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WATCH: Time has come to say goodbye to Oom Willem and Tannie Jo

History: 27 September 2025

This week, we wrap up our weekly travels with Oom Willem van den Berg. Over the past 18 weeks, we have joined the adventurous Oom Willem on his almost 100-year-old escapades, which were captured on 16 mm film. We travelled with him and his wife, Tannie Jo, across the length and breadth of South Africa and even accompanied them on a trip up the east coast of Africa and into Europe. But for now, our journey must end with two bonus reels.

 

The mystery of the photo of the commandant-general

History: 02 February 2019 By Anton van Zyl

Is it real, or have we been misled for many years? This was the question when the authenticity of a photo of Voortrekker leader, Andries Hendrik Potgieter, came under scrutiny.

The story of the Zoutpansberg’s last three forts

History: 29 September 2017 By Anton van Zyl

The steel fort next to the Makhado Library is a well-known landmark. Since 1971, it has also been one of our country’s national monuments. This year, the fort celebrates its 130th birthday, but many questions are still to be answered, especially as to what had happened to its two “siblings”.

The amazing story of Dina Fourie

History: 26 August 2017 By Anton van Zyl

The story of Dina Fourie has been told on a couple occasions throughout the years. One of the Soutpansberg’s better-known authors, Dorothea Möller-Malan, wrote a book about her, but more recently a Hoedspruit historian, Herman Labuschagne, captured her amazing story in an article. We had to shorten it slightly, but here it is:

Louis Trichardt het eens met eie bioskoop gespog

History: 05 August 2017 By Andries van Zyl

Tieners deesdae kla gereeld dat daar niks in Louis Trichardt is om te doen nie en sal baie moeite doen om in Polokwane te gaan fliek. Min inwoners weet egter dat Louis Trichardt eens op ‘n tyd ook met sy eie bioskoop gespog het.

Soutpansberg has lost its lush grasslands

History: 05 August 2017 By Anton van Zyl

The Soutpansberg used to have vast stretches of grassland, with the springbok grazing alongside antelope such as the extinct Lichtenstein’s hartebeest. In less than 100 years, the landscape has changed from open stretches of land to trees and bush. The reason for the change can be found in man’s intervention.

João Albasini was 'n merkwaardige figuur

History: 28 July 2017 By Anton van Zyl

Die tweede kultuurhistoriese skat van die Erfeniskomitee se skattejagprojek is die Albasini-gedenkplaat geleë in die boompark langs die N1 snelweg.

Bermuda’s Boer POW’s remembered

History: 02 November 2012 By Linda van der Westhuizen

The Bermudan government sent a plaque to the Zoutpansberg Skirmishes Museum to remember the boer prisoners of war who were interned on the Bermuda Islands for a year from June 1901.

 
 

The Streets of Our Names