Experience the rich history of the Eastern Escarpment

SLAAIHOEK – It was quite a mixed bag on offer when a good 70 members of the Mpumalanga Historical Interest Group (MHIG) recently undertook a conducted day excursion to the highlands just south of the Elands River Valley.

Historic sites of relevance to South Africans who all had a significant role to play in the making of local and national history were visited. This made one realise yet again just how rich this region is in heritage and yet what serious neglect in terms of tourism potential, these places have suffered

These include the fact that the Anglo Boer War, South Africa’s most gruelling war for freedom, culminated here in the old Eastern Transvaal into the first full-scale guerrilla war ever to be experience in the world of military history. Lesser known is the fact that the area beyond the escarpment above the Elands River River, was once home to one of the leading legal figures in South Africa’s past struggle.

The early railway feats that mark the building of the eastern line as well as the production of strategic mining chemicals more than 120 years ago, also bear testimony to the brilliant industrial development that was taking place.

There was also a glimpse into the gracious living brought about by those early champions of industry and agriculture.

The day started at Waterval Onder with a visit to one of the restored Dutch railway houses. This is one of only a few structures left of what was once a busy community including a railway hospital at this halfway mark on the line between Lorenzo Marques and Pretoria. The spacious house was most probably a residence for the doctor or some senior official.

From there the group moved on to Boven. Here some old Nederlands, Zuid Afrikaansche Spoorwegmaatskapij structures in the Dutch Victorian style of the time, still surrounding the old corrugated station buildng which was restored some 20 years ago with the centenary celebrations of the line.

Next stop was the old summer farm, Torburnlea of the famous Hall family, early agricultural pioneers of the Lowveld. Before the Anglo Boer War, when the senior HL Hall was still a neutralised Transvaal burger, he brought his young wife and children here to escape the heat of the malaria-invested Lowveld. The ruins of the old manse are still to be seen. It was burnt down by his own countrymen after Halls sided with the British during the course of the Anglo Boer War.

Not many know that George Heys, the Pretoria businessman and stage-coach operator, owner of the grandiose Melrose House in Jacob Mare Street, also owned quite an impressive country manor on the highlands above the Elands River Valley. Designed by British architect John Ellis in 1904 in the style of the early arts-and-crafts movement, this farmstead is regarded as quite a significant collection of buildings. The farm was recently bought by the government as part of its land-reform programme. These structures need to be listed as a provincial heritage as soon as possible.

On April 27, 2010, the South African Government conferred The Order of the Companions of OR Tambo in Silver posthumously on Adv Vernon Berrangé for his contribution to the struggle against racial oppression in South Africa. The cottage on a farm that he owned, Katriena’s Rust on the road to Slaaihoek, surrounded by an exquisite English garden, was for many years his country retreat.

Farmed by two of his grandsons today, this was the next stop on a day filled with reminders of the past. Katrinas Rust also offers guest accommodation and excellent fly-fishing, being one of the foremost trout hatcheries on the Mpumalanga highlands.

Vernon Cilliers Berrangé, originally of Afrikaner stock, was a senior member of the defence when the life of the later President Nelson Mandela and the other Rivonia trialists were in the balance, standing accused of high treason during the years of apartheid. His grandson Gavin Brewer still remembers how when he was a kid, the family was alienated from the rest of the local farming community for being “communist”.

Little is left of the mining village at Slaaihoek and the old Mamre Gold Mine situated deep in the folds of the mountain between the De Kaap Valley and Machadodorp. Johnny Reinders, the famous pub keeper of Pilgrim’s Rest lived here as a child. His family left more than 60 years ago. He remembers a street of corrugated-iron houses similar to that of his picturesque town today. Here at Slaaihoek all were demolished years ago when the mine closed down. Bramble bushes grow wild, some large oaks and the old swimming pool behind the spot where the mine clubhouse used to be, are all that remain to remind one of an isolated community of mining families once eking out a living in this remote valley.

the drive back home was another highlight following the dirt road over the mountains and down into the Elands River Valley near Ngodwana. For many years this was the old trek route for sheep farmers bring their livestock into the Lowveld for winter grazing. As it is today a forestry road, one needs special permission to use it. From this road there are fascinating views into the valleys below.

Back, down in the familiar Elands River Valley a visit was paid to the three karge lime kilns rigged in the late 1800 to provide lime which then was essential for the extraction of gold. The process was later replaced by cyanide and the kilns became obsolete.

The road back to Nelspruit led past Kaapsehoop which called for some late afternoon refreshments at one of the local pubs before heading home after a day well spent.

The chairman of the Mpumalamga Historical Interest Group is Duncan Ballantyne. He can be contacted at history@routesmp.co.za should you be interested in joining the MHIG or to go on future outings or talks.