This place we call home - picture thread.

Andrew

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Anything Southern African - one picture with a short caption at a time perhaps?
IMG_0649.JPG


Between Barberton and Piggs Peak (Swaziland)
 

Andrew

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20th March 2014 - all 10 sluices open at Hartbeespoort dam. Extensive flooding all the way down the Crocodile and Limpopo rivers.
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Chris B

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As a child I was in a farm school just down river from Hartbeespoort dam (Laerskool DeKroon). a Few times the school was evacuated because of danger that the dam wall may brake. The children then went home but as my mother was a teacher at the school we stayed :)
 

Andrew

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Chris, am I correct to think that 1999 was the first year that they had to open all 10 sluice gates? Your school would be in danger with 5 open let alone 10.

I was here in '96 when the dam was at 12% - which i believe was record low.
 

Chris B

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Andrew, I believe you are correct. I grew up not far from your home, that was 1962- 1980. When I travel the road down Silkaatsnek to Brits, I still see the huge Tipiana trees that was planted by my dad and me. I knew every tree so well, wish I could lay in on my back in it's shade once more...... On the gravel road past Ana-landbouhoewes there was a gravel hole, my dad and me played there with a 300GD bakkie, not he or me knew anything about offroad driving :)
 

Andrew

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Yes, your surname is still well known amongst us here, from the tipiana Briel homestead (Hartbeesfontein) and the one next door to Ana.

What was the statue / plaque under the trees?
 

Chris B

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Hartbeesfontein belonged to my grand father, Chrisjan Briel. This farm was later divided into 10 smaller pieces for all his 10 children to inherit. The children who build houses and staying there where Hendrik, Chris (my dad), Dolf and Danie. At the homestead east next to the tar road you get the Vredesboom (Karee tree) with a remembrance plate about the civil war between the Boers in 1864. My cousin still lives there.

https://showme.co.za/brits/tourism/die-vredesboom-of-wagboom-1864/

Our home was the next one more east about a kilometer in on the little farm road.
 

Andrew

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Interesting bit of history Chris. That link speaks of Silkaatsnek and the landmark "Wagboom". I looked for years to try and find the site of Mzilikazi's settlement - the reason for the name "Silkaats" - and only after a bad fire one year I found it not at Silkaatsnek where I was looking, but at the main Hartbees poort. It was extensive in size and very well located for its defence.

I will get a picture next time I am up there.
 
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