Dagboek: Week 7 | Voetspore RSA
Ons sewende week begin by Orania.
Orania is die volkstaat van die Afrikaner. Dis waar die volk op sy eie wil woon, sonder vrees van inmenging of oorheersing van ander. Sedert dié Boerestaat aan die begin van die 1990’s tot stand gebring is, het talle reeds kom kyk na hierdie “sosiale eksperiment”. Dit sluit mense soos Nelson Mandela, Jacob Zuma en Julius Malema in. Nou ook die Voetsporespan.
Ons ontmoet Joost Strydom, een van die bestuurslede van Orania. Hy neem ons op ‘n toer deur die dorpie op die oewer van die Gariep.
Joost neem ons eers na die begraafplaas. Families word in sirkels begrawe. Soos dit deur die loop van die dag sou blyk – bykans alles in Orania het een of ander simboliek.
Ons sien die graf van Tannie Betsie Verwoerd. Langs haar graf is daar voorsiening gemaak vir dié van Dr. H.F. Verwoerd, Vader van Apartheid. Maar sy oorskot lê steeds in die Helde Akker in Pretoria. Dis nie duidelik hoekom dit nog nie hierheen geskuif is nie.
Ons ry deur die dorp en Joost wys vir ons die gegoede en minder gegoede woonbuurte. Ook die skole en klein nywerhede. Natuurlik gaan kyk ons na die koeksister monument. Dis nie regtig baie mooi nie.
Op ‘n koppie is daar is aantal borsbeelde van Orania helde. Beelde wat by ander plekke uitgegooi is. Dis meestal die Eerste Ministers van die Republiek van Suid Afrika, asook Paul Kruger. Wie skitter in hulle afwesigheid is Jan Smuts, PW Botha en FW de Klerk. Maar Hertzog, Malan, Strydom en Vorster is daar.
Ons ry ook verby die huis waar tannie Betsie Verwoerd gebly het. Dis nou ‘n Verwoerd museum. Voor in die tuin staan ‘n aantal borsbeelde van die man. Dis winter en COVID 19, maar tog lyk die plek bietjie onversorg. Van die verf op die dak dop af. Ek en Gideon vra vir mekaar – die man wat ‘n ideologie in die wêreld ingebring het waarvan almal weet, ‘n ideologie so sterk soos kommunisme of sosialisme, die Argitek van Apartheid – is dit al wat daarvan oorgebly het?
Die aand gaan bly ons by die pragtige oord op die oewer van die Oranje. Carel Boshoff, kleinseun van Verwoerd en dryfveer agter Orania kom kuier en eet saam aandete. Hy sê Norbert is soos enige ander Afrikaner welkom om aansoek te doen om op Orania te kom woon. Elke aansoek word op meriete oorweeg.
Norbert sê hy dink nie hy sal aansoek doen nie. Maar ook nie Nina, Streicher, Gideon, Stefan of ek nie. Ons hou net te veel van die reënboog nasie van God, soos Aartsbiskop Tutu die Nuwe Suid Afrika so mooi beskryf het.
Die nag by Orania was bitterlik koud. Die water het weer in die pype gevries.
Ons reis na Magersfontein. By die Royal and Crown Hotel op Modderrivier ontmoet ons vir Steve Lunderstead en Wickus van Rensburg. Steve is vir dekades reeds ‘n gids by die slagvelde van die Noord Kaap.
Ons ry met die grondpad in die rigting van die slagveld. Steve verduidelik hoe die briljante krygsheer, Koos de la Rey, met 8 000 onopgeleide boere daarin kon slaag om die Britse weermag van meer as 15 000 sterk, ‘n moderne Europese weermag, uit te oorlê en te verslaan.
Vir my het die slag dubbele persoonlike betekenis – my oupa na wie ek vernoem is het by die Slag geveg, en ek en Koos de la Rey deel ‘n verjaarsdag.
Ons gaan ook op na die museum, pragtig uitgelê deur die McGregor museum in Kimberley, en kry ook ‘n panoramiese uitsig op die slagveld. Daarna besoek ons die plek waar meeste van die Boere wat tydens die slagveld, en ook ander gevegte in die omgewing, gesneuwel het, herbegrawe is.
By die begraafplaas is daar onder andere die grafte van die jong tromspeler van die Black Watch, die Skotte wat die meeste ongevalle gelei het. Ook die graf van De la Rey se seun wat tydens die Slag van Twee Riviere gewond is en by Jacobsdal in die hospitaal gesterf het. Ook die van die Fransman, de Villibois Mareiul, wat vir die Boere teen die Engelse kom veg het, maar by Boshoff gesneuwel het.
Steve neem ons na ‘n plek waar De la Rey die Lichtenburg se Kommando geplaas het. Hy het geweet dit is waar die groot moeilikheid sou kom tydens die geveg. Hy moes die manne wat hy vertrou, die Wes Transvalers, daar plaas. Dit is waar oupa Johannes en sy makkers sou wees.
Die aand gaan slaap ons by chalets op die oewer van die Rietrivier. Dit was ‘n baie besonderse dag. Saam met Steve, soos laas jaar saam met Doug Rattray by Isandlwana, is die slagveld lewendig gemaak.
Vandag besoek ons Mokala Nasionale Park.
Mokala is die Tswana woord vir die kameeldoringboom, en by Mokala is daar sommer baie. Daar is ook heelwat wild. Mokala word deur Nasionale Parkeraad gebruik om sensitiewe en bedreigde spesies, soos die swartwitpens, te teel en dan weer terug te neem na plekke soos die Kruger.
Ons ontmoet vir Johan de Klerk, Park bestuurder, en Samuel Tompies, Afdelingsveldwagter. Hulle neem ons op ‘n roete deur die park. Daar is tsessebe, rooi hartbees, vlakvarke, volstruise, elande… net die park se sowat 300 buffels ontwyk ons.
Ons gaan na ‘n plek waar die oer inwoners van die plek rotsgravures gemaak het. Daar is olifante, kameelperde, leeus… so kan mens sien watse diere daar vroeër, voor die “beskawing” opgedaag het, in die streek was.
Die aand gaan slaap ons in een van Mokala se boomhuise. Dis uniek tot die park, en iets besonders. Ons boomhuis is gebou in ‘n mokalaboom, ‘n kameeldoring.
Op die spyskaart is potjiekos. Ek het ‘n kookbeurt. Die potjie duur 4 uur om reg gaar te wees, en is heerlik.
Die nag is dit bietjie minder koud as die vorige paar nagte.
Net voor ons Mokala verlaat gaan maak ons ‘n draai by die inligting sentrum. Die soort plekke is baie keer maar vervelige uitstallings. Maar nie Mokala s’n nie. Geologie, fauna en flora van die streek word uitstekend uitgebeeld.
Johan vertel ons dat Wiaan van der Linde hom geskakel het, en gevra het of ons nie by sy rehabilitasie sentrum op die plaas Wintershoek ‘n draai wil maak nie. Daar is ‘n verskeidenheid diere, waaronder ‘n paar klein renosters.
Ons ontmoet Ansabet Snyman en haar dogtertjie Isabel. Hulle maak klein renostertjies groot. Hulle kry natuurlik die renostertjies omdat stropers die ma doodgeskiet het vir haar horing. Die spesies raak ernstig bedreig, net omdat daar mense is wat glo die horing wat verpoeier word help om jou seksdrang aan te wakker.
Dis besonders om so naby aan die diere te kom. Sodra hulle klaar melk gekry het vryf mens die renostertjies in sy agterbeen se lies, en dan gaan lê hy en raak aan die slaap. Dis verstommend.
By Winterhoek is daar ook twee leeus, bobbejane, ape, hiënas en ‘n aardwolf. Rehabilitasie van diere is maar ‘n duur storie. Een klein renoster drink meer as R 60 000 se melk uit voor hy groot genoeg is om veld toe te gaan.
Van Wintershoek af ry ons rigting Kimberley, toe oor die Vaalrivier by Barkly Wes, daarna na Dana Snyman se grootword dorp, Daniëlskuil, oor Postmasburg tot by Witsand.
By Witsand word ons ontvang deur Owen, John en Tebogo. Dis ‘n wonderlike kampplek en ‘n heerlike braai.
Toe ons wakker word sien ons Gideon het ‘n pap wiel. By nadere ondersoek blyk dit ‘n boorpunt te wees wat die band binnegedring het. Streicher en Gideon spring aan die werk en sit ‘n prop in die gat. Dis nie sonder moeite nie.
Ons gaan saam met Owen en John op die Witsand 4×4 roete. Dis nie so uitdagend nie, maar tog lekker om sand te ry. Ek weet manne wat bang is hulle mooi nuwe 4×4’s gaan skade opdoen op ‘n roete sal die een geniet. Dis lekker om die wit sand van Witsand te ry.
Ons sien ook bietjie wild. Tsessebes en springbokke. Selfs ‘n eland, aardwolf en, baie spesiaal, ‘n ietermagô. Soos die renoster is die diertjie ook hoogs bedreigd omdat die Oosterlinge agter sy harde horingskubbe aan is.
Later die middag maak ons ‘n draai by die brulsand van Witsand. In die winter, terwyl die sand koel is, brul dit nie so baie nie. Daar is ook die geleentheid om met skaatsplanke teen die duin af te ski. Dis meer val as ski. Streicher en Nina het sand in hulle hare, ore, neus… dit gaan dae duur om skoon te kom.
Ons maak ook ‘n draai by die voëlskuiling. Dis rustig om te sien hoe die duifies, houtkappers en ander voëltjies kom water drink en bad.
Die week sluit ons af, weer eens met ‘n heerlike ete. Dis styks met ‘n peper sous, bedien saam met groentesosaties.
Dis die einde van die sewende wees. Ons is oor halfpad met ons reis.
Our seventh week starts at Orania.
Orania is the nation state of the Afrikaner. This is where this nation wants to live independently without interference or dominance of any other. Since its establishment in the early 1990’s, many have visited this “social experiment”. People like Nelson Mandela, Jacob Zuma and Julius Malema. Now, the Voetspore team.
We meet Joost Strydom, a member of the management team of Orania. He guides us on a tour through this small town situated on the banks of the Gariep.
Joost first takes us to the cemetery where families are buried in circle formations. During our visit we come to realise the importance of symbolism in Orania.
We see the grave of Tannie Betsie Verwoerd. Next to her grave is an allocated plot for Dr H.F. Verwoerd, Father of Apartheid. However, his remains are still in the Heroes Acre in Pretoria. Unclear why he has not been laid to rest here.
We drive through town and Joost shows us the affluent and less affluent suburbs, as well as the schools and industrial area. Naturally we visit the “koeksister” monument. Really not visually attractive.
On the hill we find a few busts of Orania heroes. Busts that were cast out elsewhere. Mostly that of Prime Ministers of the Republic of South Africa, and of Paul Kruger. Conspicuously absent are those of Jan Smuts, PW Botha and FW de Klerk. Hertzog, Malan, Strydom and Vorster are on display for certain.
We pass the house where Tannie Betsie Verwoerd stayed. Currently a Verwoerd museum. In the front garden are a few busts of this man. In spite of winter and COVID 19, this place is pretty unkept. Even the roof paint is scaling. Gideon and I question the remnants of
the architect of Apartheid. A man that brought such a strong, widely known ideology, as powerful as communism or socialism into the world – is this what is left of it?
That evening we stay in a beautiful resort on the banks of the Orange river. Carel Boshoff, grandson of Verwoerd and driving force behind Orania, joins us for supper. He informs us that Norbert is, just like any other Afrikaner, more than welcome to apply for residency in Orania. Each application is considered on merits.
Norbert confirms that he will not apply. Nina, Streicher, Gideon, Stefan and I are also not interested. We embrace the rainbow nation of God, as Archbishop Tutu described the New South Africa so beautifully.
The night in Orania is bitterly cold. The water in the pipes are frozen again.
We travel to Magersfontein. At the Royal and Crown Hotel in Modder river we meet Steve Lunderstead and Wickus van Rensburg. Steve has been a guide at the battlefields of the northern Cape for decades.
We drive on a gravel road in the direction of the battlefield. Steve explains how the brilliant warlord, Koos de la Rey, together with 8 000 untrained Boers, outmanoeuvred and defeated a modern, European British army of more than 15 000 men.
This battlefield is dually special to me since my grandfather, who I was named after, fought in this Battle and I share a birthday with Koos de la Rey.
We visit the museum, beautifully laid out by the McGregor museum in Kimberley, and get a panoramic view of the battlefield. We also go to the place where most of the Boers who fell in battle and in other battles in the area, are re-buried.
At the cemetery are, amongst others, the graves of the young Black Watch drummer boy and other Scotsmen who died in great numbers. There is also the grave of De la Rey’s son who was wounded in the Battle of Two Rivers and later died in the Jacobsdal hospital. Also, that of the Frenchman, de Villibois Mareiul, who participated for the Boers against the English, but fell at Boshoff.
Steve takes us to the place where De la Rey stationed the Lichtenburg Commando. He anticipated that this would be the place of difficulty during the battle. He had to choose men that he could trust – men from the western Transvaal. This is where my grandpa Johannes and his comrades were.
That evening we overnight in chalets on the banks of the Riet river. It was a very special day. The battlefields are brought to life – this year by Steve and last year by Doug Rattray at Isandlwana.
Today we visit the Mokala National Park.
Mokala is the Tswana word for the camelthorn tree, which grows common in the area. Game is plentiful. National Parks Board uses Mokala to breed sensitive and endangered species like the sable antelope. They are then taken back and released in places like the Kruger Park.
We meet Johan de Klerk, Park Manager, and Samuel Tompies, Section Ranger. They take us on a route through the park. There are tsessebe, red hartebeest, warthog, ostrich, eland … only the park’s 300 buffalo elude us.
We visit a place where primitive man-made rock engravings. There are images of elephant, giraffe, lion … this is a visual record of the animals that roamed the area before “civilisation” arrived.
That evening we overnight in one of the Mokala tree houses. It is unique to this Park and quite special. Our tree house is built in a Mokala tree, a camelthorn tree.
On tonight’s menu is potjiekos. My turn to be chef. It takes almost 4 hours to cook properly. Delicious.
That night is little less cold than the previous few.
Before we depart from Mokala, we go to the information centre. These types of venues are usually very boring. Not the one at Mokala. The geology, fauna and flora of this area are beautifully exhibited.
Johan informs us that Wiaan van der Linde invited us to visit his rehabilitation centre on the farm Wintershoek. He has quite a variety of animals including a few baby rhinos.
We meet Ansabet Snyman and her little girl Isabel. They raise orphaned rhino calves as a consequence of rhino horn poachers. This specie is hugely endangered because of the mere fact that some humans believe grounded rhino horn is an aphrodisiac.
There are also two lions, baboons, monkeys, hyena and an aardwolf. Rehabilitation of animals can be very expensive. It costs R60 000 to nurture one small baby rhino before it is big enough to be released in the veld.
From Wintershoek we drive in the direction of Kimberley, crossing the Vaal river at Barkly Wes, and head for the hometown of Dana Snyman, Daniëlskuil. Then via Postmasburg to Witsand.
At Witsand we are welcomed by Owen, John and Tebogo with a wonderful camping site and a delicious barbeque.
After waking up we realise Gideon has a flat tyre. On inspection we see that a drill bit has caused the damage. Streicher and Gideon plug the puncture. Not without some difficulty.
We join Owen and John on a Witsand 4×4 route. Not very challenging but still enjoyable to drive on sand. This is the perfect route for 4×4 owners who are scared of damaging their new expensive vehicles. So good to drive on the white sand of Witsand.
We spot few game. Tsessebe, springbok, an eland, an aardwolf and most special a pangolin. Like the rhino, another endangered species due to the demand in the East for their large keratin scales.
Later that afternoon we go to the roaring dunes of Witsand. In winter, the sound is muted because the sand is not as hot and dry. Then the opportunity to sand surf – sandboarding on the dunes. More falling than surfing. Streicher and Nina have sand in their hair, ears and noses. It will take days to get cleaned up.
We pay a visit to the bird hide-out. Peaceful to watch how the doves, woodpeckers and other birds come to drink water and bath.
We end the week with another delicious meal. Steak with pepper sauce and vegetable kebabs.
It is the end of week seven. We have passed the halfway mark.
Dagboek: Week 6 Dagboek: Week 8