CORE AREA MAP: The Sishen–Saldanha railway line is 861 kilometers long. It connects 28°18’14.09”S 23° 7’33.13”E Cape Colonial troops in the Langberg. iron ore mines at with the port at Saldanha Bay in the Western Ancient sibilo (specularite) mine, used by the Korana and Tswana. CapeEach train consists of about 342 wagons, with 5-8 large Sibilo stone was ground fine, mixed with fat, and used as a glittering Moffat Mission – 27°25’17.64”S 23°25’35.44”E locomotives. From arrival to departure, an ore train carrying 170 000 cosmetic. It was traded throughout Southern Africa. The Griquas called 27°50’4.42”S 23°34’25.40”E London Mission Society centre, established 1823 under Rev Robert tonnes will be in Saldanha Bay just 24 hours later. Moffat the mine “Blinkklip”. Man-made artefacts, thought to be at least 2-million years old, have been found in this historic cave. Bushman paintings on the walls have Kuruman eye – 27°27’46.48”S 23°26’12.05”E Sishen-Saldanha line Jenn-Haven village been dated back some 10 000 years. The cave was inhabited by a Historic fountain, providing around 30 million litres per day. 27°54’8.18”S 22°55’59.53”E Go Ghaap! 28°17’23.60”S 23°20’28.16”E white farmer, Bosman, in early 1900s. Archaeological excavations are Truce Tree – 27°26’22.5”S 23°26’28.1”E The Sishen–Saldanha railway line is 861 kilometers long. It connects The Jenn-haven community descends from from the Gatlhose people continuing. Open on weekdays. During the 1914 rebellion, 1200 Afrikaner rebels invaded Kuruman to iron ore mines at Kathu with the port at Saldanha Bay in the Western who lived north of . When the military base, Lothatla, was get supplies. A treaty was signed under this tree between the rebel Cape. It transports 60 million tons of iron ore per year. In 2015, South established, they were removed to a farm north-west of Postmasburg, Boesmansgat Cave General JC Kemp and Capt Frylinck of the South African Government African Transport Services created a world record for the longest and in 1992. It is now a serene rural village. The name Jenn-Haven derives 27°58’42.9”S 23°36’29.0”E force. heaviest train ever run - a 7.281km monster of a train! from William Jenneke, a well-loved community leader, teacher, and Boesmansgat is a natural sinkhole on the farm Mount Carmel. The clergyman. Langberg heroes monument – 27°27’48.2”S 23°26’05.8”E 100m diameter surface leads to a cave about 270m deep, making it The three chiefs who led in the Langberg rebellion in 1897. Langberg Rebellion 1897 one of the deepest freshwater caves in the world. Three expert divers 27°47’07.3”S 22°43’17.6”E Lesedi Solar Project have lost their lives here. Visit by appointment, (053) 384 0564. Old cemetery – 27°27’44.1”S 23°25’38.0”E 28°17’28.82”S 23°20’16.01”E Graves of Hajee Mohamed and Fanoo Sakoor, local Indian community Dirt road leading north from leaders in non-racial Kuruman, before 1940. Site of final stand of the Tlhaping and Tlharo in 1897. Lieut-Col Edmund The Lesedi Solar Park is a 75-megawatt solar photovoltaic power plant, Ghaap dolomite Kuruman Showgrounds – -27.468663 23.413917 Dalgety led the Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Volunteer Regiment and with 277,632 PV solar panels. It will harness the ’s ample 28° 5’9.45”S 23°34’57.72”E Kuruman Hills sunlight to supply electricity for 65,000 homes. Showgrounds: Originally called Tlhabolongoneng (seTswana, “the 27°28’39.18”S 23°22’22.36”E Highlanders against the Tswana chiefs, Luka Jantjie, Toto White dolomitic limestone belongs to the 2.3-billion- year-old Ghaap and Gaetsewe. Jantjie was killed on 30 July; and Toto and Gaetsewe Plateau Formation. The almost perfectly flat Plateau sits some 1 130m turning point), the original camp site for explorers visiting the Eye of Route The Kuruman hills consist of mudrock and iron (“banded ironstone Kuruman. were captured. above sea level and extends 150km from east to west, between the formation”). About three billion years ago, the Ghaap Plateau was a Asbestos Hills Harts River valley and the Kuruman Hills. The bedrock of dolomite shallow shelf submerged under the sea, where valuable minerals were 28°16’0.13”S 23°25’39.31”E (calcium manganese carbonate) underground waterways. KATHU deposited. Kaapvaal Craton About three billion years ago, the Ghaap Plateau was a shallow shelf 27°56’38.89”S 22°44’10.21”E submerged under the sea. Over millions of years, deposits of micro- Camel Thorn Forest – Kathu Golf Course – 27°38’21.21”S 23° 5’0.45”E organisms and mud created the Kuruman Hills (north of Danielskuil) Turnoff to Alte Fijn Coffee Shop The Kathu Camelthorn Forest (Acacia erioloba) is about 4000 hectares and the Asbestos Hills (south of Danielskuil). The Asbestos hills have Langberg was the western edge of the Kaapvaal Craton, an in size. large deposits of blue asbestos, or crocidolite. Asbestos mining in the ancient continent, 3 billion years ago. Cratons are blocks of Ghaap was a major industry between 1930 and 1980, when it was Kathu town (mine equip) – 27°41’25.52”S 23° 4’20.99”E ancient lava crust. The other half of the Kaapvaal Craton is discontinued due to health concerns. Massive iron mining equipment – great for kids to play on! in Western Australia! It moved away due to continental drift. The Kaapvaal and Pilbara Cratons are the only remaining areas of Heritage Mall – 27°41’27.0”S 23°04’05.5”E pristine crust on earth, dating back to about 3.6 billion years ago. Kuruman Hills Site of ancient stone age tool-yards 28°16’0.13”S 23°25’39.31”E Lohatlha base About three billion years ago, the Ghaap Plateau was a shallow shelf POSTMASBURG 28° 3’52.97”S 23° 3’56.16”E submerged under the sea. Over millions of years, deposits of micro- Postmasburg – 28°19’49.12”S 23° 3’52.10”E organisms and mud created the Kuruman Hills (north of Danielskuil) Postmasburg: Originally a station of the London Missionary Society and the Asbestos Hills (south of Danielskuil). The Asbestos hills have called Sibiling. It then became a Griqua village called Blinkklip. It Mount Ga-mohana large deposits of blue asbestos, or crocidolite. Asbestos mining in the was proclaimed a town in 1892 and named after the Reverend Dirk -27.489580 23.317752 Ghaap was a major industry between 1930 and 1980, when it was Larger map: Rim area Postma (1818-1890), founder of the Dutch Reformed Church. The town discontinued due to health concerns. Mount Gamohana, one of the four main peaks of the Kuruman Hills, achieved municipal status in 1936. “Place of the crowbar” in seTswana. 1614 metres above sea level. Langberg The Groenwaterspruit flows through the town. Limestone 28°56’30.4”S 22°23’11.2”E Blinkklip Street – 28°19’49.12”S 23° 3’52.10”E 28°22’48.79”S 23°34’3.24”E Ga-Mopedi The Langberg range was laid down in a basin on the edge of an ancient The oldest street in Postmasburg. 27°13’22.1”S 23°12’51.2”E The Ghaap Plateau is about 1.6 to 2.5 km thick. This was created on continent, the Kaapvaal Craton. The Langberg is about 1 900 million www.go-ghaap.com the western side of the Kaapvaal Craton, about three billion years ago. years old and consists or pink and red quartzite, which contains iron. Rev Dirk Postma statue – 28°19’55.26”S – 23° 3’51.89”E This was the very first mission to the Tswana, in 1801. It was led by Jan At that time, the Ghaap Plateau was a shallow shelf submerged under After 1790, the Langberg was a refuge for Korana clans, as well as Kok and William Edwards, of the South African Missionary Society. Jan Rev Dirk Postma was born in the Netherlands in 1818, and was the the sea. Here various micro-fossils, dolomites, limestones, and pebbles brigands such as Jan Bloem, his son Jan Bloem II, and Jager Afrikaner. Kok was a farmer, of mixed origin, with a white father and a Khoi mother. first clergyman of the Gereformeerde Kerk, which broke away from the Lohatla army base: The SA Army Combat Training Centre is one of only were deposited, about 2.6 billion years ago. Hence many of the dirt Nederlandse Gereformeerde Kerk (“Dutch Reformed Church”) in 1859. NATIONAL LOTTERIES COMMISSION ten such institutions in the world that provide exclusive and permanent roads on the Ghaap Plateau have a white colour. LOTTO FUNDED Beautiful statue sculpted by Phil Minnaar. Maruping facilities for landward warfare training. Only two of these institutions 29°08’35.4”S 22°55’25.3”E 27°21’11.9”S 23°22’15.7”E are located in the Southern hemisphere. Original Gereformeerde Kerk – 28°19’58.9”S 23°03’40.6”E Ghaap se Berg Rietfontein: William Anderson and Cornelius Kramer were the first The local Gereformeerde Kerk was established in 1883, with 47 The capital town of the Thlaping, after 1817, under Chief Mothibi. The 28°48’10.95”S 23°41’9.42”E fulltime missionaries in the Ghaap. They established their first site at members. The current church of the GK, in Church Street, was erected Thlaping called this site Kudumane, while the missionaries referred to it Contact us: Sishen-Saldanha line (next to Campbell) Rietfontein in 1801, for the Griqua and Korana. in 1908, on a quiet town square, away from the bustle of Postmasburg. as “New Lattakoo” or “New ” Doreen Atkinson 28° 1’14.24”S 22°45’6.73”E The Ghaap Escarpment on the eastern side of the Ghaap Plateau was Soetfontein – 28°22’20.57”S 23° 2’9.50”E Overhang on the , dirt road between Postmasburg and formed by drainage lines in dolomite rock, about million years ago. [email protected] Prieska The site of “Bloem’s Fountain”, in 1799: Jan Bloem was a brigand who led Old Dithakong Olifantshoek. The Sishen–Saldanha railway line is an 861 kilometred Water runs from the Plateau down to the Harts, Vaal nad Orange Rivers. 29°39’38.1”S 22°44’40.0”E a powerful and violent Korana clan, the Springbokke. In 1880, the first 083 274 5461 27°05’08.0”S 23°55’24.8”E long. It connects iron ore mines at Kathu with the port at Saldanha Bay The escarpment consists of large “tufa” fans, i.e. porous rock of calcium Prieska was the first drift across the , into the Ghaap. The Gereformeerde Kerk congregations met under the trees on the farms 051 773 0324 Dithakong was an important capital of the Thlaping, under Chief in the Western Cape. It transports 60 million tons of iron ore per year. carbonate, formed around mineral springs. The largest tufa is at Ulco. Town was established in 1882, but in earlier times, but a remote Xhosa Soetfontein and Ploegfontein. Now a guest farm. Mothibi, between 1801 and 1817. The missionaries mispronounced it as Each train consists of 342 wagons, with five large locomotives. settlement lived near the drift since the early 1800s. www.go-ghaap.com. “Lattakoo”. The Battle of Dithakong, 1823, was a victory for a combined Ulco West End Diamond mine – -28.319234 23.075304 Tswana/Griqua force, against Phuting and Hlakwane attackers. Postmasburg old cemetery 28°18’29.0”S 24°13’06.6”E Diamonds were discovered here in 1918 by Casper Venter and his Douglas assistant, Plaatjie. The mine was sold to Sir Abe Bailey’s group in 1920, 28°20’15.2”S 23°03’40.6”E The Ghaap Escarpment on the eastern side of the Ghaap Plateau was 29°03’02.3”S 23°46’10.0”E and this led to a diamond rush in Postmasburg. The massive open mine Mount Ga-karosa The grave of AJ Viljoen, 1843-1926, one of the original founders of formed by drainage lines in dolomite rock, about million years ago. is 105 meters deep, and is still in operation. -27.882607, 23.588076 Postmasburg. Early Gereformeerde Kerk services took place on his It consists of large “tufa” fans, i.e. porous rock of calcium carbonate, Douglas was founded in 1848, as a mission station. In 1867, a group of local residents from Griquatown received permission to establish a Gakarosa is the highest of the four main peaks of the Kuruman Hills. farm, Ploegfontein. He was a rebel against the Cape Colony, in the formed around mineral springs. The largest tufa is at Ulco (Union Lime town. The town was named after Sir Percy Douglas, Governor of the 1855 metres above sea level. Anglo-Boer War of 1899. After the war, Viljoen helped to build up the Company), a large limestone mine operating since 1949. DANIELSKUIL Cape Colony. The site was always an important drift over the Vaal River town. Also the grave of Sarel Jacob Venter, 1842-1911, another early Danielskuil town – 28°11’21.53”S 23°32’51.13”E Postmasburg pioneer.l into the Ghaap region. Tierkop Asbestosberg The wetland was known as Tlhaka Ie Tlou (“elephant reed”) used by the -27.584843 23.486431 28°50’49.1”S 23°14’45.0”E San and Korana. Barend Barends, a Griqua leader, moved here in 1820. Vanzylsrus The Griquas left to live at Boetsap, further east, in 1828. Danielskuil then Beeshoek Mine (just west of Griquatown) Tierkop, one of the four main peaks of the Kuruman Hills, 1722 metres 26°52’37.2”S 22°03’06.3”E became a mixed settlement of Griqua, Tswana, San and white people. 28°16’39.88”S 22°59’31.60”E About three billion years ago, the Ghaap Plateau was a shallow shelf above sea level. The town of Danielskuil was proclaimed in 1892. Beeshoek Mine supplies about 3 million tons of iron ore to the local submerged under the sea. Over millions of years, deposits of micro- is situated on the banks of the dry Kuruman river. The town South African market. was established in 1930. It was named after General J.A. van Zyl who organisms and mud created the Kuruman Hills (north of Danielskuil) Danielskuil rock engravings – 28°11’21.53”S 23°32’51.13”E Mount Vera and the As2bestos Hills (south of Danielskuil). The Asbestos hills have fought in the Boer War and 1914 rebellion. Engravings have been found on rock outcrops, river beds and boulders -27.263687 23.058126 Kolomela Mine large deposits of blue asbestos, or crocidolite. Asbestos mining in the around Danielskuil. These were of historic images from the 19th century Mount Vera, one of four main peaks of the Kuruman Hills, 1 368 metres -28.388828 23.020528 Ghaap was a major industry between 1930 and 1980, when it was that depicted farmers, perhaps Griqua, wearing broad-brimmed hats. above sea level. discontinued due to health concerns. 28°53’36.1”S 21°59’01.9”E Are these figures dancing? Many engravings have been destroyed, but Kolomela Mine, owned by Anglo-American, was completed at the end copies are held at MacGregor Museum in Kimberley. of 2011. Its name means ‘to dig deeper’ or ‘to persevere’. Kolomela has a Groblershoop was established in 1914, but it was always an important

Ghaap Plateau life of mine of 25 years. Kolomela’s iron ore is in demand because of its Korana area, called Kheis. It was an important gateway into the Ghaap The Kuil of Danielskuil – 28°11’01.3”S 23°33’17.9”E 27°28’49.24”S 23°21’31.28”E excellent physical strength and high iron content. 28°21’41.01”S 23°28’26.80”E region, across the Orange River. This sinkhole crater was formed in the dolomite rock. It is about The Ghaap Plateau is about 1.6 to 2.5 km thick. This was created on the In the 1940s, the prospector Digby Roberts discovered a massive 5 metres deep, but was much deeper in the past. It reminded early western side of the Kaapvaal Craton, a very early continent, about three Witsand NR deposit of limestone. In 1954 the first mining kilns came into operation. residents of “Daniel in the Lion’s Den” in the Bible. The name Danielskuil billion years ago. At that time, the Ghaap Plateau was a shallow shelf 28°32’43.44”S 22°29’20.20”E The four sections of Lime Acres were named after the original farms: 28°32’17.5”S 24°31’24.7”E was first used in 1820. There is no evidence that the “Kuil” was ever used submerged under the sea. Bowden, Smuts, Shone and Adams. PPC Lime is one of the most Barkly West was the site of the first major diamond rush, in 1870, on the as a prison, despite legends to this effect. Witsand is a beautiful nature reserve, the Jewel of the Langberg. The technologically advanced lime producers in the world. white dunes of Witsand are the result of wind blowing sand from the South African Diamond Fields. town is named after Sir Henry Barkly, (red sands) Danielskuil’s oldest cemetery – 28°11’47.9”S 23°32’18.3”E Kalahari sand north, which is then trapped by an isolated range of quartzite kopjes. Governor of Cape Colony. The iron bridge was built in 1885. 27°30’9.75”S 23°17’6.55”E Mount Toto Descendants of the original Griqua, coloured and Tswana communities The water table is very high. The sands have been bleached white by 27°46’15.0”S 22°41’37.2”E of Danielskuil are buried here. Entrance to Red Sands waters that seep to the surface, changing the oxidized iron particles in The Langberg contains the highest point in the Northern Cape, at Canteen Koppie The red colour of SWIFTPRINTthe Kalahari sand, caused by iron oxide, which covers the sand from a red to white. Lovely accommodation available. 28°32’32.3”S 24°31’55.8”E ANC struggle memorial – 28°11’51.5”S 23°33’24.8”E each sand grain. Mount Toto, about 1900 metres above sea level. A stone was laid in memory of young ANC supporters killed in the Canteen Koppie is the site of early diamond diggings, as well as stone 1990s: J Maseng, W Korten, M de Wee and K Okgethile. Bergenaars pass age tools. Kumba mine 28°29’31.04”S 22°36’9.25”E Chief Luka Jantjie’s grave 27°45’40.9”S 22°43’06.1”E 27°46’44.03”S 23° 4’4.99”E “The road of the Mountain People”, referring to the Griqua, San and Jantjie’s grave is located in the Langberg. Chief Luka Jantjie was a hunter, Wildebeestkuil Lay-by on , west o Kathu Kumba Iron Ore is the fourth largest Korana people who roamed here in the early 1800s. Led by the Brigand trader, diamond prospector, and farmer. He was born in Kimberley 28°39’59.9”S 24°39’05.8”E iron-ore producer in the world and the largest in Africa. It is one of the Jan Bloem II, they conducted a reign of terror. They attacked Griquatown in 1835, the son of a Christian convert. Jantjie spent most of his life Wildebeestkuil: There are more than 400 Khoisan engravings here, largest open pit mines in the world. in 1827 and Kuruman in 1828. They were eventually defeated by the protecting the rights to land of his people, against British colonialism. spanning a period from perhaps a few hundred to possibly several Griqua leader, Andries Waterboer. He was the cousin of Kgosi Galeshewe, after whom the township in thousand years ago. www.go-ghaap.com Sishen-Saldanha line Kimberley is named. Jantjie died in action on 30 July 1897, fighting the 27°52’53.27”S 22°58’0.65”E Tsantsabane R378 The old police station and magistrate’s court – 28°10’57.3”S DANIELSKUIL14 23°33’01.1”E R380 R31 The old police station and magistrate’s court

R34 The old NG Church – 28°10’45.9”S 23°33’01.3”E 18 14 Under the leadership of Rev JW Meyer, the church was built of dolomite R31 stone in 1894-6, under the leadership of Rev JW Meyer. R380 R34 R31

NORTHERN CAPE NORTHERN Old Post Office – 28°10’54.2”S 23°32’47.6”E NORTH WEST NORTH The first post office in Danielskuil, built in the 1890s; now a Guest House. R31 R380

R504 Idwala Lime Mine – 28°12’02.2”S 23°32’55.1”E

R31 14 This was established in 1975. It quarries high-grade limestone. R371

R380 R504 OLIFANTSHOEK Olifantshoek town – 27°56’38.89”S 22°44’10.21”E R31 The town originated as a white trading settlement. The first white

R504 person to settle in Olifantshoek itself was the trader Cecil Spyron, in 14 R371 KURUMAN 1895. The first brick buildings in Olifantshoek were built in 1906 – a

NORTHERN CAPE R372 NORTH WEST police cell and magistrate’s office. Those were the days when police R506 patrols were done on camels! 18 R31 TAUNG Kaapvaal Craton – 27°56’38.89”S 22°44’10.21”E 14 R372 Turnoff to Alte Fijn Coffee Shop R372 DEBEN R372 R372 Langberg was the western edge of the Kaapvaal Craton, an ancient

R371 R372 continent, 3 billion years ago. Cratons are blocks of ancient lava crust. R380 R506 The other half of the Kaapvaal Craton is in Western Australia - It moved away due to continental drift. R372 NORTH WEST Little elephant – 27°56’42.66”S – 22°44’8.61”E A little statue of an NORTH WEST NORTHERN CAPE elephant recalls the original Twana name of the Olifantshoek area – R31 HARTSWATER NORTHERN CAPE R506 Ditlou, the place of the elephant. R371

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R506 Andries Waterboer Grave – The Griqua state emerged in the course R371 of the 1820s and 1830s after Andries Waterboer, united the Griqua in JAN KEMPDORP R370 R370 1819. He died in 1852. OLIFANTSHOEK 12 14 R325 R31 Mary Moffat Museum – 28°50’52.16”S 23°15’5.20”E

NORTH WEST This house was built by Rev Anderson in 1805. Robert and Mary Moffat NORTHERN CAPE moved into the house in 1819, and little Mary Moffat was born here on 18 NORTH WEST 12 April 1821. R380 R325 R370 NORTHERN CAPE R371 The Execution Tree – 27°33’27.41”S 23°28’32.11”E SPITSKOP DAM Andries Waterboer initiated conducted raids against Bergenaar

R370 brigands in the Langberg. The large execution tree was one of six 14 R31 12 seringa trees planted by DH van Zyl in 1803. Six key Bergenaar leaders DANIELSKUIL were executed here at 4 pm on May 16, 1827.

R370 R371 R325 R31 FREESTATE Klaarwater Fountain – -28.857624, 23.249550 NORTHERN CAPE Two early missionaries, William Anderson and Cornelius Kramer, R380 R31 14 R380 established a mission station at the Klaarwater Fountain, in 1804. POSTMASBURG R31 NG Church, Griquatown – 28°50’54.4”S 23°15’19.1”E R380 R371 R325 R374 The NG Church in Griquatown was established in 1881. The first church R370 14 R374 was built in 1882; then rebuilt in 1895. The church was enlarged in 1943. R383 14 12 R31 CAMPBELL

FREESTATE 10 R380 NORTHERN CAPE Bartlett church and Livingstone tree – 28°48’5.61”S 23°43’15.28”E

R325 R374 R383 Rev John Bartlett settled here in 1825. He built a mission church in R31 1831. Bartlett died in 1849. R370 Campbell – 28°48’5.61”S 23°43’15.28”E The Griqua leader, Adam Kok I, settled here in 1811. In 1813, the R64 12 R383 missionary-traveller John Campbell visited the place, and it was named after him. In 1816, old Cornelis Kok and his Griqua following settled 10 R31 R380 R370 here, and Rev Campbell established a mission station in 1820. R325 KIMBERLEY 8 R64 NG Church, Campbell – -28.797190 23.713951 8 This church was built in the 1940s. The congregation was later joined to R383 CAMPBELL 8 the NG church in Douglas.

R325 8 R370 DEBEN 8 R380 R383 8 GRIQUATOWN 12 NG Church – 27°35’48.1”S 22°52’36.2”E R357 FREESTATE NORTHERN CAPE 8 Several white families settled here before the Anglo Boer War. The first 8 Dutch Reformed church was built in 1917, and serviced a vast area, 10 8 R386 R357 including Kuruman R383 R370 Doringdraad Bar – 27°35’47.7”S 22°52’48.1”E Old shopping area, now the vibrant Doringdraad Bar. R357 8

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