,000 years ago) weapons, adornments and digging tools.[9] Iron-using Khoisan hunter-gatherers displaced these Stone Age people and in turn were displaced by Bantu tribes such as the southern Tonga people known as the Batoka/Tokalea, who called the falls Shungu na mutitima. The Matabele, later arrivals, named them aManz' aThunqayo, and the Batswana and Makololo (whose language is used by the Lozi people) call them Mosi-oa-Tunya. All these names mean essentially "the smoke that thunders".[10]

The first European to see the falls was David Livingstone on 17 November 1855, during his 1852–56 journey from the upper Zambezi to the mouth of the river. The falls were well known to local tribes, and Voortrekker hunters may have known of them, as may the Arabs under a name equivalent to "the end of the world". Europeans were sceptical of their reports, perhaps thinking that the lack of mountains and valleys on the plateau made a large falls unlikely.[11][12]

Livingstone had been told about the falls before he reached them from upriver and was paddled across to a small island that now bears the name Livingstone Island in Zambia (one can visit this island from Livingstone, a truly incredible experience). Livingstone had previously been impressed by the Ngonye Falls further upstream, but found the new falls much more impressive, and gave them their English name in honour of Queen Victoria. He wrote of the falls, "No one can imagine the beauty of the view from anything witnessed in England. It had never been seen before by European eyes; but scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight."[5]

In 1860, Livingstone returned to the area and made a detailed study of the falls with John Kirk. Other early European visitors included Portuguese explorer Serpa Pinto, Czech explorer Emil Holub, who made the first detailed plan of the falls and its surroundings in 1875 (published in 1880),[13] and British artist Thomas Baines, who executed some of the earliest paintings of the falls. Until the area was opened up by the building of the railway in 1905, though, the falls were seldom visited by other Europeans.

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Name: Vetrivier

Vetrivier, Orange Free State, South Africa

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Map data ©2010 AfriGIS (Pty) Ltd, Europa Technologies, Tele Atlas - Terms of UseMapSatelliteHybrid

Short place name information

Location Name Type

Alternative Name:
Vetrivier

Name Type:
Native

Area / State:
Orange Free State

Coordinates & Location Type

Area Type:
Spot feature

Location Type:
Railroad Station

Latitude:
-28.48333

Longitude:
26.66667

Latitude (DMS):
28° 28' 60 S

Longitude (DMS):
26° 40' 0 E

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Name: Verwoerdburg

Source: Wikipedia
Centurion (previously known as Verwoerdburg, after Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd) is a city with approximately 300,000 inhabitants in Gauteng Province of South Africa.

It is located between Pretoria and Midrand (Johannesburg), and part of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. It is located at the intersection of the N1 and N14 highways. The R21 also passes through Centurion.

The Waterkloof Air Force Base, as well as the Swartkop Air Force Base (which includes the South African Air Force Museum) are located in the town.

Pre-Historic

Fossils discovered at the Sterkfontein Caves show that hominids lived in the vicinity of Centurion between 2 to 3 million years ago. The Sterkfontein Caves, a World Heritage Site, is less than 50 km from Centurion, near the town of Krugersdorp.

However, the earliest evidence of modern human habitation in the Centurion area itself does not go this far back. It dates back to 1 200 AD when black African communities settled in this area. They cultivated lands, grazed their cattle, made earthenware containers and smelted iron.

19th Century

From 1825 to 1826 the Matabele peoples defeated the Bakwena tribe and settled along the banks of the Magalies River under the leadership of Mzilikazi.

In 1841 the Erasmus family arrived and settled in the area that would later become Centurion. Daniel Jacobus Erasmus settled on the farm Zwartkop, Daniel Elardus Erasmus on the farm Doornkloof and Rasmus Elardus Erasmus developed the farm Brakfontein. Several of the suburbs like Erasmia, Elardus Park, Zwartkop and Doornkloof were named after these 19th century owners of the land and their properties.

In 1849 Rev Andrew Murray visited the farm Doornkloof and christened 129 babies, heard the confession of their faith of 29 new members of the Reformed Church and the next day, 29 December 1849, celebrated communion.

In 1889 Alois Hugo Nelmapius bought the northern and north-eastern portions of the farm Doornkloof and named it after his daughter Irene (who died 1961).

First Anglo-Boer War

As part of the First Boer War, the battle for Rooihuiskraal (Afrikaans for "Red House Kraal") took place in 1881 nearby here. A Boer commando under the leadership of D.J. Erasmus Jr defeated Colonel Gildea, or "The Blasted Colonel" as they called him, the British Officer Commanding of the Pretoria Garrison. After the cornered British garrison tried to escape to Natal to join General George Pomeroy Colley, the Boers entrenched themselves behind a stone wall surrounding the animal stockade, and wounded the colonel in the backside, who was standing upright in his stirrups. This was no doubt a serious blow to British morale.

Second Anglo-Boer War
During the Second Boer War the Irene Concentration Camp was established in 1901 on the farm Doornkloof, as part of the British scorched earth policy, where Boer women and children were housed under extremely poor conditions. At its peak the camp had 5,500 inhabitants, mostly women and children. Between February 1901 and the end of the war in 1902, 1249 lost their lives here, about 1000 of them children. The Irene Camp Cemetery is well preserved and contains 576 of the original slate tombstones that was carved by hand in the camp.

20th Century
The town of Irene was established in 1902 when 337 plots were laid out on the farm Doornkloof. Jan Smuts later owned part of this farm, and died there in 1950. The Smuts House is a museum today, and regularly hosts open air fleamarkets on its grounds.

Centurion developed from the initial Lyttelton Township that was marked out on the farm Droogegrond in 1904. Lyttelton Manor Extension 1 was established in 1942. These two townships initially resorted under the Peri Urban Board in Pretoria.

Centurion was granted City Council status in 1962 as Lyttelton. It was formed by combining the areas of Doornkloof, Irene and Lyttelton. Lyttelton was renamed Verwoerdburg in 1967, after Hendrik Verwoerd, the so-called "architect of apartheid". The surrounding areas, as they grew, came under the same name and Lyttelton became known as one of the suburbs of Verwoerdburg. Others included Clubview, Eldoraigne, Wierdapark, Zwartkops and their extensions.

The politically neutral name Centurion has no significance, and was presumably chosen by residents in 1995 to match the name of the Centurion Park (now called SuperSport Park) cricket ground, located in the area after the end of apartheid.

Following the end of Apartheid, the Indian township of Laudium and surrounding suburbs including Erasmia and Claudius, which were formerly a part of Pretoria, were made part of Centurion. A black township, called Olievenhoutbosch was created in Centurion at around the same time.

In 2000, the Centurion local government became part of the newly-created City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, which also includes Pretoria, and the town ceased to have its own Town Council.

Geography

The Hennops River flows through the heart of Centurion, and causes occasional flooding when heavy rainfall has occurred.

Climate
Centurion is located on the Highveld like Johannesburg and Pretoria and has a similar climate, with dry, sunny winters (max daytime temperature around 20°C dropping to a crisp average minimum of 5°C) , and warm to hot summers (October - April) tempered by late-afternoon showers often accompanied by spectacular thunder and lightning. Hailstorms are not uncommon, but a serious hailstorm has not happened for many years. Summer temperatures range from the mid 20's to the mid 30's (°Celsius). Centurion's weather tends to follow the slightly warmer Pretoria, when compared to that of Johannesburg.

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Name: Verulam

Source: http://verulam.co.za/welcome.htm
Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal

Verulam is a town 28 kilometres north of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and is now part of the eThekwini Metropolitan Area. In 1850 a party of 400 methodists settled here and formed the town. The town was then named after the Earl of Verulam, patron of the Brits who settled here. It is now a town inhabited mainly by Indians.

The town is large with a population well over 60,000. There are over several high-schools and primary schools catering for all races and all areas of the town. It contains densely populated residential and industrial areas, which include a multitude of shopping centres, mosques, temples & churches. At the outskirts are large farming areas several "suburbs" which are mostly rural. There has been slow but steady progress in modernising the town by providing adequate infrastructure to the rural areas.

There are a few major attractions in Verulam but the most spectacular is probably the Sri Gopalall Hindu Temple which was opened in 1913 by Mahatma Gandhi. It is situated in the small suburb of Temple Valley in Verulam. It is one of the oldest temples in South Africa and still caters for prayer & wedding ceremonies. The Hazelmere Dam, just a few kilometers from Verulam features a variety of activities, such as watersports, fishing, nature walks and bird Watching. There is a wide range of Game and also has camping sites & luxury accommodation. Lastly is the Verulam market. People from all around Kwa-Zulu Natal come here to get their fresh fruits & vegetables as there is a large variety at incredible prices. There are 3 levels of the market; the upper two levels is opened daily and here you can get anything from clothing to fresh fruits. The lower level, open only on certain days, features the freshest fruits and vegetables of KwaZulu-Natal at reasonable prices.

An interesting fact is that Verulam is the only town in the world where the main street (Wick Street) ends into a river!

Province

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Name:

Source: Mbendi Gerdau (11.4 Km)
Ga-Maloka (16.4 Km)
Saamwerk (19.4 Km)
Biesiesvlei (19.4 Km)
Sannieshof (19.9 Km)
Bospoort (22.0 Km)
Hakboslaagte (27.8 Km)
Hauptsrus (28.3 Km)
Ottosdal (31.6 Km)
Twycross (32.6 Km)
Erma (36.0 Km)
Dudfield (37.1 Km)
Tlhabologang (37.5 Km)
Coligny (38.6 Km)
Vaalplaats (41.1 Km)
Boikhutso (41.2 Km)
Syferkuil (41.5 Km)
Sias (42.4 Km)
Dupperspos (43.2 Km)
Witfontein (43.5 Km

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Name: Vereeniging

Main Source: Wikipedia

Vereeniging is a city in Gauteng province, South Africa, with a population of more than 400,000. It is also one of the constituent parts of the Vaal Triangle region and was formerly situated in the Transvaal province.

The name Vereeniging is derived from the Afrikaans/Dutch word meaning "association" or "union", "joining" or "uniting", is located around the old rail and road crossing points between the two old republics: the then Zuid-Afrikaansche Republic and the Republic of the Orange Free State.

Geographical Information
Vereeniging is situated in the Southern part of Gauteng Province, and neighbors Vanderbijlpark (West), Three Rivers (East), Meyerton (North) and Sasolburg (South).
The predominant language in Vereeniging is Afrikaans, which is followed up closely by English and Sesotho.
The motto of the city is : Per Pacem ad Industriam (Through peace to industry)

[edit] History
The city was founded in 1892 and is situated on the banks of the northern loop of the Vaal River. Much of its early growth was due to the nearby coal mines.

The city is well known for being the location where the Treaty of Vereeniging ending the Second Boer War (1899-1902) was negotiated. During this conflict, a concentration camp was set up by the British military in the area.

Nearby Vereeniging is the predominantly black community of Sharpeville, Gauteng, the site of the Sharpeville massacre in 1960.

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Main source: http://www.places.co.za/html/vereeniging.html

In the late 1800s the Vaal River was crossed at Viljoensdrift, on the Free State side of the present Vereeniging. In 1878 coal was dicovered on the farm Leeuwkuil and a town developed around the mine on the northern bank of the Vaal River. The first stands were sold in 1892 and the railway track crossing the Vaal River was also completed that year.

It is one of the busier industrial areas in South Africa. The town is one of the most important heavy industrial centres in South Africa and cables, chains, steel tubing, farm implements and many steel and other products are manufactured here.

Coal reserves have been estimated at as much as 4 billion tons and substantial deposits of fire-clay, silica and building stone are also mined.

Activities
Klip River Terrace
One of the most valuable archaeological sites in the world. A rich store of Stone Age implements has been uncovered here.

Maccauvlei
Is a coal-rich farm that is also the site of an Anglo-Boer War concentration camp
and has a memorial to the Canadian soldiers who were killed in that war.

Mona Lisa
Very few people will be leave the Mona Lisa shop without buying at least one souvenir.
The shop offers a wide selection of homemade gifts, Swazi glass, candles, clay hangings and paintings.

Museum
Houses an interesting collection of photographs that were taken during the peace negotiations that ended the Anglo-Boer Warin 1902.

Three Rivers Nature Trail
Takes hikers along the Klip (Stone), Vaal and Suiker-bosrand Rivers. Also oppertunities for watersports.

Treaty of Vereeniging (actually finally signed at Melrose House in Pretoria)
The memorial was first erected on the spot where representatives of the Boer Republics and Rhodes initially discussed the conditions of the treaty - and later moved to the library.

The Vaal Teknorama
Is the only museum of its kind in the country. It focuses on industrial development in the area. The Witkop Blockhouse is a relic from the Anglo-BoerWar.

Where to stay:

Name: Ventersdorp

Main source: http://www.tourismnorthwest.co.za/southern/ventersdorp.html, Also Wikipedia

Ventersdorp is a town situated in North West Province of South Africa.

The town's population is just 2,000 while the nearby township of Tshing has a population of around 15,000.

AWB legacy

Afrikaner nationalist Eugène Terre'Blanche was born in Ventersdrop.[3] The town is the base of the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB), a far right secessionist political organisation and former paramilitary group, which Terre'Blanche founded.

Many of the AWB's major figures live in Ventersdorp, including Terre'Blanche's former driver JP Meyer. Eugene Terre'Blanche's security firm was rented out to the town council for a long time as an almost private police force.[citation needed]
In 2000 the new black Mayor of Ventersdorp terminated this contract.[citation needed] Shortly thereafter he disappeared, never to be seen again and his car was found in a nearby field.[citation needed] The Mayor's cousin was found guilty of his murder, but some people, particularly black people, believed that Terre'Blanche had ordered the murder and that the AWB influenced the outcome of the trial.[citation needed]

However, separately, Terre'Blanche was sentenced to six years in prison on June 17, 2001, of which he served three years, for assaulting a petrol station worker and the attempted murder of a security guard in 1996.[citation needed] One of only three whites in the Rooigrond prison near Mafikeng, during his time in prison he became a born-again Christian and later claimed to have moderated many of his more racist views.[4] Terre'Blanche was released on June 11, 2004[5] and the AWB website claims these court cases and other scandals involving him were fabricated by the 'Black Government and the left wing media'.

Terre'Blanche, who had lived in relative obscurity since his release from prison, was murdered in his sleep on his farm Villana just outside of Ventersdorp on April 3, 2010. He was reportedly beaten to death with pipes and pangas by two black men, one of them a minor, allegedly over "a wage dispute". Terre'Blanche's body was found on the bed with facial and head injuries. Ventersdorp police said two suspects were taken into custody over his killing.

The Ventersdorp High School has changed quite dramatically, with non-white students attending since 1995. These students are mostly Afrikaans speaking coloured residents of the smaller township Toevlug.

The Tshing township has a diamond mine nearby: a town councillor owned it in the early 1990s.

Ventersdorp is at the centre of a large agricultural area.

The enormous silos, with a two million bag capacity, stand as proof of the farming activities in the area.

Eye of the Schoonspruit River

This is one of many river eyes in the area. It is 6km from Ventersdorp on the road to Koster. The town depends on its water for human consumption.

Water Mill

The mill is in Roscher Street (off N14 on R30 just south of town). The mill was built on the Schoonspruit River, on a farm the government granted to Mrs de Beer after the death of her first husband. Her next husband, a Welshman named Mr Richard Carew Wilson, built the mill in 1866. It still works today, although it has been electrified and the wheel has long since gone.

Rietspruit Dam Resort

Elandskuil Dam

Klerkskraal Dam

Swartrand Caves

Tarentaal Hiking Routes

The grave with eternal flowers

In the town cemetery is the grave of an Irish soldier, G. Shaw, who fought on the side of the Boers during the South African War. He was court-marshaled by the British authorities and executed by firing squad. Use the entry gate to the left of the old cemetery. The lonely grave is in the shade of a huge tree, next to the fence on the left.

NG Church Hall & NG Church

Anglo Boer South African War Memorial

Near the Voortrekker Hall, next to the fire and ambulance services. In memory of Boer soldiers who died during skirmishes, and women and children who died in the concentration camps.

Boer Fort

The fort is on the farm Elandskuil 4km out of town on the road to Klerksdorp. It is on the left side of the road, at the turn-off to the Rietspruit Dam.

Battle of Ventersdorp Memorial

In memory of those who died on August 9, 1994.

History

The Eye of the Schoonspruit attracted people for hundreds of years to this fertile valley and it still is a never-ending source of life for the people of the town, even during the harshest drought.

Some BaTswana groups settled in the Ventersdorp region in the mid 18th century, but fled the area in the early 19th century during an invasion by other groups. Most of them fled to the Free State. They later returned only to find that white farmers had already claimed the land along the Schoonspruit River.

The first white people came to the area in 1840, making it one of the first settlements in the old Transvaal Republic. The first farm in the area was called Sterkstroom ('strong flowing stream'). The town was established on the farm Roodepoort 22, property of Mr JH Venter. It is believed that Venter allocated stands as early as 1860.

With the development of a farming community in the area, more and more people bought property from Venter.

History

The town grew around a Dutch Reformed parish that was established in 1866.[1] [2] The town was named after Johannes Venter who owned the land the church was built on.

The first church was built in 1889. This building was later used as the church hall, with the completion of a larger red brick church in 1912, which still stands sentinel over the town.

More people settled in the town after the discovery of diamonds in the area. Gold was also discovered but turned out not to be worth mining.

During the South African Anglo Boer War, most of the men folk joined the Boer commandos. When the British introduced their scorched earth policy, an Irish soldier, G. Shaw, considered the tactic immoral and defected. He stayed with the Engelbrecht family at Ventersdorp. When food ran out he went to a local shop for rations. British soldiers recognised him. After his capture he was tried and executed. He was buried in a far corner of the cemetery, away from both British and Boer soldiers. The site is known as The Grave With Eternal Flowers. The grave is under a tree which stays in bloom for months.

In the 1960's and 1970's, hundreds of blacks in the town and surrounding areas were forcefully removed under apartheid laws. They were relocated to newly declared townships such as Makgokgwane in the former Bophuthatswana.

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Name: Veertien Strome

This place is situated in Warrenton, Northern Cape, South Africa, its geographical coordinates are 28° 4' 0" South, 24° 53' 0" East

Veertien Strome.

Veertien Strome is a village in Northern Cape, South Africa. It is 426km south west of Pretoria and 329km south east of Tshabong (Tsabong, Botswana).

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Warrenton Railway Station - - streetmaps.co.za - Road and ...Warrenton Railway Station.kml (Opens in new window). Similar Nearby Points. Veertien Strome Railway Station (5km); Dowlish Railway Station (11km) ...
www.streetmaps.co.za/detail.asp?ref... - Cached

Where to stay:

The World's Best Photos of storm and train - Flickr Hive Mind50 storm train 19 clouds 17 sky 13 tracks 12 railroad 11 rain 10 snow 9 weather hdr 7 station night canon rail 6 winter railway photomatix blue 5 dark nikon ...
fiveprime.org/hivemind/Tags/storm,train - Cached

Name: Vasco

Take a bet - SA Horseracing - Western CapeAdderley Street, No 3 Adderley Street, Cape Town Station, Cape Town. Bellville, Cnr Church & Durban Road, ... Vasco, Vasco Hotel, 225 Voortrekker Rd, Vasco ...

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Name: Van Reenen

Source: http://www.sa-venues.com/attractionskzn/van-reenen.php

Van Reenen’s Pass, a sweeping pass renowned for its slippery and precarious roads (particularly as a result of the frequent misty conditions), and some of the most gorgeous views, is the main route through the Drakensberg Mountains connecting Jo-burg and Durban with Van Reenen, a little town perched on the high summit of the Pass, between Harrismith and Ladysmith on the N3.

Van Reenen has a history steeped in the Anglo-Boer War, and a lookout point, called Windy Corner, about 3 kilometres out of town with views over the mountains and lower lying regions - virtually all that there is to the town’s credit, apart from the Llandaff Oratory - a small chapel with only eight seats built by a father in memory of his son, and ostensibly the smallest Roman Catholic church in the world.

South Africans and travellers alike pass through this part of the world on the way to somewhere, and seldom stop to appreciate the unique mountainous area, the Battlefields Route sprawled out in the valley below filled with a unique charm, arts and crafts, hiking trails and Zulu culture.

Source: http://www.vanreenentourism.co.za/

Van Reenen and the Pass have always been associated with transport. First it was a migratory route for hordes of animals migrating from the Orange Free State to KwaZulu Natal in winter and back again in summer.

Frans Van Reenen, after whom the Pass is named, farmed at the base of Van Reenen Pass and trekked his oxen inland using the paths worn by the migrating animals. In the mid 1800’s he assisted the transport riders with laying out a route for the wagons carrying supplies to the gold mines.

The area traversed by Van Reenen Pass was originally known as Underberg and there was a settlement 9 km south of the present village around Wyford where the border post was between the Orange Free State and KwaZulu Natal. This was manned by Customs officials, a Dipping Officer and a Police station. There was also The Good Hope Hotel, a boarding house and two blacksmith shops.

In 1891 the railway line was opened and the present village of Van Reenen came into being as all the services were taken to the top of the Pass. The railway line was a massive engineering feat to negotiate the steep incline and involved a series of tunnels and reversing stations. The latter were later replaced by more tunnels which is the route to-day

A green lantern was hung at the top of the pass to signify that travellers had reached the summit as it was often very foggy. At this time near to where the Caltex garage is to day, a guard from 6 a.m. manned the border post until 6 p.m. No movement was allowed between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Van Reenen Hotel was built in 1892 which in 1948 was renamed The Green Lantern Inn. At the time of the Siege of Ladysmith in 1899 the Van Reenen Hotel was commandeered by the British as their headquarters for the troops stationed on Gun Hill which gave then a commanding view of both the Orange Free State and KwaZulu Natal. They also built a blockhouse, which has since been demolished.

During the 2nd World war Van Reenen was a great tourist destination with some 4 hotels in the area. Guests arrived by train and many activities were organized such as tennis and cricket matches. The Little Church or Llandaff Oratory was built in memory of Matthew Maynard’s son who was killed while trying to rescue others in a mining accident in 1925. The Moorddraai monument was erected in memory of 9 people murdered in 1865 who were transporting merchandise from Durban to Pretoria.

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Name: Vandyksdrif

Vandyksdrif, region: Mpumalanga

Latitude -26.0833330
Longitude 29.3166670

http://www.the-gables.co.za/pages/history.pdf

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Name: Vanduzi

Vanduzi Mozambique

Longitude : 33 16' 00''

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Name: Van der Stel

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Name: Valsrivier

Location of Valsrivier, Orange Free State, South Africa (Latitude: 27° 22' 60 S, Longitude: 26° 31' 0 E)

http://www.airrifle.co.za/album.php?albumid=543

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Name:Valsbaai

Valsbaai (Engels: False Bay) is 'n baai met 'n lengte van sowat 48 kilometer naby Kaapstad, met Kaappunt en die Kaapse Skiereiland aan die westelike kant en die Hottentots-Holland-berge aan die oostekant.

Onder die vroeë Portugese seevaarders het Valsbaai as Golfo Dentro das Sierras of "Baai tussen die Berge" bekend gestaan. Baie skepe, wat van die Verre Ooste terugkeer, het die Kaap Hangklip aan die oostelike kant van die baai as Kaappunt aangesien en vaar dus die "vals baai" in. Gevolglik kry Kaap Hangklip vinnig die Portugese naam Cabo Falso ("Vals Kaap").

Danksy die Agulhasstroom, wat hier vloei, het die water in die baai 'n matige temperatuur. Talle vissersdorpies en vakansieoorde het langs die kuslyn van Valsbaai ontwikkel, waaronder Vishoek, Muizenberg, Strand en Gordonsbaai. Simonstad is die hoofkwartier van die Suid-Afrikaanse Vloot.

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Name:Val

Source: http://www.linx.co.za/accommo/provinces/mp70acom.html
Val
Type: Hotel Location: 4 Smith Street
Enquiries: Rita Brits

Cell: +27 (0)82 550 5540
e-mail: val.hotel@webmail.co.za
Web: http://www.valhotel.co.za
Description: The almost unknown little hamlet of Val about 30 minutes from Heidelberg in Gauteng and only a stone's throw from Greylingstad on the road to Standerton, is surely one of the smallest, cleanest and most beautiful little towns on the highveld. It has only 28 inhabitants and is really worth a visit. Andre and Rita bought almost the whole town on an auction in 1994, including the dilapidated old "Val Hotel". The hotel offers a cozy private pub, large fireplaces and spacious entertaining areas for functions and weddings. The railway station building opposite the street from the guesthouse will soon be available for backpackers. The small and beautiful thatched chapel further down the road is becoming a very popular wedding venue from where bridal pairs and their guests move to the Val Hotel for wedding receptions. Val Hotel's accommodation consists of twelve rooms, 2 self-catering cottages and a backpackers which sleeps 15. It can accommodate 22 or more guests and offers full catering by prior arrangement.

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Name: Vaalwater

Source: http://www.places.co.za/html/vaalwater.html

Situated in the upper reaches of the Mokolo River, Vaalwater is a village within the Waterberg Mountain range.

The Waterberg's rugged beauty, together with its diversity in plant- and animal life, has led to the development of several exciting eco-tourism projects such as the biosphere reserve - the Waterberg Nature Conservancy - protecting more than 150 000 hectares of the Waterberg-habitat.

The Waterberg-range, incorporating many rivers, streams and swamps, stretches for 150 kilometres in a long arc from east to west.

Apart from the spectacular scenery of the mountains, the area’s popularity is growing thanks to the wide selection of accommodation, game and nature reserves.

The working farms in and around the village, all offer numerous outdoor activities.

Activities
Adventure Activities:
The area offers guided bush walks, day and night game drives, mountain bike trails, bird watching, boat cruises, hunting and hiking.

Church of St John the Baptist:
A charming thatched church made of local materials and designed by Sir Herbert Baker, architect of the Union Building in Pretoria.

Mokolo Dam and Nature Reserve:
Fishing, barbecuing and picnicking are the most popular activities at this spot 50km northwest of Vaalwater.

San Rock Artwork:
The area boasts many fascinating rock paintings and geological sites to visit.

Rhino Museum:
The museum depicts all the facets of rhino conservation.

Waterberg Cultural Museum:
Situated at the original Melkrivier School, offers a variety of interesting information on the cultural history of the area.

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Name: Utrecht

Source Wikipedia

Utrecht is a small town in the foothills of the Balele Mountains in the North Western corner of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Newcastle, Kwazulu Natal's third largest urban center is 50 km away from Utrecht. Utrecht boasts a population of approximately 32000 people including the surrounding areas.

Coal mining and cattle ranching are the predominant economic activities of the citizens of Utrecht.

Mapungubwe (1050–1270)

[show] 1600-1700

Cape Colony (1652–1910)

[show] 1700-1800

Swellendam (1795)

Graaff Reinet (1795–1796)

[show] 1800-1850

Waterboer's Land (1813–1871)

Zulu Kingdom (1818–1897)

Adam Kok's Land (1825–1861)

Winburg (1836–1844)

Potchefstroom (1837–1848)

Natalia Republic (1839–1843)

[show] 1850-1875

Orange Free State (1854–1902)

Republic of Utrecht (1854–1858)

Lydenburg Republic (1856–1860)

South African Republic (1857–1902)

Griqualand East (1861–1879)

Griqualand West (1870)

[show] 1875-1900

Stellaland (1882–1885)

Goshen (1882–1883)

Nieuw Republiek (1884–1888)

Klein Vrystaat (1886–1891)

[show] 1900-present

Cape Colony (1652–1910)

Union of South Africa (1910–1961)

Transkei (1976–1994)

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Venda (1979–1994)

Ciskei (1981–1994)

Republic of South Africa (1961–present)

In 1843 the English annexed the Klip River Republic. Most of the inhabitants moved to the latter day Free State and Transvaal, but three of them, A. T. Spies, J. C. Klopper and C. J. van Rooyen, traded land east of the Buffalo River for 300 cattle in 1852 from king Mpande. Van Rooyen, who spoke isiZulu fluently, was a personal friend of king Mpande, and even salved him in the biblical manner a few years earlier. Even before 1852 Van Rooyen had permission to use this tract of land as grazing.

The majority of Northern Natal was uninhabited, as king Sjaka, circa 1820, got rid of the amaHlubi (the Hlubi-tribe), who were the then inhabitants. The amaZulu never inhabited this land.

In the archives the settlers who moved there with the trio were called the "Buffel rivier maatschappij".

In a proclamation dd 27 December 1852 the "Zuid-Afrikaansche Republic", the ZAR, by a letter signed by kmdt-genl A. W. J. Pretorius (the hero of the battle of Blood River) warned them that the ZAR did not recognize this transaction. The reason being that they were scared of antagonizing the English, as they will be neighbors on the other side of the Buffalo River, after the annexation of the Klip River Republic. This warning was re-issued during December 1853, in a letter written to a certain "Phillip Koch and the rest of the inhabitants of the area of the Buffalo River". (My translation)

The same inhabitants wanted to be incorporated in the ZAR, but the latter wanted none of this. On 8 September 1854 the trio named above, again traded the same land for a further 100 cattle, but then had this bill of sale signed, which can be viewed in the Transvaal Archive:

“ Dumasoela 8 September 1854
Bij deze neemd ik de staad den vrijheid bij mijn outoriteit Panda Konig der Zoelas dat ik een deel van mijn gronde verhandelt heeft aan de ondergetekende Emigranten voor een honderd beesten het welke ik op datum deser als contant ontvangen heef te zegge degronde hier onder vermeld als een Eewig durende Eigendom der Emigranten:

XXXXXXX (de merk betekend naam Panda)

De lijn zal zijn alwaar bloet revier in buffel revier loop en langes bloet revier op verder langes de buitenste spruit (Lynspruit) op en onder de gebergtes langs alle open gronde die nu niet door Pandas kaffers bewoond is tot aan de ronde kop tusschen de twee spruiten van Pongola en tot vast aan de lijn der vrije republiek en alle in geslote gronde tot aan de Btitsche lijn.

Als getuigen J. C. Klopper P. W. Jordaan C. J. van Rooyen J. G. Herbst A. T. Spies Aldus gedaan en bekragtig op Datum deser

xxxxxx (De merk beteken de naam Mapasha).
”

The Republic of Utrecht (after the forming of the New Republic on its eastern side, which was known as the Old Republic), existed until 1858 when it joined the Republic of Lydenburg. This republic then joined the ZAR in 1860. Utrecht and Vryheid (the capital of the former New Republic) was then part of the ZAR until 31 May 1902 when the ZAR surrendered to Great Britain, after which both towns and their districts, were incorporated into Natal as spoils of war.

[edit] HISTORICAL & OTHER FACTS
Tucked away in the corner of the picturewsque Balele mountains lies Utrecht, a rare gem, unique in that it lies within a Game Park.

Established in 1854, the town is steeped in history which is reflected in beautiful historical buildings like the Old Parsonage Museum, the Dutch Reformed sandstone church, the unique old military cemetry and stately colonial houses and other buildings.

Utrecht does not only offer an historical experience to the tourist. The picturesque Balele mountains whti its waterfalls and ecological diversity is home to a wealth of fauna and flore, especiallu in the Balele Game Park which encircles the town.

The conservancy and district offers a variety of experiences that include hiking and horse trails, trout fishing in dams of the pristine Bivane river, birding as well as water sport at the redreation resort.

The Utrecht district is the tribal domain of no fewer than 5 Amakosi (Zulu Chiefs) who, today play an active role in the development of the area. The Mangosuthu Arts and Crafts village with backpacker accommodation and craft shop that sells a variety of traditional Zulu articles is a must!

Utrecht has excellent agricultural potential and is the most important wool producing area in KwaZulu-Natal. It is, howeer, also a major cattle and mixed farming region. Farm holidays are on offer to the city dweller in search of an alternative experience.

Municipality
Utrecht is the seat of the local eMadlageni municipality and the Amajuba District Municipality. The Amajuba District Municipality is the fifth most densely populated district in KwaZulu-Natal, comprising Dannhauser (1516 km²), Newcastle (1956 km²), and Utrecht (3539 km²). The average population density that was recorded in Amajuba was 67.7 people per km² in 2001. In 2001 the district was home to 468030 people, with 22% residing in Dannhauser, 72% residing in Newcastle and 7% in Utrecht.

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Name: Usakos

The first town east of the Namib Desert on the main B2 road from Swakopmund, Usakos lies on the southern bank of the Khan River, nestled in the last hills before the Namib, at the edge of a vast expanse of nothingness. The town originally developed around the railway workshops which were built to service the narrow-gauge Otavi line, completed in 1906. Until 1960, the town prospered but when the old steam locomotives were replaced by diesel engines it lapsed into its present sleepy state.
Accommodation in the area: Bahnhof Hotel, Usakos Hotel, Namib Wuste Camping and Die Bahnmeister.

source: http://www.usakos.com/

Usakos is a city[1] 140 kilometres north-east of Swakopmund in the Erongo Region of Namibia. It is located on the B2, the main road between the coast and Okahandja, where the road turns towards the capital, Windhoek. Surrounded by mountains, Usakos is quite picturesque. There are several gasoline stations and banks as well as other town services.

Usakos is the closest town to the Spitzkoppe, often referred to as the "Matterhorn of Namibia."

Railways
Usakos is the junction of the branch railways to Tsumeb and the Angolan border, Outjo and Grootfontein from the line to Windhoek

Source: Wikipedia (June 2010)

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Name: Upington

Upington is situated on the banks of the Orange River (which is one of the largest rivers in South Africa). Upington is rich in culture and history. The town was established in 1870. Since 1880 the town has expanded rapidly and is now the commercial, agricultural and educational centre of the Gordonia district.

Source: http://www.upington.co.za/

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Upington had a few clubs when I started visiting the town but as alcohol prices went up and people started partying at home the clubs closed one after the other and only two remained in Upington. Last night we made an appearance at “Plan B” to round off our perfect night with some dancing and a couple of shooters.

Plan B is your typical “platteland” club that focus on “langarm” and lots of alcohol consumption. The place is massive with a huge dance area, some pool tables and a large bar area. Plan B is great fun but only start picking up speed after 11 as people move from home parties after they have lost all ambitions and don’t care about booze prices.

I must admit that I am too old to do the club thing and the loud music, waiting for drinks and driving under the influence just doesn’t do it for me anymore. That said if I were 10 years younger it would have been a blast!
Source: http://www.rivercity.co.za/2009/06/plan-b/

Where to stay:

The railway line between Upington and Keimoes.

Name: Unified

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•Hamberg (5.9km)
•Roodepoort (8.8km)
•Roodepoort-Wes (13.5km)
•Florida (13.5km)
•Maraisburg (18.8km)
•Unified (18.8km)
•Phomolong (20.4km)
•Witpoortjie (21.9km)
•Mzimhlope (22.8km)
•Bosmont (24.4km)
•New Canada (26.4km)
•Phefeni (26.8km)
•Orlando (28.6km)
•Newclare (30.1km)
•Westbury (30.1km)
•Luipaardsvlei (30.6km)
•Mlamlankunzi (31.5km)
•Croesus (32.2km)
•Longdale (32.2km)
•Nancefield (33.2km

Where to stay:

Name: Ungubana

Ungubana, Mozambique

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Ungubana is situated in the destination of Mozambique. Lies in the south-web part of country.As to the administrative division, Ungubana belongs to Maputo . Several major tourist attractions can be mentioned in the town’s surroundings, like Nelspruit (South Africa) about 172 km, Maputo (Mozambique) about 109 km, Kruger National Park (South Africa), about 156 km, Phophonyane Falls (Swaziland) about 169 km, Mlawula Nature Reserve (Swaziland) about 144 km, Mbabane (Swaziland), about 209 km, Mantenga Cultural Village (Swaziland) about 223 km, Mkhaya Nature Reserve (Swaziland) about 206 km, (South Africa), about 339 km, Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park (South Africa) about 316 km, Kingdom of Mapungubwe (Zimbabwe) about 448 km.
The nearest international airport (JNB) Johannesburg Intl Airport is situated about 455 km from the town of Ungubana..

http://en.tixik.com/ungubana-1718192.htm

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Name: Underberg

Underberg is an administrative town in a dairy and cattle farming community in the Mzimkulu River valley of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is situated at the foot of the 1,904 m Hlogoma Peak (place of echoes) in the foothills of the southern Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal. Underberg began in 1917 when the railway from Pietermaritzburg reach the area. It is an important commercial centre for the region's farming industry and a gateway to the Southern Drakensberg resorts; it is also a trading point for people who come down the nearby Sani Pass from Lesotho.

There are a couple of decent restaurants - The Lemon Tree in the centre, Roxy's, located in the Underberg Hotel, and Mikes' a great one for the family

Tourism the area is the second biggest industry next to farming. To enjoy the full extent of Southern Drakensberg, tourists are encouraged to stay in Underberg for more than one day, to be able to take in and apreciate the true splendour of Underberg. TripAdvisor points to Pile-Inn B&B for quality accommodation.

The Underberg district is, along with Dullstroom, Mpumalanga one of South Africa's premier flyfishing destinations. Splashy Fen, an annual outdoor music festival, is held on a farm near Underberg.
(Source: Wikipedia - June 2010)

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Name: Umzumbe

http://www.kzntopbusiness.co.za/site/umzumbe
The municipality of Umzumbe extends along the coast for a short stretch between Mtwalume and Hibberdene, and then balloons out into the hinterland for some 60 km. It covers a vast, largely rural area of some 1 182.7 sq km. Only 1% of the municipality is built up (semi-urban). The rural hinterland incorporates 17 traditional authority areas.
There are no established towns in the municipality, which is characterised by a vast backlog of basic services, high levels of poverty and virtually no economic base. The most striking physical feature is the extent of undeveloped natural land, which represents almost 60% of the total land area. The topography can be described as extremely rocky and hilly.

Economy
Umzumbe is a very popular holiday resort consisting of Hotels, Self-Catering Holiday Resorts, a Caravan Park, and a small business community.

Income levels in Umzumbe are very low, and reflect a situation of acute impoverishment. Almost 60% of all households have an income of less than R500 per month. Households rely for survival on pension and other welfare grants, migrant remittances, informal earnings and casual employment wages. Most rural households depend on the land and other natural resources for fuel, water and subsistence crops. An aim of the municipality is to reduce economic growth backlog by ensuring economic growth and job creation through product or service niche market development in various economic sectors.

Agriculture
Large-scale commercial farming is limited to the northern and eastern parts, generally outside the traditional settlement areas. However, the area has high agricultural potential.

Tourism
An unspoilt environment provides significant opportunities for tourist development.

Accommodation is available in chalets, caravan parks and the Pumula Hotel. Watersports including scuba diving, snorkelling, surfing, surfing and ski-boat fishing are popular activities.

Local Economic Development

The municipality intends to adopt an economic development strategy that will focus on agriculture, tourism and marketing. An integrated land reform programme is to be adopted that not only addresses land restitution and redistribution but also identifies land that can be used for rural housing projects.

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Name: Umzinto

Source: Wikpedia (June 2010)
Umzinto is a town 10 kilometres inland from Park Rynie on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa in the Umdoni Local Municipality which is under the Ugu District Municipality. It was a sugarcane growing area and the town was set up as the centre for a sugar mill. The first public company in Natal was established at Umzinto in 1858. Umzinto has grown and developed to a self-sustaining urban place.

There is a dispute about the original name of Umzinto. History says it is Umenzi wezinto, a Zulu name meaning doer of things and due to continuous mis-pronunciation by white people it was convenient for everyone to say Umzinto, which we know today. But other history says it was named after a river, Mzinto River, which passes the town.

Unofficially, Umzinto was at one time the 'Capital' of Alexandra County, a district that also includes the areas and suburbs surrounding the towns of Scottburgh, Umkomaas, and Sezela-Pennington. Umzinto hosted two class-A cricket matches at the Alexandra Memorial Ground, one on March 2, 1974, when Natal B hosted Griqualand West in the Currie Cup Section B, and again on March 19, 1977, when Natal B faced Border in the same contest.

Today, Umzinto remains a semi-Urban town, with not much progress compared to its neighbouring town of Scottburgh. This is due to the Group Areas Act of the previous Apartheid era. It was once the home of three large textile mills, namely Alitex, Bally Spinning Mills and MYM Textiles that used to export abroad. Today only one survives and is not as productive as it used to be. Consequently, this has affected the economy of Umzinto negatively.

Umzinto also houses a Darul-Uloom called Madrassa Da'watul Haq that has produced many graduates who have memorised the entire Quraan.

The municipality has not maintained the roads and currently the roads are in a deplorable condition. In 1995 low cost hosing was developed on the outskirts called Gandhi Nagar.

Source: http://www.sa-venues.com/attractionskzn/umzinto.phpUmzinto is a town that has lasted the ages and grown steadily over the many years of endless trading. Indians that were brought in to work on the cane farms in 1860 have made a valuable contribution to economy of the town. Shopping in this little town is an "Eastern" experience and boasts a lot of charm.

In the Vernon Crooks Nature Reserve near to UmzintoA short ten minute drive out of Umzinto is the Vernon Crooks Nature Reserve. The Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve boasts breath taking scenery in an eco-system encompassing lush coastal forests and grasslands. Bird lovers can look forward to spotting some of the 300 stunning species, which include raptors. Wildlife is abundant and includes impala, eland, blue wildebeest and bushbuck.

A stroll in this reserve is a spectacular experience. The 11km “Happy Gold Mine” trail in the reserve leads to an aged gold mine which still holds the mine shafts as well as a steam traction machine with the main traction engine and ball mill machine in place. The reserve offers superb picnic sites and walks. King Shaka also visited this area on his travels and within the reserve lays the words: “Umthombo Kashaka” meaning a well of fresh water, found by his warriors. According to historians, Shaka relaxed here on his homeward journey in 1828, whilst his army sported on the beach making mock attacks against the waves that are today enjoyed by holidaymakers.

Umzinto’s beaches are serene and picturesque. Shark nets make for safe swimming, snorkelling and surfing. The warm waters complement the unique beauty of these beaches and boast ample tropical fish and stunning coral reefs. These beaches are also popular fishing destinations.

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Name: Umtata

Mthatha is the main town of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The town has an airport, previously known by the name K. D. Matanzima Airport after former leader Kaiser Matanzima.

It was a military post for the colonial forces in 1882, and the town itself was founded in 1883, along the banks of the Mthatha River. The Mthatha Dam was constructed about eight kilometers upstream of the town. Mthatha became the leading administrative center of the area, having both Anglican and Catholic cathedrals. It also became the seat of the traditional authorities and a parliament building for this purpose known as the Bunga, was erected.

Wikipedia

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Name: Umlazi

Umlazi is a township on the east coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The wider Umlazi area has a population of 750,000. The township is located south-west of Durban.

According to legend, the name Umlazi comes from "umlaza" (Zulu for the sour acid produced from fermented milk or sour milk). It is believed that when Shaka was passing through the area, he refused to drink from a local river claiming it had the taste of "umlaza", from that incident, the area has infamously been called Umlazi.

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