1 WILD FRONTIER REGION • the Wild Frontier
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1 WILD FRONTIER REGION • The Wild Frontier Region borders Mozambique, Swaziland and the southern tip of the Kruger National Park. • Gives entrance to the Kruger National Park through either the Malelane or Crocodile Bridge Gates. • The Wild Frontier is known for its significant geological formations and archaeological discoveries, its San rock art sites and historical mining towns. • Although no longer really wild, the pristine natural environment, mostly preserved within the borders of the Kruger National Park and other nature and wildlife reserves, offer visitors a chance to experience the “real” essence of Africa on foot (hiking trails) and by road (also in 4x4 vehicles). Mpumalanga Province v7.12 ©Makiti Guides & Tours (Pty) Ltd 2 KAAPMUIDEN Population: Altitude: 327m/1073ft Wild Frontier Region Rainfall: On route N4 approximately 43km east from Nelspruit. • Located at bottom of the Crocodile Gorge where it meets the Kaap River (“Mouth of the Kaap”). Origin • Founded in 1895. • Established as the junction on the Pretoria -Maputo railway (Oosterlijn) for the 55-km branch line to Barberton in the south, and for the branch line north through the Lowveld to Soekmekaar on the main rail line to Limpopo province and Zimbabwe. • The Barberton line was finally inaugurated in 1896. Name • Derived from the Kaap River, a tributary of the Crocodile River in the Kaap River Valley and means “Mouth of the Kaap” Agriculture • The water of the Kaap River, a tributary of the Crocodile River, is used for irrigation. The region's c1imate and soils sustain a wealth of subtropical fruit. Also sugarcane and vegetables. Historical sites and monuments A Large - Forms a beacon on the hill above the town. Stone - Erected in 1950 by the “Afrikaanse Sending Genootskap” (Afrikaans Cross Missionary Society). Attractions and activities Nukain - When Nukain became bored with his surroundings, he took up his Mabusa’s paintbrush and decorated the stones around his house with colourful Arty patterns. Stone Garden Mpumalanga Province v7.12 ©Makiti Guides & Tours (Pty) Ltd 3 HECTORSPRUIT Population: Altitude: 277m/909ft Wild Frontier Region Rainfall: On route N4 approximately 19km west from Komatipoort approximately 13km east from Malelane. Origin • President’s Kruger’s railway from Delagoabay to Pretoria reached the village on 1 October 1891. • Servaas de Kock helped surveyed the line. • Hectorspruit occupies an important niche in the history of the Anglo-Boer War. o Conventional resistance by the Boers came to an end following their headlong retreat from Pretoria to the eastern Transvaal and President Paul Kruger's crossing of the border into Mozambique on 11 September 1900 to begin is journey to Switzerland. o It was from this hamlet, in September 1900, that General Louis Botha and other Boer leaders, having said goodbye to Kruger, began a guerrilla campaign that prolonged the war by another 18 months. • Currently the town serves as a commercial and distribution centre for all the agricultural activities on the farms in the vicinity. Name • Derived from a creek by the same name, a southern tributary of the Crocodile River. - The creed was named after the pet dog of Servaas de Kock Agriculture • Main activities are sugarcane, vegetables and subtropical fruit. Mpumalanga Province v7.12 ©Makiti Guides & Tours (Pty) Ltd 4 MALELANE Population: Altitude: 307m/1007ft Wild Frontier Region Rainfall: (On route N4 approximately 18 km east of Kaapmuiden. Origin Proclaimed on 6 July 1949 on the farm Malelane. Name Probably derived from the Swazi expression “Emlalani” which means “Place of the small Lala Palms”. - The name has an interesting historical connotation, as the Emlalani regiment of Swazi King Mswati was stationed where the town was founded to guard the river against insurgent Bapedi tribes. Agriculture Mainly sugarcane, winter vegetables and subtropical fruit on large scale under irrigation. Mining and industries TSB - Home to the enormous TSB Sugar Factory. Sugar Factory Attractions and activities - Located at the Matsulu (Place of the Zulu/Swazi) settlement on the N4 Matsulu road to the Malelane Gate of the Kruger National Park. Craft - Recorded as one of the largest craft centres in the province. Centre - Exhibits includes exquisite works of art and crafts - The restaurant on the premises offers a wide variety of dishes. Mahushe - Privately owned by a Swazi community. Shongwe - Boasts many different species of birds and game in their natural habitat. Game - Offers various guided hiking and walking trails as well as some 4x4 trails. Reserve - Accommodation is supplied at the tented Mthomeni Camp. (9 200ha) Kruger - Located 2km east from the village. National - Gives entrance to the Kruger National Park to Berg en Dal Rest Camp and Park: the rest of the National Park. Malelane Gate Mpumalanga Province v7.12 ©Makiti Guides & Tours (Pty) Ltd 5 KOMATIPOORT Population: Altitude: 155m/509ft Wild Frontier Region Rainfall: On route N4 approximately 68km east from Nelspruit. • It is the border town located about 5km from the Lebombo/Ressano Carcia Borderpost between South Africa and Mozambique at the point where the Crocodile River becomes tributary of the Komati, on the western slopes of the Lebombo mountains (on the ) southern boundary of the Kruger National Park. • Immediately east of the town a deep gorge takes the river, road and railway through the mountains, the frontier between South Africa and Mozambique. Origin • The town is chiefly a railway and customs centre. • President Paul Kruger's line from Delagoa Bay to Pretoria reached Komatipoort on 1st July 1891. • The village then became the main construction camp for the line as far as the escarpment and Waterval-Boven. • Currently the town serves as the southern terminus of the defunct Selati railroad, which joins the Kaapmuiden and Soekmekaar line at Matshaye. • It is also the most southern entrance to the Kruger National Game Park at Crocodile Bridge Gate. Historical sites and monuments San - Located about 2km from town at Crocodile Bridge Camp in the Kruger /Bushman National Park side of the Crocodile River Paintings Onderberg - The grandiose Onderberg Railway Station at Komatipoort reflects the Railway typical 1800s architecture at the time of the town’s birth. Station Attractions and activities - Offers a caravan park with a swimming pool, as well as a hotel and motel situated near the low-level causeway. Komati - Many people stay here and use it as a base for day trips into the Kruger River National Park Resort - The Komati River is stocked with tiger fish. • Swimming is prohibited in the river due to crocodiles and hippos! Kruger - Forms the main entrance to the Kruger National Park at Crocodile Bridge National through the Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp. Park Mpumalanga Province v7.12 ©Makiti Guides & Tours (Pty) Ltd 6 KOMATIPOORT Population: Altitude: 155m/509ft Wild Frontier Region Rainfall: Cheetah - Located under the biggest yellow fever tree in the country. Rest Nursery Lebombo - Offers majestic views of the valley below the confluence of the Crocodile Mountain and Komati Rivers. - Located on route R571 about 100km south from Komatipoort and 10km north of the Mananga Swaziland Border Post. Mawewe - It is a community-owned reserve. Nature It hosts the Mawewe Game and cattle project to protect some of the local Reserve - (9 200ha) species of antelope in the area. - Offers a small but fully-equipped Swazi-style cultural camp with six twin- bedded huts and a swimming pool. Mpumalanga Province v7.12 ©Makiti Guides & Tours (Pty) Ltd 7 BARBERTON Population: Altitude: 822m/2697ft Wild Frontier Region Rainfall: 755mm On route R38 approximately 53 km south from Kaapmuiden on the N4 and 60km east from Badplaas. On route R40 approximately 45km south from Nelspruit. • Located in De Kaap valley at the foot of the Makhonjwa mountains (part of the great escarpment) Origin • Established in 1884, when gold was discovered by Graham Barber, and his cousins. • This area was generally known to transport riders as the “Valley of Death” due to the many deaths caused by malaria. • The first 'boom town' to appear was Kaapsehoop, on the hills bounding the valley in the west, where gold had been discovered in 1882 – it proved to be uneconomic, but none the less became base for prospectors working elsewhere. Pioneer Reef o The first payable gold in the Barberton area was discovered by Auguste Robert, nicknamed 'French Bob', in June 1883. Barber’s Reef o Graham Barber and his cousins, Harry and Fred, also had been drawn to the valley of the Kaap River by reports of several earlier finds. • On 21 June 1984, Graham Barber informed the Transvaal government that he had discovered a rich reef in Rimer's Creek in the valley. • Three days later, the mining commissioner David Wilson visited the site. • A camp had already been established and named Barber's Camp. • Breaking a bottle of gin on the reef, Wilson proclaimed the camp the township of Barberton. Gold Rush o These discoveries prompted the greatest gold rush in the country's history up to that time o The town boomed in 1886, when more than 4 000 claims were being worked. o On 4 April the first newspaper, The Barberton Herald, was published o On 1 October the first post office was opened in what was then the largest town in the Transvaal Republic. o It boasted one bar or canteen for every 15 residents. o These were wild social life days, with plenty of barmaids being the life and soul of Parties. o Best known among these ladies were Cockney Liz and Florrie, the Golden Dane. It is said that Cockney Liz danced on a billiard table each night while being auctioned to the highest bidder. (Although she was apparently clever enough to see that he was drunk enough to pass out on her sofa!) Mpumalanga Province v7.12 ©Makiti Guides & Tours (Pty) Ltd 8 BARBERTON Origin Wild Frontier Continue… Region Sheba’s Reef and Eureka city • In the meantime, the richest reef of all in the Barberton area was discovered by Edwin Bray in May 1885.