Castles of "South Africa" SCHOEMANSDAL vs VOORTREKKER FORT

Schoemansdal (Dutch: Schoeman's dale; at first Oude Dorp and Zoutpansbergdorp) was a settlement situated 16 km west of Louis Trichardt (Makhado), which had its origins during the Great Trek. It existed from 1848 to 1867, and functioned as the capital of an autonomous region until the S.A.R. Volksraad was established, when the outpost came under the supervision and regulations of the central government. The settlement was evacuated after only thirty years when attacked by Venda militants. The government rendered indecisive support and the town as torched by Katze-Katze on the night of 15 July 1867. After the S.A.R. reestablished control over the area in 1898, the former settlement was ignored and a new one started, at the present Louis Trichardt. Consequently Schoemansdal was the only Voortrekker settlement not to evolve into a modern town. The archaeological site with traces of the former settlement is currently state property and access is controlled. It is situated on the north bank of the Dorps River at 552 m.a.s.l., near present-day Hamantsha and Tshiozwi townships and the Schoemansdal railway siding. The earliest western visitors to the area after the renegade Coenraad de Buys, were the Voortrekker parties led by Hans van Rensburg and Louis Tregardt. They arrived separately at the Zoutpansberg in 1836, after parting ways over an earlier disagreement. Van Rensburg headed east towards Inhambane but his entire party was exterminated en route. Tregardt stayed at the Salt Pan from May to August 1836 and arrived at the site of future Schoemansdal on 3 November 1836. They stayed about two weeks, but resided in the general vicinity for more than a year. After reconnaissance missions into the current Zimbabwe and eastwards into current Mozambique in search of the Van Rensburg clan, they made Delagoa Bay their destination, away from British influence. They started on their epic journey in September 1837 and reached Delagoa Bay seven months later. The trek exacted a high toll; 27 of 53 persons perished from malaria, including Tregardt.

See statistics

Voortrekker Fort/Ohrigstad Fort was constructed before 1847 to act as a refuge for local Voortrekker families due to the constant attacks of local Bantu tribes. It is situated in the Ohrigstad area of northern Mpumalanga province which was first settled by Europeans under the leadership of Andries Hendrik Potgieter. The Voortrekker Fort was built circa. 1847 by early pioneering Voortrekkers in modern day Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. The main purpose of the fortifications were to protect themselves and their families against possible attacks by the local tribes in the general Ohrigstad vicinity. The fort is in the same grounds as the Andries Hendrik Potgieter Gedenksaal. The fort was built using a combination of dry stone walling and mud brick layering with loopholes supported by slate stone lintels, making rifle-fire easier. The site is mostly in ruins today, however it has received Provincial Heritage status, and a new roof has been placed over the site in order to protect the mud construction.

See statistics