The beauty of this region, with it’s endless bushveld plains teeming with wildlife, it’s hundreds of spectacular waterfalls and vast stretches of emerald green forests, it’s colourful history and ancient legends, never fails to capture the imagination. Over the years, this region spawned many a story of unbelievable adventure. This is the real Africa, it’s natural attractions waiting to be explored and enjoyed.

INTRODUCTION

SOUTHERN GRASS & WETLANDS

The Southern Grass & Wetland region takes in the towns of Amsterdam, Piet Retief, Volksrust and Wakkerstroom. This is an area of exceptional beauty; a region of rolling hills and deep valleys with a temperate climate. Wakkerstroom is one of the prime birding destinations in the country. The region is also a centre for hikers, hang gliders, mountain bikers and anglers. The Northern Grass & Wetlands region is set on the central highveld of Mpumalanga and takes in the towns of Carolina, Chrissiesmeer, Ermelo and Lothair. This is primarily a farming and forestry region. Vleis and dams provide excellent fishing and bird watching opportunities, hiking and mountain biking trails. A number of archaeological sites shed light on the region’s colourful past.

Cities / Towns:

Amersfoort, Amsterdam, Badplaas, Carolina, Chrissiesmeer, Ermelo, Lothair, Piet Retief, Volksrust, Wakkerstroom

THE HIGHVELD & COSMOS

The Highveld region covers a wide area of high altitude grassland. The area is the principal power generating centre of a large part of the country. It is also a major agricultural and maize growing area, producing exceptionally high yields consistently. Numerous coal mines supply the power stations, which in turn attract major industry such as Sasol’s oil from coal plant at Secunda, steel mills at Witbank and the stainless steel plant at Middelburg. The region presents one of the country’s largest centres for industrial development, manufacture and employment. Visitors who are interested in industrial photography are able to capture interesting scenic panoramic shots of huge power generating plants set in open country, often in mist shrouded conditions. The area offers a number of excellent bird watching sites. The irrigated farmlands of the Loskop Dam and Groblersdal form part of the region. Cosmos and Highveld Ridge takes in the towns of Bethal, Delmas, Secunda and Standerton. The area features open grassland, vleis and low hills, and is a major agricultural production centre. In late summer the veld comes alive with the blooming of the cosmos flower which have spread to every corner of the region. This is an gently rolling country and an excellent scenic route to destinations further eastwards.

Cities / Towns

Bethal, Delmas, Evander, Groblersdal, Middelburg, Secunda, Standerton, Trichardt, Witbank.

GREATER ESCARPMENTS

This is one of the prime tourism areas of Mpumalanga, stretching from the Northern Province border southward following the line of the Drakensberg escarpment to the Swaziland border in the south. Some of the most dramatic scenery in South Africa can be found in the area, through which numerous mountain routes pass. On the higher reaches of the escarpment are the trout fishing villages of Belfast, Dullstroom, Lydenburg, Macdadodorp and Waterval Boven. Lower down, on the eastern slopes are the historical mining villages of Pilgrim’s Rest and Ohrigstad and the forestry towns of Sabie and Graskop. No visit to Mpumalanga would be complete without a stopover in this beautiful region, which offers visitors a wide range of activities and accommodation.

Cities / Towns

Belfast, Burgersfort, Dullstroom, Graskop, Lydenburg, Machadodorp, Ohrigstad, Pilgrim’s Rest, Roossenekal, Sabie, Waterval Boven, Waterval Onder.

THE LOWVELD

The Lowveld region of Mpumalanga offers tourists a unique African experience. Wildlife reserves have been created to conserve a large part of the eastern extremes of the province along the Mozambique border. These include the world famous Kruger National Park – offering unmatched wildlife and bird viewing. The areas not covered by the parks and reserves is primarily agricultural – it is here that many of the country’s tropical fruit and vegetables are grown. The southern lowveld and middleveld regions lies between the southern boundary of the Kruger National Park and the Swaziland border, is part of the area now termed the Maputo-Nelspruit development corridor. The history of the region is mirrored in the hills and valleys of the region, where San (Bushmen) rock engravings, archaeological ruins, wagon trails and early gold diggings are accessible to the visitor for exploration. Numerous pursuits across the wide spectrum of adventure tourism are enjoyed in this region, making it a truly unique tourism and holiday destination. Hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfast establishments cater for those tourist, whose choice of alternative routes to the lowveld via Badplaas and Barberton take them through beautiful mountain scenery on quiet country roads.

Cities / Towns
Barberton, Hazyview, Komatiepoort, Malelane, Nelspruit, White River

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

In the mountains above Barberton scientists have found traces of ‘Stromatolites’, the remnants of blue-green algae formed 3500 million years ago when oxygen was added to the earth’s first evolutionary step towards life forms.

Throughout the Mpumalanga hills and mountains exist hundreds of examples of San (Bushman) art. This art serves as a window looking into the lives of the San hunters and gatherers who inhabited the area centuries before the arrival of the Nguni people from the north.

The region abounded with all types of game, plants, birds and insects. The rivers ran full, providing for the needs of these early inhabitants. Later came the first of the Nguni people who arrived with herds of cattle, and mined red ochre in the hills south of Malelane. Early smelters, which pre-date the main Nguni infux, have been excavated, indicating that the use of iron and copper was well advanced during these years. Similarly, early pottery fragments and sculptural artifacts unearthed in the hills on the Long Tom Pass, notably the ‘Lydenburg heads’ have been described as a major art find.

Scientists have discovered evidence that clearly suggests the presence of Asiatic people who lived and mined in several regions of Mpumalanga. Stone terraced walls, religious icons and grave sites point to the presence of Hindu believers. These people landed at the mouth of the Komati river,traveled inland to the Mpumalanga middleveld to Badplaas, Lydenburg and the Steenkampsberg mountains where they established cultural and residential centres. The name Komati is the same name as the name of a well known Indian trading tribe, while the Nguni and Swahili word for cattle in the same Indian language. A number of Swazi cultural events are celebrated at the same time as Hindu ceremonies suggesting an historical association. Historians and archaeologists are working to date the presence of these people more precisely.

Around 1400 AD the second Nguni migration arrived from the north with their vast herds of cattle. These people had advanced the art of iron smelting, and built stone-walled houses for their settlements.

The creation of the Swazi nation as we know it today commenced at the time of King Ngwane. The area, which was then demarcated by tridal boundaries, was referred to as KaNgwane, a name that still stands. Clans forged friendships with other clans through marriage and for safety of numbers, while frequent raids against neighbouring clans served to replenish cattle herds and to extend tribal lands.

The movements of tribal chiefs through the region had a profound effect on the formation and bonding of nations. Most notable was the influence of Zulu king Shaka, whose empire stretched southwards from the Swaziland border to the Tugela River. Shoshangane, who escaped from Zululand and settled in the Gaza Province of Mozambique, was the founder of the Shangane people, while Mzilikazi, after being forced to the flee Zululand to escape the wrath of Shaka, travelled through the region on his way north to establish an empire in southern Zimbabwe. His passage was marked by death and destruction as he sought to subjugate the Ndebele people.

For centuries, Mpumalanga was populated by warrior clans who roamed the hills and plains in search of grazing for their cattle and safety for their people. Theirs was a life of war and survival as the centres of power moved from one clan to another. The oral tradition passed down in the folklore of the people is today an important record of the lives and tribal history of the inhabitants.

To the west, in the Steelpoort Valley, the Ndebele people settled with their herds. Historians have traced their arrival to the late 17^th century. Thereafter, their tumultuous history has been woven around the constant state of conflict, and it is to the credit of their leaders, even to the present day, that this small but proud group have maintained their language and culture. After Zulu chief Mzilikazi wreaked havoc on the Ndebele as his army passed through their territory, the Boer settlers from the west later claimed the land and set up a government at Ohrigstad.

Conflict between Boer, British, Pedi and Ndebele followed, and for many years a state of low intensity war existed, until the Ndebele leaders, Mabhoko and Nyabela, led their clan in a determined effort to drive the settlers back to the Vaal River. They failed.

The arrival of white settlers, led by Andries Potgieter, between 1836 and 1845 heralded a new era in the history of the region. A Boer party, under the command of Hans van Rensburg , was massacred in the lowveld by Shoshangane’s warriors during 1836. Later, a Portuguese settler named Joao Albasini settled near Pretoriuskop, where he established a trading station on what was later to be called the Albasini Route, to Delagoa Bay.

In 1871 the region came to life with the discovery of alluvial gold on a farm near Pietersburg. Later finds at Graskop, Sabie, Pilgrim’s Rest and Barberton focused international attention on this little known corner of Africa.

Diggers, financiers, fortune hunters and their entourages arrived to settle, and to take part in the gold rush fever that was to sweep the region. Claims offices were set up, stocks and shares were traded through a simple yet effective exchange, and towns and villages prospered. New wagon routes to the coast at Delgoa Bay were worked by hundreds of wagons, hauling much needed supplies to the booming communities. The gold bearing reeds were soon exhausted, however and with the discovery of huge gold deposits on the Witwatersrand and communities moved westwards to new fields and new opportunities.

Agriculture then took as the region’s major source of wealth. The rich soil and the subtropical climate were suited to the growing of citrus and other tropical fruits. Timber companies moved on to state lands near Sabie to plant and harvest exotic hard and soft woods. Today Mpumalanga boasts the largest man-made forest in southern Africa.

Mpumalanga still carries the scars of a turbulent past, of war and government decrees that favoured some over others, that separated, discriminated and forcibly removed certain peoples from their lands for the benefit of others. All this is now past, and today Mpumalanga stands proudly at the gateway to a future that will be shared by all of it’s people with the hope and trust that the years ahead will strengthen and suite the diverse ethnicity of Mpumalanga.

THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

The Early Inhabitants

Red ochre mines at Dumaneni, 6 km south fo Malelane, and at Lion Cavern, a site in the Ngwenya mountains, are some of the oldest mining sites in the world, attesting to the early presence of man in Mpumalanga, some 46 000 years ago. The red ochre – ludvumane in siSwati, which means ‘four times the sound of thunder’ – emphasises the importance of this mineral to early African civilizations. Ochre was used by chiefs and diviners, who covered their bodies with a mixture of this deep red mineral and animal fats in order to endow themselves with power.

Later, San (Bushmen) used ochre both to decorate their bodies and in the manufacture if pigments. Examples of San (Bushman) rock art can be found throughout the province, marking the passage of these hunter-gatherers. Early indications of the presence of the species Australopithecus and Homo erectus take us back to the dawn of time, placing Mpumalanga in the cradle of the emergence of civilization in Africa.

In more recent times, archaeologist have unearthed evidence from the Late Stone Age – ornaments, tools, arrow heads and pottery.

In about 1400 AD, came the massive southern migration of tribes from the north, who brought with them vast herds of cattle, as well as techniques for iron smelting. These tribes built sophisticated stone walled villages, and established a culture that survives to this day.

Finally, the European settlers came, invading the province from the east and west, bringing an entirely different culture – a culture which demanded the exploitation of the land and it’s resources, that led to conflict and war.

The Ndebele

The Ndebele people of northwest Mpumalanga now live in the area around Dennilton where, after a century of struggle, they were granted land on which to re-establish their people, who had been scattered throughout South Africa by war and restrictive legislation. The history of these people has been one of hardship and rurmoil as successive waves of foreigners invaded their historic homeland.

The Ndebele are a Nguni people. During the third centuries they migrated to the Zebedelia and Pretoria areas in a series of migrations, and it was in this region that they established their tribal lands during the mid 17^th century.

When Zulu chief Mzilikazi was driven out of Zululand by Shaka, he decimated both the Ndzundza and Manala clans of the Ndebele as he passed through the area on his way to establish a kingdom at Bulawayo in southern Zimbabwe. The Ndzundza clan regrouped under their chief, Mabhoka, near the Mapoch Caves in the Roossenekal district.

During the early 1840’s an increasing number of Boer farmers arrived to settle the area, which, in turn led to strife and conflict with the Ndebele. Chief Mabhoka was a dynamic leader who was determined to defend both his rights and his lands.

When the Boers refused to vacate his tribal lands and return to their former position south of the Vaal River, armed conflict ensued.

The Ndebele were hounded by both Boer farmers and their northern neighbours, the Pedi, in a low level war that lasted until 1882. That they survived is a credit to their leaders, who constantly displayed remarkable qualities and skills in almost impossible circumstances.

When the Pedi chief, Sekhukhune, was murdered in 1882 the balance of power in the region changed, and the Boers turned on Myabela, then chief of the Ndebele, to prevent him from staging an unprising. The Boers declared war on Nyabela on 7^th November 1882. in the ensuing conflict the Boers laid siege to the Ndebele at the Mapoch Caves where the Ndebele forces had set up defensive positions.

The bitter siege lasted eight months, during which time the Boers used every tactic possible to defeat the Ndebele, including the use of dynamite, to cut off their source of supplies. The Boer forces were finally able to enforce the surrender of Nyabela, who was sentenced to life imprisonment. His men were dispersed and forced to live in groups as indentured labourers on the surrounding farms.

The plight of the Ndebele, now scattered over a wide area, came to the attention of the authorities in 1965 through a number of organizations which had been established to fight for the tribe’s unification. Simon Skosana and KM Mtsweni, both leaders of the Ndebele worked tirelessly to bring together the chiefs and headmen under a common banner. They were rewarded in 1972 when the Dennilton area was declared an Ndebele homeland.

In 1986, however, further trouble ensued when the supporters of SS Skosana clashed with those of the Royal House led by Prince James Mahlangu. The prince emerged as the leader in subsequent elections. The KwaNdebele government was later disbanded after the national elections of 1994, when the sea was officially re-incorporated into the province of Mpumalanga and into South Africa.

Today a bronze sculpture of the Ndebele leader Nyabela stands outside the Mapoch Caves, to remind the descendants of this brave and proud people of their turbulent past.

The Swazi

The Swazi people can trace their origins to a region in Kenya on the slopes of Mount Kenya, some 140 km north of Nairobi. They arrived in southern Africa under their chief, Dlamini, and settled initially near Maputo. The tribe then moved southwards to the Pongola River and later still into present by Swaziland where it developed it’s Swazi identity under King Sobhuza I (1815 – 1836) and later his son, King Mswati II. The latter was credited with uniting the many clans into one nation. Mswati II also set out to enlarge his empire by attacking this northern neighbours to as far north as Venda and the Limpopo River.

King Mswati was a cruel and determined leader whose army was greatly feared. However, in one engagement, his army attacked the Pulana clan in the valleys of the Blyde River hurling rocks down on them from the cliffs above. The survivors of this battle, fearing reprisals if they returned to their king, settled to the north of Swaziland in small pockets, where the same families live to this day.

Mswati II died at the royal village at Hhohho in July 1865, and is buried at Mbilaneni alongside his father and grandfather. The kingship of the nation passed to a succession of short lived appointments, until the infant Nkhotfotjeni was appointed heir to the throne. On his inauguration he took the title King Sobhuza II. He resigned for 60 years between 1921 and 1982 and was succeeded by his son Mswati III.

Today the Swazi people of Mpumalanga retain many cultural and language links with the people of Swaziland, and cross the borders freely to attend family and social gatherings.

The Shangane

Manukosi Shoshangane Nxumalo, a fighting general in Zwide’s Ndwandwe army, was defeated by Shaka’s army in Zululand and driven north of the Inkomati River, where he established a new kingdom in the Gaza Province of Mozambique. Over the years his empire grew through alliances with local chiefs and through war, until it extended to as far north as the Zambezi River.

When Shoshangane died in 1856 he was succeeded by one of his two sons, Mawewe. The new king, in turn, fell victim to inter-family fighting and was deposed by his brother Mzila. Years of fighting throughout the region then weakened the Shangane empire, and in the absence of strong leadership the clans scattered through a wide area of Mpumalanga, the Northern Province and Mozambique.

Today the Shangane nation is once again well defined stretching from south of Bushbuckridge into the Northern Province, and eastwards into Mozambique.

The Pedi

The Pedi, who occupy the land across the northern border of Mpumalanga in the Northern Province, have had a strong influence on the history and development of the Mpumalanga through the years.

Many of their leaders have contributed meaning fully to the development of the province, and are set to continue to do so in the new South Africa.

The Europeans and Asians

Mpumalanga today is made up of a truly diverse mix of nations, the product of a pioneering history that attracted armies, adventurers and travelers from all corners of the world. They came to farm the land, to prospect for minerals, to hunt big game, or as businessmen to trade and prosper from the many economic opportunities that arose as the region development. Others arrived from Europe to lay the railway from Maputo to Pretoria.

Today the names of the descendants of these pioneers are often remembered in the names of towns, mountains and rivers across the province.

The Land

High up on an outcrop of granite overlooking the Sabie River, 25 000 years ago, a San hunter stands poised, taking in every movement on the plain below. This is Africa. The great sky and the silence so characteristic of Mpumalanga, great herds of game moving cautiously towards the river as the sun dips on to the western escarpment. Little has changed, and today we can savour the same thrill of the wild, albeit in more secure and comfortable circumstances.

The early pioneers, who created the game sanctuaries of the lowveld, would not have understood the implications of their vision. For the most part they were lovers of nature first, and administrators second. They sought to conserve within their immediate environment, and it was only when the success of their work was recognised that these reserves took on a more urgent role in the conservation of the area as a whole.

Other regions followed the example of these pioneers by creating more conservation points; today we can see the emergence of a balanced and natural environment that caters for the needs of both the local communities and the tourists who come to Mpumalanga to see and experience the mystique of Africa. What the San hunter saw and experienced 25 000 years ago is still there for the tourist to discover and to enjoy.

Mpumalanga is now a modern and progressive region in South Africa, where the old and the new combine to create a truly exceptional atmosphere for tourism. Modern hotels and guest houses, private game reserves and lodges all provide for the needs of the visitor, while conference facilities, sporting activities, historic tours and game viewing are available through an excellent transport network of road, rail and air.

Mpumalanga is a prime destination in Africa where an awareness of the needs of the tourist area promoted by a people whose friendliness and concern are unmatched. They will welcome you to this diverse and exciting province, and invite you to experience the uniqueness of the land and the people.

TIME CHART OF MPUMALANGA

Evidence of human habitation in Mpumalanga points to the presence of man dating back many million of years. In more recent times this evidence has been supported by the discovery of exciting new sites which are adding to the knowledge of the historic phases of habitation by man. Migrations and wars caused a constant flow of peoples across the land, among them hunter gatherers, itinerant miners, slave traders, and tribesmen migrating southwards in search of grazing lands for their cattle. All have left their individual stamp on this corner of Africa.

(BC) 100 000

Evidence of early and middle stone age implements of the period.

(BC) 46 000

Red ochre (haematite) mined at Dumaneni near Malelane and Lion Cavern in Swaziland

(BC) 25 000

The presence of San people evidenced by the large number of rock art sites throughout the province. Stone flint arrow heads and simple implements from Middle and Late Stone Ages confirm uninterrupted presence by early man.

(BC) 1500

Tribes arrived from the north with cattle and sheep. There is evidence of iron, copper and pottery work, and proof of these people living in villages to protect their herds from wild animals.

(AD) 1400

There was a massive second migration of people from the north, who brought large herds of cattle, sophisticated iron tools and weapons, and who lived in stone fortified villages.

1700

Ndebele people settled in northwest Mpumalanga

1725

Portuguese explorers, led by Frans de Kuiper, traveled up to Crocodile River to Gomondwana where they were attacked by local inhabitants and forced to return to the coast.

1815

King Sobhuza I was crowned king of Swazis

1819

Shaka, the Zulu king, defeated Ndwandwe chief Zwide, who was driven out of Zululand and settled on the Komati River. Part of his army, led by one of his generals, Shoshangane, traveled further north of Gaza to establish a new kingdom, the ancestors of the present day Shangane people.

1836

Boer leader Hans van Rensburg and his entire expedition massacred by the Shoshangane army at the confluence of the Olifants and Limpopo Rivers.

1838

Louis Trichardt arrived at Delagoa Bay from the hinter land thereby opening a route to the coast.

1845

King Mswati II of the Swazis succeeded to the throne to start a period of conquest throughout the region.

Joao Albasini, the early European pioneer, settled at Pretoriuskop where he established a trading post on the main route to Delagoa Bay. The town of Ohrigstad was founded.

1856

Hot sulphur springs at Badplaas found by Jacob de Clerq

1859

The village of Wakkerstroom was founded on the farm Krynauwslust

1861

Pedi chief Sekwati died, causing destabilisation of the northern area.

1863

Clashes between Boer forces and Ndzundza

1864

The Pulana attracked by King Mswati’s army near Blyde River Canyon, suffering humiliating defeat when the tribe rolled huge rocks down the walls of the canyon on to the king’s troops below.

The town of Middelburg, originally named Nazareth, was founded

Fort Merensky, a mission station near Middelburg, was founded to protect Christians from Sekhukhune, who was conducting a campaign against Christian followers of Chief Sekwati.

1867

James Stevenson – Hamilton, the first chief warden of the Kruger National Park, was born

1871

Gold was discovered on the farm Geelhoutboom and at Graskop, east of Lydenburg

1873

Gold was discovered in Lone Peach Tree Creek by Alex Patterson. The area was later called Pilgrim’s Rest

1876-7

The Sekhukhune War

1879

The town of Ermelo was founded

1881

The Battle of Majuba (First War of Independence)

1882

Pedi chief Sekhukhune was killed by supporters of Mampuru

1882

Boers declared war on Ndebele chief Nyabela. Gold was discovered at Berlin near Kaapschehoop, and at the confluence of the Noordkaap River and Jamestown Creek.

The town of Carolina was founded

1883

Boers under Commandant General Piet Joubert defeated Chief Nyabela in battle at the Mapoch Caves, where the defenders were forced to surrender. The Boers used dynamite to cut off the defenders’ supply lines.

1884

Large gold deposits were discovered near Barberton, leading to the establishment of the town, which was named after the Barber family.

1887

Construction of the Eastern Railway Line from Delagoa Bay to Pretoria was started.

The town of Nelspruit was founded

1890

Belfast was founded, and named after the city in Northern Ireland by the owner of the land, Richard O’Neill.

1893

The village of Dullstroom on the Mpumalanga highlands, was founded

1895

The railway station at Machadodorp named after Joachim Machado, Governor General of Mozambique, for the role he played in surveying the Eastern Line to Pretoria. During the Anglo Boer War (1900), Machdadodorp was made the capital of the ZAR.

Waterval Boven was established as a railway depot during the construction of the Eastern Railway Line.

1898

Land between the Sabie and Crocodile Rivers was proclaimed a game sanctuary

1899

Start of Anglo Boer War

King Sobhuza II of the Swazis was born, and named to succeed to the throne when only four months old. He became the longest reiging Swazi monarch in history, dying in 1982.

1900

Battle of Bergendal (Anglo Boer War)

1902

End of the Anglo Boer War. Colonel Stevenson- Hamilton was appointed head ranger of the Sabie Game Reserve

1903

The town of Witbank was laid out and named after a white ridge of stone

1904

The first eucalyptus trees in South Africa were planted near the village of Sabie.

The Sabi Sands Game Reserve was extended to include the Shigwedzi Game Reserve

1906

Exotic pine trees planted on the escarpment

1911

Construction of the Belvedere Power Station in the Blyde River Canyon, seen, at that time, as being something of an engineering feat.

1922

The Ndzundza-Ndebele people settled on land near Dennilton

1923

Echo Caves were discovered by JA Claassen, while searching for water.

1926

Kruger National Park was proclaimed and extended to the Limpopo River.

1929

The first private sawmill established using thinnings from the fast developing pine forest

1944

The town of Malelane was founded

1946

Colonel Stevenson- Hamilton retired as head ranger of Kruger National Park

1948

Fisheries Institute was founded in Lydenburg to conduct research into trout culture

1956

The Ndebele people were given property rights to the Nebo Trust Farms

1965

Fort Merensky became a National Monument

1972

Ndebele People were given limited powers, and their area declared a ‘homeland’.

1974

White River was declared a municipality. The town, originally ‘The Milner Settlement’, was established to promote agriculture in the area

1977

Matsulu, in the ‘homeland’ KaNgwane, became the centre of regional government

1994

Democratic elections in South Africa heralded a new era in local and national government.

The First Premier of Mpumalanga, Mathews Phosa, was named

Regional government was established in Nelspruit

ARTS AND CULTURE

Mpumalanga has a fascinating artistic and cultural heritage which today mirrors the very evolution of the subcontinent. From the rock paintings and engravings of the early hunter gatherers through to the beadwork and modern designs of the Swazi and Ndebele people.

Sandstone and granite caves throughout the province are evidence of the passage of these early hunter-gatherers who lived and hunted on the plains of Africa during the Early and Middle Iron Ages.

On the hills above Lydenburg scientists have unearthed pottery heads, now called the Lydenburg Heads, examples of which are displayed at the Lydenburg Museum.

The village of Wolwekraal in northwest Mpumalanga is the home of twin sisters Emmily and Martha Masanabo. Their dynamic mural and beadwork designs have drawn attention to an innovative art type that is unique to the Ndebele people of South Africa, both in the use of vibrant colours and in the boldness of design.

These two artists have now been acknowledged for their artistic talent, having been commissioned by British Airways to create a design for the tail markings on one of it’s intercontinental jet aircraft.

Gerard Sekoto was born in 1913 at the Botshabelo mission station near Middelburg. As an artist he was almost entirely self-taught creating vibrant paintings of township scenes. In 1947, he fulfilled his ambition by moving to Paris where he continued to paint for the remaining years of his life. Sekoto was probably the first African artist to receive critical international acclaim. His works now hang in the galleries of the world.

The museums and galleries of Mpumalanga tell the story of the development of the province. Excellent exhibits at Lydenburg, Barberton, Pilgrim’s Rest, Skukuza and Nelspruit are just a few of the many sites open to visitors. The Forestry Museum at Sabie is the only one of it’s type in South Africa. Living mining museums at Barberton and Pilgrim’s Rest tell the story of the short but turbulent period from the discovery of gold in 1871 until the mines were exhausted and closed.

The story of Jock of the Bushveld is recorded in many place names and memorials on the early wagon routes.

HISTORICAL SITES, MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL POINTS OF INTEREST

Pilgrim’s Rest Museum

Barberton Museum

Bethal Museum

Botshabelo Museum

Lydenburg Museum

Sabie Forestry Museum

Wakkerstroom (Collection)

Langeloop Museum

Matsulu Museum

Loopspruit Cultural Village

BOTSHABELO – HISTORIC MISSION STATION AND CULTURAL VILLAGE

The name Botshabelo means refuge and it was here on the banks of the Klein Olifants River near Middelburg that Bapedi converts sought refuge from Chief Sekhukhune in 1865.

Botshabelo was founded by Alexander Merensky and Heinrich Grutzner of the Berlin Missionary Society. To protect themselves and their followers from attack, the missionaries first constructed a fort which they named Fort Wilhelm after the Prussian king. This fort, a unique blend of Sotho and Western architecture, is now known as Fort Merensky.

By 1873 the mission station had developed to the point where some 3000 people were gainfully employed and protected at this thriving community.

The community was self sufficient in the cultivation of food crops and had it’s own postal service, print shop, bakery, brickyard and mill. Schools were established, making the mission station a centre for learning for both the local inhabitants and also for the German missionary children. The famous geologist Hans Merensky was born near the station and spent his childhood there before taking up studies in Germany.

In later years the mission station began to decline until in 1960 the Berlin Missionary Society withdrew. By 1973 the site was abandoned. With assistance from the Simon van der Stel Foundation and the provincial government the site was purchased and is now being restored as an important museum site. The area around the station has been developed as a game and nature reserve.

Today, Botshabelo thrives as an important tourist centre where a southern Ndebele Village has been added as a central conservation point for the architecture and culture of these colourful people.

The mission station captures many elements of the pioneering days on the frontier. The architecture, in particular is of great interest and importance. A restaurant has been opened in recent years offering a variety of local dishes.

GAME PARKS AND NATURE RESERVES

The Mpumalanga Parks Board is a progressive conservation organization charged with the initiation, implementation and management of a wide range of conservation projects throughout Mpumalanga.

There are numerous ecosystems under management, from mountain landscapes to riverine forests and grasslands.

This natural heritage, to be shared by all, is being made more accessible to visitors through an ambitious ecotourism programme involving local communities.

Principal nature reserves currently under the management of the board, include the following (the nearest town is indicated in brackets): Songimvelo Game Reserve (Baberton), Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve (Graskop), Loskop Dam Nature Reserve (Groblersdal / Middelburg), Mahushe Shongwe Game Reserve (Malelane), Mthetho-musha Game Reserve (KaNyamazane), Bushbuck-ridge Nature Reserve (Graskop), Ohrigstad Dam Nature Reserve (Pilgrim’s Rest), Lydenburg Fish Production Centre (Lydenburg), Sterkspruit Nature Reserve (Lydenburg), Verloren Valei Nature Reserve (Dullstroom), Jerico Dam Nature Reserve (Amsterdam), Mkhombo Nature Reserve (Siya-Buswa), Mabusa Nature Reserve (Siyabuswa), SS Skosana Nature Reserve (Siyabuswa), Mdala Nature Reserve (Siyabuswa).

Several community projects, where cattle and wildlife cohabit in wilderness areas, have been created with the assistance of local authorities to provide dedicated management to these projects. The most notable of these is the Mawewe Cattle Project on the Mozambique – Swaziland border. Other similar ventures are planned for the future.

The Mpumalanga Parks Board operate a number of excellent hiking trails within it’s reserves located in all regions of Mpumalanga.

PRIVATE GAME RESERVES

Private game reserves and camps are spread throughout Mpumalanga. The greatest concentration is situated within the Sabie Sands Game Reserve, bordering the Kruger National Park. These reserves are home to abundant wildlife and bird species including the major big game animals.

Other camps are located in the area surrounding Komatiepoort, Malelane and Hectorspruit. These camps also offer a diverse range of large and small game, as well as birds. Listed below are the private game reserves and camps which fall within the province of Mpumalanga.

Sabi Sands Game Reserve

Chitwa Chitwa Game Lodge, Djuma Game Lodge, Exeter Safari Lodge, Gomo Gomo Game Lodge, Idube Game Lodge, Inyati Game Lodge, Londolozi Game Reserve, Mala Mala Game Reserve, Notten’s Bush Camp, Sabi Sabi Game Lodge, Savanna Tented Camp, Singita Game Reserve, Ulu-Lapa Ingwe Lodge, Ulusaba Lodge.

Komatiepoort / Malelane / Hectorspruit

Bongani Game Lodge, Gazebo Game Lodge, Lowhills Game Reserve, Izinyoni Game Lodge, Tanda-Nani Game Lodge.

The private game reserves of Mpumalanga offer a truly unique African experience in the form of game walks and game drives in open vehicles under the supervision of trained rangers, all from the luxury of beautifully equipped camps.

OTHER CONSERVATION POINTS

Organizations throughout the province have, with the assistance of national, provincial, municipal and private interest, created and funded conservation projects. These provide wonderful recreational facilities to visitors and are well worth visiting.

Some of the more notable projects include the following:

Botshabelo Nature Reserve

Near Middelburg at the Fort Merensky Museum and village

Majuba Power Station Nature Reserve

Near Volksrust, conserving the Giant Girdled Lizard

Wakkerstroom Wetland Reserve

Conserving a unique wetland environment

Lake Chrissie

Near Chrissiesmeer, conserving flocks of flamingo and other birds.

Nelshoogte Nature Reserve

Near Badplaas, conserving and exceptional middleveld environment

Cynthia Letty Nature Reserve

Near Barberton, conserving indigenous cycads and other rare plants.

Gustav Klingbiel Nature Reserve

Near Lydenburg, conserving escarpment highland grasslands

Buffelskloof Nature Reserve

Near Lydenburg, conserving bird habitats on highland grasslands

Oribi Reserve

Near Piet Retief, conserving the Oribi antelope and other grassland species of animals and birds.

LOWVELD NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS

One of the finest and most interesting botanic gardens in South Africa, set in beautiful surroundings on the Crocodile River near Nelspruit. The Gardens feature a number of unique botanical collections form a cycad garden to a tropical forest containing a comprehensive variety of fig trees. The gardens are an excellent setting to photograph some of the more rare and exotic plants.

BIRD WATCHING IN MPUMALANGA

The entire province of Mpumalanga is regarded as a prime birding destination. Habitats from mountain highveld to acacia lowveld exist within distances of less than 100 km. On the southern grass and wetlands a number of important endemic and partially endemic species occur. It is difficult to identify the many points of birding interest because of the wide occurrence of so many species.

Prime birding sites include the following:

• Wakkerstroom, Volksrust, Amersfoort (southern grasslands)

• Piet Retief (south eastern grasslands)

• Chrissiesmeer (central highveld grass and wetlands)

• Jerico Dam (central highveld)

• Loskop Dam Nature Reserve, Middelburg (grass and wetlands)

• Verloren Valei Reserve, Dullstroom (escarpment grasslands)

• Waterval Boven (escarpment grass and wetlands)

• Gustav Klingbiel Reserve, Lydenburg (grass and wetlands)

• Ohrigstad Dam Reserve, Pilgrim’s Rest (escarpment grasslands)

• Northwestern Reserves, Groblersdal (northwestern grass and wetlands)

• Badplaas (middleveld grasslands)

• Komatiepoort (lowveld and wetlands)

• Mthethomusha Nature Reserve, KaNyamazane (lowveld hills)

• Private Game Reserves (mostly Lowveld)

‘Roberts Birds of South Africa’, ‘The Sasol Guide’ and ‘Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa’ are the key birding publications, all of which use the South African bird numbering system.

There are a number of tour operators who specialise in both regional and provincial birding tours. Visitors should take advantage of such services to obtain specific information on habitats and the distribution of species. In some areas such as the southern grasslands a number of extremely rare species occur, which can only be spotted with the help of a qualified guide.

ANGLING IN MPUMALANGA

Mpumalanga has a wide choice of angling sites on some of the finest waters in South Africa. Anglers touring in the province should come prepared for excellent and varied fishing in scenic destinations catering for every preferences. The principal angling species are the following: rainbow trout, brown trout, yellowfish, carp, barbell, bass, tigerfish, vlei kurper, tilapia, bream, mudfish and eel.

Facilities for anglers are excellent having been built up over the years by an enthusiastic and dedicated angling community.

Trout Fishing on the highland escarpment is well established, with an infrastructure of chalets, guest houses and lodges catering for the trout fishing enthusiast. The major centres for trout fishing include Dullstroom, Belfast, Machadodorp, Waterval Boven, Badplaas, Lydenburg, Wakkerstroom, Sabie and Pilgrim’s Rest.

Tigerfish occur in the larger rivers of south eastern Mpumalanga, in the Komatiepoort area where a number of excellent catches have been recorded. Fishing for tigerfish with light tackle is considered, by the experts, to be one of the finest angling experiences.

The Heyshope Dam near Piet Retief is a superb fishing destination, where the clear quality of the water is a feature.

In most areas fishing rods and tackle are available for hire from specialist shops and lodges which have a commercial interest in the sport.

Although it would not be possible to list every angling site in the province, since every dam, river and vlei is stocked with a variety of species, the following lists the primary rivers for good angling. At each of these sites the angler will enjoy catching at least two of the major species listed above.

Rivers (nearest Town)

Mpuluzi, Ngwempisi, Usutu (Amsterdam); Wilge (Bronkhorstspruit), Komati (Carolina), Olifants (Groblersdal), Sabie (Hazyview), Komati, Crocodile (Komatiepoort), Elands, Moses, Olifants (Marble Hall), Crocodile (Nelspruit), Assegaai, Hlelo, Pongola (Piet Retief), Sabie (Sabie), Vaal (Standerton), Olifants (Witbank)

A GOLFER’S GUIDE TO MPUMALANGA

There are numerous golf courses in Mpumalanga, some in unusual settings such as Skukuza which is located within the borders of the Kruger National Park, and another in the Blyde River Valley near the historic mining village of Pilgrim’s Rest. The following list of golf clubs will assist visitors to check availability and to book tee-off times in advance of their arrival at the club of their choice. Most Mpumalanga golf club welcome visitors except on competition days.

Badplaas Golf Club, Barberton Golf Club, Belfast Golf Club, Bethal Golf Club, Carolina Golf Club, Delmas Golf Club, Ermelo Golf Club, Groblersdal Golf Club, Kruger Park Lodge Golf Club, Lydenburg Golf Club, Malelane Golf Club, Marble Hall Golf Club, Middelburg Country Club, Nelspruit Golf Club, Piet Retief Country Club, Pine Lake Sun Golf Club, Sabie River Bungalows Golf Club, Sabie Country Club, Skukuza Golf Club (visitors welcome on Saturday mornings only and strictly to prior arrangement), Standerton Country Club, TGME Golf Club (Pilgrim’s Rest), Volksrust Golf Club, Walker Park Golf Club, White River Country Club, Witbank Golf Club.

ADVENTURE TOURISM

Adventure Tourism is fast becoming a major tourist attraction in Mpumalanga. Because some sports are highly mobile – such as mountain biking, or seasonal – such as river rafting – this section lists the various sports with reference to the areas in which they are most likely to be offered.

River Rafting

This growing sport is generally confined to the summer months, when the rivers are running full. Principal sites are near Badplaas, Hazyview, Nelspruit and Blyde River.

Microlighting

A microlight academy at Bar-berton offers a full training programme for learner pilots, and is equipped to lease microlights to visiting pilots.

Rock Climbing

Register with the Nelspruit Mountain Club before attempting climbs.

Mountain Biking

The entire province is a potential venue. Some excellent sites near Badplaas, Barberton, Graskop, Sabie, Chrissiesmeer and Wakkerstroom. This fast growing sport has swept the province. A number of hotels and guest houses provide bikes for hire.

Cycle Touring

This sport should be booked with overnight stops planned to suit the individual levels of endurance. Mpumalanga offers some truly exceptional routes which often follow and cross the scenic mountain passes on the escarpment.

Canoeing and Kayaking

These two sports are offered on some dams and rivers, as well as at resorts. Enthusiasts should make early arrangements for equipment, which is not easy to come by.

Sailing and Windsurfing

Many water resorts offer sailing and windsurfing, as well as other water sports.

Hunting

The principal hunting areas are Groblersdal, Marble Hall, Piet Retief and the lowveld. This is a highly specialized sport requiring advance planning. There are a number of hunting associations, which will assist in locating licensed operators offering either bird or animal hunting facilities.

Paragliding

Wakkerstroom, Barberton and a number of other centres offer some of the finest sites in South Africa. The sport is becoming increasingly popular, attracting a growing number of tourists from southern Africa and from abroad.

4x4 Trail

A 4x4 driving holiday in Mpumalanga can be planned to take in both family and professional drivers. Tour operators at Hazyview, Graskop and White River offer planned tours for visiting drivers. At White River the Camel endurance course offers a major challenge.

Game Viewing

A number of tour operators based in Nelspruit, White River, Hazyview, Sabie and Skukuza offer both day and night drives to the Kruger National Park, conducted by registered guides. Special bird watching tours can also be booked. Helicopter tours over the escarpment are available from a number centres.

Hiking

There are a few options that can compete with Mpumalanga’s natural beauty. Mpumalanga offers the hiker a diversity of scenery and topography. Outdoor enthusiasts can select their ideal hiking trail from more than 65 trails spread throughout the province.

Visitors will find a huge resource of interested enthusiasts in all sporting disciplines. Excellent advice is generally available at specialist sporting stores and also from Tourism Information offices.

AGRICULTURAL TOURISM

Agricultural production in Mpumalanga represents 26 % of the provincial GDP and is one of the largest sources of employment in the province. The province is well located close to the fast developing Gauteng markets.

Climatic variations across the province, from highveld grasslands through to the tropical lowveld extremes of the eastern borders with Mozambique, make Mpumalanga almost unique in the diversity of agricultural systems and crops grown.

The principal types of farming are, as follows:

Highveld Regions

Maize, potatoes, beans, sunflower, dairy cattle, sheep, trout

Bushveld

Beef cattle, maize, sunflower, game, vegetables (irrigated Loskop Valley), dairy

Lowveld

Bananas, avocado pears, nuts, citrus, mangoes, paw paw, vegetables, lesser tropical fruits, sugar, beef cattle, game.

The first two sub-regions are separated from the lowveld by a wide band of forestry plantations stretching across the face of the escarpment.

Agritourism, which is set to become a major new contributor to the Mpumalanga tourism effort, offers visiting agriculturalists a diverse range of farming types to study appreciate.

Agriculture in Mpumalanga has been scientifically advanced to become a leader in the farming industry, both in South Africa and abroad. Numerous specialist agricultural institutions are located within the province where ongoing research provides an essential service to the industry.

A number of plant breeding stations are located within the sub-regions of specific farm types to support research and development of new and improved plant species.

The Lowveld Agricultural College is situated near the town of Nelspruit.

FORESTRY IN MPUMALANGA

The man made plantations of Mpumalanga extend in a wide belt from the southernmost point at Piet Retief northwards to the Blyde River Canyon. This is the largest afforested area in southern Africa, supplying pulp, saw logs and pit props to numerous conversion plants strategically located throughout the area. The SAPPI integrated pulp and paper plant at Ngodwana is the largest of it’s type in southern Africa.

The forests of Mpumalanga cover an area of 615 000 hectares of which 75 % is owned by private organizations and the remaining 25 % through public organizations. Forty one percent of the total afforested areas of South Africa are located in the province. The industry is a major contributor to the provincial economy through the employment of 28 000 forestry workers. Mpumalanga produces 39 % of the country’s timber.

Thirty five percent of new afforestation in South Africa is taking place in Mpumalanga. New silvercultural methods have been introduced in recent years to promote the better environmental use of mountain slopes and catchment areas. Threatened bird species, such as the Blue Swallow, are being conserved with greater urgency as interest groups combine their efforts for the benefit of all. Tourists are being encourage to visit and use the plantations for recreational enjoyment. Hiking trails are being developed at an unprecedented rate to fulfil a growing need for the outdoor experience. Mountain biking trails have also been marked out in many areas.

The main tree species used in the plantations are all imported. Pinus Patula – from northern Mexico. Pinus Elliottii – from the USA (also called Slash Pine). Eucalyptus grandis – from Australia.

The principal uses of Mpumalanga forest products can be divided as follows: Pulpwood – 70 %, Sawlogs – 19 %, Mining Timber – 5 %, Other (poles and matchwood) – 6 %.

MINING IN MPUMALANGA

Mining in Mpumalanga represents an important structural element in the financial success of the province. Coal mining is the largest single mining activity with uranium and granite lower on the scale. Coal mine production supplies the many power stations located across the highveld region which, in turn supply a high percentage of the electrical power to the rest of the South Africa. Huge volumes of coal are also exported from Mpumalanga through the bulk port terminus at Richard’s Bay on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast.

The coal mining operations employ conventional underground methods and also open cast strip methods where the relatively thin layer of quality coal is found near the surface. The latter method required the removal of soil to expose the coal seam, which is then mined using huge dragline cranes. When the coal seam has been exhausted, the topsoil is replaced over the mine and the area reverts to agricultural use.

The granite mines on the Mpumalanga highlands near Belfast yield excellent quality granite which is exported in bulk blocks for processing at destinations abroad. Marble has been mined for many years near Marble Hall. The Tubatsi Ferrochrome Complex situated in the Steelpoort Valley is a major supplier to regional mills. A silica mine operates near Delmas.

Alluvial gold discoveries in the 1870’s were mined for almost a century before the reefs were exhausted. Today, some small operations near Barberton are still operating while elsewhere only the history and the mining scars remain to remind us of this colourful period in Mpumalanga’s history.

One of the largest oil from coal plants in the world is located in Secunda on the western highlands of the province. This plant, which consumes up to 45 million tons of coal per annum produces a wide range of petrol and diesel products along with plastics and other coal related extracts.

The mining sector with the many peripheral processing industries is the largest employer in Mpumalanga.

INDUSTRIAL TOURISM

The growth of industry in Mpumalanga has been closely linked to the mining of the enormous coal resources of the eastern highveld region. This natural power reso<

Accommodation in and around South Africa