Fi hasn't been feeling to good lately, so we haven't really been anywhere...
Today, MrsF was visiting when her husband phoned and asked her to go to his shop in Krugersdorp (now known as Mogale City), because he was holding a lucky draw to win a fridge and he needed a photo taken of the winner. Fi asked if we could tag along and get to see a bit of the town... so in we all hopped! Nearly all of these photos were taken on the move, so apologies for visible car parts, but Johannesburg is not the place to stop and take leisurely photos on the side of the road...
First off, we had to pass Zandspruit Informal Settlement - a so called 'squatter camp' where the poorest people build shacks in an illegal area (someone else's property, usually). Because it is illegal there are no amenities such as, sewerage, running water or electricity...
These are taxis, the bane of drivers the country over. Most of them are a law unto themselves. Because there is not an adequate public transport system, and Johannesburg is so vast, the masses use these taxis for transport. There are often 'taxi wars', where the various taxi operators fight over routes. They are also involved in accidents because of the reckless manner in which they are driven.
Here we are on the Krugersdorp highway, as it is known...it has a more boring name, the N14... the speed limit on highways/ national roads is usually 120kph /74.5mph.
At EVERY main intersection, you will either find someone begging, handing out pamphlets or trying to sell you something... Springbok rugby cap anyone?
This man was happy to see us! He wanted us to add a mechanical puppy to our little gang. We politely declined...
Krugersdorp, Fi can't get used to the new name, is a mining town, in the distance you can see a mine dump. Mine dumps are found all over Johannesburg, where ever gold is mined. Gold, manganese, iron, asbestos and lime are mined in this area; as well as uranium, a by product of the gold refining process.
Krugersdorp was formed just over 100 years ago, in 1887, on a farm called Paardekraal, when gold was discovered in the area. Just before this, the Boers (mostly Dutch farmers) were trying to distance themselves from the British and create their own republic. In 1880, 6000 men gathered here to fight for their independence... there was a concentration camp built by the British to house the Boer women and children, there is a memorial but we did not see it today.
We did find this though..."Oom Paul" (Uncle Paul)...
The first president of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, Paul Kruger.
His is the face on and the name behind the Kruger Rand’s (gold coins). The Kruger National Park is also named after him.
This is another famous South African, JG Srijdom, the prime Minister who had Nelson Mandela thrown in prison. A was very pro -Afrikaans, anti - British, and a strong supporter and enforcer of Apartheid.
The memorial stone... translation to follow.
Most of Krugersdorp is run down these days, there are newer smarter areas, but we just drove through the older parts. One thing that strikes you immediately is the sheer number of churches...
That was just a FEW of them!
We also found a few other interesting buildings..
This is the side of the Town Hall, sorry, we missed the front of it which is a lot prettier!
These are some typical houses...
And for some reason, this man and his 'boom box' amused us no end...
Fi says she has been watching this old bus stop deteriorate for years... it is always a poignant reminder of the glory days of the town. She says she always feels like she has stepped back in time when she drives through Krugersdorp, because it has not really moved on from the middle of the last century.
We had a quick stop at the lake, sorry ducks, we have no bread for you...
The paddle boats look like fun, maybe another day though.
Time to head back home. This is the view coming back, Krugersdorp is quite high up. It is hard to translate the amazing sense of vastness of the country in a photo...
We took a shortcut home through Muldersdrift. Here is the sign for Krugersdorp, hiding under a bridge, they will find it one day and change it to Mogale City!
And now we approach Roodepoort...
And a few more shots of Zandspruit...
A typical sight... nothing like an overloaded truck spewing diesel fumes to make you feel like you are in Africa!
This is out turnoff, and that is Johannesburg city centre in the distance...