Back to the 60’s for 90-year old Joe
The N4 Toll Route’s most recognized rock – Old Joe – has undergone yet another transformation. However, this time the coat of paint Joe is donning is familiar to ‘him’ as ‘he’ previously wore it back in 1969.
The recent makeover is to commemorate Old Joe’s 90th birthday following discussions on social media relating to the rocks’ history and previous outfits.
The rock was discovered in 1927 during the construction of the first road through Schoemanskloof.
It was found by construction workers who thought it bore a likeness to their site supervisor Joe Barbados, who was well liked by his crew.
They painted and erected it along the Patatanek Pass in honor of their supervisor’s dedication, passion and efficiency during the construction phase.
Legend has it that Old Joe looks after the road users of the N4 Toll Route and therefore it is important to hoot or wave to him when passing to ensure a safe journey.
Since Old Joe has crept into the hearts of all TRAC employees, and clearly many of the road’s users, TRAC wanted to make this anniversary special and allow Old Joe’s ardent fans to remanence about days gone by.
After uncovering a photo of Old Joe from 1969, well-known Lowveld artist – Ghost – set to work on the transformation. It took Ghost approximately four hours to restyle Old Joe’s outfit, but the effort was certainly worth it.
TRAC is confident that the road users of the N4 Toll Route will thoroughly enjoy Old Joe’s new (yet old) look and appreciate the historical meaning behind the rock.
