South Africa is a country rich in heritage. We have incredible paleoanthropological and archaeological sites, wonderful geoheritage, and a spectrum of historical spaces and places that reveal the multi-layered stories of our past. Some of this heritage we take for granted such as the historical buildings in our towns and cities that we pass every day. Many are in a poor state but some have found new uses that have helped them to thrive into the 21st century. But what about sites and buildings in remote areas that aren't protected or have yet to find new uses?
I have been studying the blockhouses of the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) since 2009 when an article in The Getaway Magazine sparked an interest which lit a passionate fire to discover more about these structures. Since then, I have documented and visited the vast majority of the survivors and written a couple of books in the process. It has been quite an adventure and one which started, right on my doorstep. The closest surviving blockhouse to my house is the one at Witkop, 30km south of Johannesburg near Walkerville on the R59 next to the Engen Garage. A trip to this blockhouse for a wreath laying on the anniversary of the signing of the Vereeniging Peace Treaty on 31 May, has prompted me to write about the sad decline of these unique heritage sites.
Old photo of the Witkop Blockhouse (DRISA)...
