Joburg’s jewel

Future plans for the park include a wildlife sanctuary, hiking trails and educational tours, but before the area can be secured, a group of researchers are working to unlock the rich history hidden on the mountain.

From links to the Vredefort Impact more than two billion years ago to more recent spiritual ties with Mahatma Ghandi, Harvey Park is a fountain of untold stories.

For the past 18 months, a team of researchers lead by Mr Joni Kowensky have documented close to 100 hours of work in a bid to unlock some of the mysteries the mountain holds.

Due to its elevation, Linksfield Ridge, which spans an area from Observatory to Bedfordview, has always been a point of interest.

The mountain is the northern most tip of the Witwatersrand basin.

“The Vredefort Impact, which emptied the Witwatersrand Basin more than two billion years ago, predates all multi-cellular life on Earth,” said Mr Kowensky.

He added that during previous studies of the Melville Koppies, including Linksfield Ridge by Professor Revil Mason, ruins were found which date back 250 000 years.

“During this time, San or Bushmen tribes were present throughout South Africa. When they continued their nomadic lifestyle, other tribes settled over the ruins which were left behind,” Mr Kowensky said.

“We have already found evidence of human settlers from various stone and iron-age eras,” he said.

One of the more notable discoveries of Mr Kowensky and his team made was a direct link between the ridge and Mahatma Gandhi’s Tolstoy Farm.

“In 1910, Mahatma Gandhi opened Tolstoy Farm on the ridge where he and Jan Smuts came to the Indian Relief Act of 1914,” Mr Kowensky said.

Tolstoy Farm was used to develop Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of passive-resistance called Satyagraha.

Satyagraha was the driving force for his Indian and global peace influence and was a founding pillar for the South African Native National Congress (SANNC), later known as the African National Congress (ANC).

“From a traditional African viewpoint, height, age and wind speeds have made the ridge a symbol of power and is seen as a way to connect to the Ancestors,” Mr Kowensky said.

“Linksfield Ridge holds incredible geological information. It was the centre of the world’s first supercontinent called Vaalbara or Kaapvaal Craton and it is also the border between the Witwatersrand basin and the bushveld igneous complex, which gives it an unbelievable assortment of flora,” Mr Kowensky said.

The western side of the ridge belongs to parks and zoo departments of the City of Johannesburg (CoJ).

CoJ shares ownership of the mountain with Rand Water and the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM).

“We have found an incredible variation of trees and plants, which includes over 50 recorded species of grass, Cycades, Proteas and Acacia,” Mr Kowensky said.

The team has also found over 50 ruins of varying ages.

“While most of these ruins have previously been catalogued and studied, they have not been protected or monitored,” said Mr Kowenskey.

“Some engravings and ruins uncovered by our team were not previously found. Thanks to the beautiful long veld grass, you only find a ruin when you are standing directly above it. We have also found over 30 stone piles we hope can be linked to tribal burials,” he said.

Once research has been completed, the team will lead various municipal departments in securing, rehabilitating and reviving Harvey Park.

To complete the revitalisation of the park, a number of small buck will be introduced to the area.

By reviving the environment in Harvey Park and securing the property, residents will finally have a safe setting for families to gather.

“To preserve the deep prehistoric value of the ridge, construction will be kept to a minimum,” Mr Kowensky said.

The Linksfield Ridge project will give visitors and groups a place to hike, a safe area for Scout camping weekends and will also offer “glamping”.

“Glamping is 5-star camping, complete with solar powered tents and Wifi,” said Mr Kowensky.

“Professional fitness academies will hold various themed camping weekends which will cover survival, leadership and Kilimanjaro readiness training,” he said.

“In an age where people are losing touch with themselves and nature, it has become important to preserve what we have left, especially with the city.”

The team is currently in the process of connecting with all relevant share-holders, including the neighbouring communities.

Anyone who may have more information on the ridge and its history can contact Mr Kowensky via e-mail on joni@kilo2kili.co.za