[Intro originally published 30 July 2015] Last week we visited the Modderfontein Historic Village to hear about plans that development firm Zendai has for the area but more specifically to hear what will happen to the historic buildings on site. We were told that it is too early to go into specific details but the buildings will be retained and used as a major selling point for whatever use is decided. One of the ideas mentioned in passing was that the buildings could form part of a new University. The Zendai website currently states that the buildings are being and will be used for business, cultural and recreational purposes (offices, galleries, museums etc.).
The public meeting took place at Frans Hoenig Haus, the spectacular residence built in 1896 for the first manager of the dynamite factory. The article below takes a deeper look at the 'House that Dynamite Built'. It was written by Ian Reid (well known reporter at the Rand Daily Mail) and appeared in the April 1973 edition of Bulletin, the early journal of the Simon van der Stel Foundation (today the Heritage Association of South Africa).
Entrance to Frans Hoenig Haus (The Heritage Portal)
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