Historical Buildings and Sites:

Klipkerk
This Dutch Reformed Church is one of the most beautifully preserved of the old buildings in Vereeniging. The sandstone building was designed by Gerhard Moerdyk and has been declared a National Monument. To build the church sandstone was used from the Kookfontein stone quarry near Vereeniging – and was transported by means of ox wagons belonging to the congregation. The stained glass windows, stone pulpit, and authentic organ make this church unique.
Tel: 016 422 2180

Country Club
This house, built for Roy Lewis, son of Sammy Marks’ partner, Isaac Lewis, is of particular architectural interest. The architect was Theo Shaerer of Johannesburg and in 1993 it was declared a National Monument. Enjoy a game of golf at the Vereeniging Country Club and pay a nineteenth hole visit to this splendid house.
Tel:  016 422 0036

City Square
For further information about the following, please contact the Vaal Teknorama Museum.
Tel: 016 450 3030/2

Peace Monument
Various symbolic elements tell the story of the suppression, fighting spirit and pride of a nation. The monument was erected in memory of the Anglo-Boer War. The words “wounded but not defeated” are an indication of the will of the Boer people, to rise again despite having to submit to British forces. A strong steel figure rises out of the defeated Boer soldier, which symbolizes the unity and self-determination of the Boer nation. The wreath at the foot of the monument pays tribute to the Boers who fell in battle. The crossed guns, empty bandoleer, and hat are a sign of peace and the end of a struggle. The monument, designed by Coert Steynberg, was unveiled on 10 October 1961, by the then Prime Minister, Dr HF Verwoerd.

White Stinkwood Tree and Rose Garden
In 1938 a white stinkwood tree was planted by Dick Fourie, Mayor of Vereeniging at the time, in commemoration of the Great Trek. During the Centennial Celebrations of Vereeniging, Karel Kleynhans (Mayor 1992) planted a second white stinkwood tree. Two rose beds were made in front of this tree. The “Peace of Vereeniging” rose, which was cultivated solely for the centennial celebrations, decorate these beds.

Cenotaph
The cenotaph was erected in 1927 and lists the names of the soldiers who fell during the First and Second World Wars and during the Border War.

George William Stow Memorial
Vereeniging owes its existence to the discovery of coal by George William Stow in 1878. Sammy Marks and Isaac Lewis established the “Zuid-Afrikaansche en Oranje Vrijstaatse Kolen en Mineralen Mijn Vereeniging.” This led to the proclamation of Vereeniging in 1892. George Stow distinguished himself as an anthropologist, geologist, and teacher and was even a self-taught medical man. Unfortunately he was not destined to benefit from his great discovery of coal as he died in 1882.

Street Lights
These lights were installed in Vereeniging around 1808. They were lit at sunset and extinguished at sunrise, as they were oil lamps.

Constitution Square
With the Signing of the New Constitution on 10 December 1996 in Sharpeville, Former-President Nelson Mandela formally opened the former “Market Square” to “Constitution Square.” A plaque was unveiled during this momentous occasion.

Vereeniging Cemetery
Graves of the victims of the Concentration Camps
The extremely harsh conditions existing in the two concentration camps in Vereeniging during the Anglo-Boer War resulted in the deaths of thousands of women and children. In 1992 the National Monuments Council commissioned the restoration of the graves of these victims and a granite slab, listing the victims was erected.

Leslie’s Gravestone
The gravestone of TN Leslie, one of the masterminds of Vereeniging, can be seen here. He was not only the Mayor of Vereeniging (1904) but also served on the Selborne School Board for the thirty years. This unique man, with the modest trade of stonemason, had such a wide field of interests that the University of the Witwatersrand honoured him with an Honorary Doctorate in 1913 for his palaeontological and archaeological discoveries. He was also an enthusiastic author and photographer.

Peace negotiations Site
Sammy Marks, a clever businessman and diplomat, offered a site for Boer and Brit could negotiate peace to end the Anglo-Boer War. From 15-30 May 1902 negotiations took place in the “Tent der Samekoms” (meeting tent). The Boer Republic eventually yielded to the struggle, and of the sixty representatives, fifty-four voted in favour of peace and six against. The peace agreement was signed by both Boer and Brit in Melrose House on 31 May 1902. Former President FW de Klerk unveiled a memorial plaque in 1992 to honour this historical event.

Maccauvlei
First Railway Bridge  
The first railway bridge connected the ZAR and Oranje Vrijstaatse Republiek for the first time. The ceremonial opening of the bridge was on 21 May 1892. President Reitz of the Free State and President Kruger of the ZAR met during the ceremony and later the first steam train from the ZAR steamed in at precisely 15:00.

Garden of Remembrance
Here can be seen cast-iron gravestones with the names of the Canadian soldiers who died in the Meyerton/Vereeniging area during the Anglo-Boer War.

Club and “Dormyhuis”
“Dormyhuis,” the architecture of which was greatly influenced by Sir Herbert Baker, was erected during the late twenties, and has since been used as a training centre by the Anglo American Group.

Top Location And Sharpeville:
Established before 1901 as an informal settlement.
Only proclaimed as a formal settlement for Black and Asian residents in 1914.
576 people resided in Toplocation by 1919 – taking into consideration that only 1 950 blacks resided in the Vereeniging region.
The local council of Vereeniging had complete control over Toplocation – however it seems as though strict control was not taken.
A location superintendent was appointed – Mr. H. Niblett, and an Advisory Board was established but no planning was provided over living space.
Therefore it was common that too many houses were built on two stands.
1941 – 16 000 people lived in Toplocation.
Residents were allowed to build onto their houses to allow lodgers to live on their properties. This resulted in overpopulation of the area and it was found that sometimes up to 45 people were living on one stand. Although the population increased, the available land that they were legally allowed to occupy did not.
Stands were 22.7x15m and streets in Toplocation were 9m’s wide. In other words the living areas were very small – which further aggravated the problem of overpopulation (especially if one has to take sanitation, availability of water, etc into account)
Vereeniging’s location regulations stipulated that only persons approved to be residents would get residential rights for the black locations. People who thus lived in Toplocation were required to carry permits that were issued by the superintendent. Anyone caught without his or her permit on him or her was guilty of a criminal offence.
Unmarried men and women could live in the town council’s hostels – but generally the superintendent refused to issue residential permits to unmarried women.
Plans to relocate residents to the area now known as Sharpeville was already on the cards in 1935. Sufficient area was available surrounding Toplocation to expand the location; and because it was centrally situated to the industries it was the perfect site for black residents. However the town council wanted to relocate residents further out of town due to the Group Areas Act.
It took about 20 years to move residents to Sharpeville – because of this no improvements were made to houses in Toplocation during this time, resulting in bad living conditions.
Blacks, Indians, Coloureds and Chinese lived in Toplocation.
The last ethnic group to leave Toplocation was the Indians – the last residents were moved to Roshnee in 1974.

Vanderbijlpark was established in the 1940’s due to the expansion of the Iron and Steel Industry and due to the vision and foresight of its founder, the late Dr. HJ van der Bijl.

In 1941 it became necessary to build a new Iron and Steel works for Iscor and it was decided to erect it on bare veld near the Vaal River, about 16km west of Vereeniging and 75km south of Johannesburg.
Because an iron and steel works employs a large number of people, it also attracts other industries, and so provision had to be made for the building of a town.

The Town Planning Department of Iscor undertook the layout of the first township, CW5, Layout No 1, and here Iscor Housing Utility Company erected the original 92 houses at Vanderbijlpark. Construction was commenced in 1942 and the last house was completed in 1944. On 26 November 1942 the first family, the Ebersohn family, moved into one of these houses and this family may therefore be regarded as the first residents of Vanderbjlpark.

Vanderbijlpark was granted full municipal status on 29 October 1952.

Evaton Township was established in 1905. The farm Wildebeestfontein was divided into
2 633 one acre plots for sale. The area set aside for blacks was sold out in the 1920’s. In 1938 a further 400 acres was sold to black people for 50 pounds per acre.

The Native Land-Commission visited the area in 1918 and recommended that the stands belonging to indigenous people and the surrounding area known as Small Farms should become a proprietary area. Evaton was the only place in the region where blacks could have property rights.

In 1952 the National Party Government decided to change the former plans for black residential areas in the region. The Mentz Commission was established by the Minister for Native Affairs, Mr. H. F. Verwoerd, to investigate the regional planning of the residential areas.

The Mentz Commission recommended that a macro area be established. This was to be a central residential area for all the black people of the region.

All the black people had to be moved to this new macro area. Evaton was the only residential area where black people had proprietary right. The people of Evaton could not be moved. It was therefore decided to build the infrastructure for the new area to the South of Evaton. The Mentz commission recommended the area between Iscor and Evaton, which was known as the N3 dominion. The area was later renamed Sebokeng.

The purpose of the new macro residential area was to remove all the black people from the white residential areas in Vaal and resettle them. Mr. H. F. Verwoed announced that Sharpeville could not be enlarged and that all the people of Sharpeville would finally end up in Sebokeng. Sebokeng was to be the township from which the labour force of the Vaal was to be drawn. The first houses in Sebokeng were built in 1965.

Vesco negotiated the establishment of a black township in NW2 in Vanderbijlpark with the Health Committee. The layout of the township was approved on 26 September 1945. Only in 1947 did the Health Committee decide to go ahead with the development of the township.

A temporary hut-scheme was erected on the land where the proposed township was to be. This provided accommodation for 2 000 to 2 000 black men. The Health Committee wanted all the trading rights in the township. The Department of Native Affairs was opposed by this and it was decided that the people of the township had trading rights. However, the Health Committee was permitted to erect a Beer Hall.

34 Experimental houses were built in the area by 1948. These houses consisted of 2 bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. They were all provided with water, electricity, and sewerage.

On 21 May 1948 the NW2 area was proclaimed as a township and it was called Bophelong.  

Heidelberg was established when Heinrich Ueckerman bought part of the farm Langlaagte for £7 10s and started a general dealer in 1861. The shop was situated where the main road between the then Port Natal (Durban) and Potchefstroom crossed the main road between the Cape and Pretoria. In 1865 he appointed TW Fannin as a surveyor for a town development, which he named his almamater in Germany.

During the First War of Independence, Heidelberg served as a Capital for the ZAR under the Truimvirate of Paul Kruger, PJ Joubert and MW Pretorious from 1880-1881.

In 1885 the Witwatersrand gold reef was discovered in the Heidelberg district and the office of the Mining Commissioner was established there.

Heidelberg developed as a typical rural Victorian town. Many buildings dating back to the period between 1890-1910 have been preserved.   

For further information please call Hannetjie Steenkamp at the Heidelberg Publicity Office.
Tel: 016-349-1261

Declared Monuments In Heidelberg

Hoër Volkskool
First Matriculant from Volkskool in 1906. In 1915 the school officially opened. The 8th September 1919 saw the laying of the cornerstone and in 1922, after sharing premises with Volkskool for 7 years, the new premises were occupied. The three old church hostels: Transvalia (1912), Concordia (1913) and Excelsior (1923) were unfortunately demolished after the TPA took over the administration from the church. The names were carried over to the new hostels which were erected in 1965 on the location of the previous Concordia and Excelsior hostels. The town council’s library complex is built on the grounds occupied by the old Transvalia hostel. Located on the c/o Louw and Jacobs Street.
Telephone: 016-341-3165

Volkskool (Primary) 
Started as a CNO school in the cellar of the Klipkerk in 1904 with 24 of the war orphans and some of the congregation children. Also known as “Laer Volkskool.” First principal was Mr. TAH Dőnges. Cornerstone was laid on 27th October 1906. Inaugurated on 11th January 1907. The building was erected by church members and the community. The hall is dedicated to the Burgers killed during the Second Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902. 90 Burgers were killed on the battlefield. 624 in the concentration camps and 153 at home or in the veld. The local high school and Teacher’s College started at this school. The buildings were later handed over to the Transvaal Provincial Administration, who made a number of changes and added new buildings.
Telephone: 016-341-6215

De Rust
Victorian manor built in 1906 by FJ Bezuidenhout. Original wallpaper is still on most of the rooms. The house is presently occupied by the grandchild, Lidia Minaar and her family.

60 Strydom Street (First Standard Bank)
In this little old house, the Standard Bank opened its first office in 1879 after it started doing business in Heidelberg as early as 1877. It was the first home of Magistrate Maré. At present it is owned privately.

HF Verwoerd Street (Heidelberg Club)
The Club was established in 1892 and the building built in 1897. Beautifully restored.
Telephone: 016-341-3910

OTHER SITES:
Heidelberg Motor Museum
Housed in the old NZASM station building of 1895 and adjoining goods sheds, the museum was established in 1975 by the Rembrandt Group as a service to the community. The collection of veteran cycles, motorcycles and cars, from the earliest boneshakers, penny-farthings and Model T Fords to examples of the latest technology, such as supine recumbent cycles and Formula 1 racing cars of the Scheckters.
A class 16C*** steam locomotive of 1919 together with the Liesbeek dining saloon and passenger coaches recreate the romance of a bygone era.
Open Tuesday-Friday 10:00-17:00, Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays 11:00-17:00 (only open Monday if a Public holiday)
Curator: Judy le Grange
Telephone: 016-341-6303
Fax: 016-349-6255

Diepkloof Farm Museum
A National Monument, the museum is situated in the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve on one of the oldest farms in Gauteng. Gabriel Marais built the white gabled house in 1850. There is also a restored son’s house with an herb garden, irrigation dam and archaeological sites in the restored farmyard within a typical dry stonewall.
Guided tours of traditional activities on request. Coffee shop. Conference facilities and secure parking.
Open daily from 09:00-15:00
Curator: Pieter Grobler
Tel: 011-904-3964

Native Concentration Camp and Graves
Only a few damaged graves are still visible on the grounds north of the White Nigel gold mining shaft. 

AG Visser House
The house was built in 1890 and is where well-known poet AG Visser lived while he practiced as a doctor from 1916 till his death in 1929. All his poems were written here.
The museum houses personal items as well as cultural and religious items previously exhibited in the Klipkerk’s basement museum. The house is restored and furnished from the 1920-1930 period. It also houses the Heidelberg Publicity Association’s office.
A bust of AG Visser stands in the garden. 
Hours: 09:00-17:00 Daily
Hannetjie Steenkamp
Tel: 016-349-1261

Klipkerk
The Dutch Reformed congregation was founded in 1865. The church building is widely known as the Klipkerk after its beautiful stone construction. The cornerstone was laid in 1890 and inaugurated on 13 March 1891.
Visits are by appointment or during services on Sundays at 09:00
Tel: 016-341-2483

St Ninians Anglican Church Complex
The complex consists of the St Ninians Anglican Church, which was built in 1895. The parsonage was completed in 1896 and the church hall in 1903. The church hall was used as a lecture room for the Heidelberg Teacher’s College between 1912 and 1914.
St Ninians was the main church that the British troops used while staying in Heidelberg during the Anglo-Boer War. The church boasts three beautiful stain glass windows.
Visits are by appointment or during church services.
Tel: 016-349-3250

Methodist Church
The Methodist congregation was established in 1875. The church building was erected in 1894/1895 and the parsonage in 1902. This has unfortunately been altered beyond recognition.
Tel: 016-341-2437                                 

Bakoond
During the Second War of Independence the Boers built the “bakoond” over the fountain to prevent the British forces from poisoning the water. In this way they safeguarded their water supply.
Located: c/o HF Verwoerd and Venter Streets

Truimvirate Monument and Town Hall
An obelisk with busts of the Truimvirate: Paul Kruger, P Joubert and MW Pretorius, who headed the ZAR Government with Heidelberg as capital from 1880-1883. The sculptor is Hennie Potgieter and Gerhard Moerdijk designed it.
It stands in front of the sandstone Town Hall, erected in 1939.

The Old Jail
The jail was built in 1888 and first served as a hospital and home for the underprivileged. The building has stood empty since 1963 when a new prison was built. At present it houses the MOTHS and Heidelberg Historical Association. 

In the mid 1900 the whole Transvaal was ill populated. The people in the now Meyerton area lived a balanced life on the farms that they received from the government.

In 1975 there were no less than 200 farmers and their families in the Klip River Ward of the Heidelberg District.

Gold was discovered in Eastern Transvaal at Barberton and later in the Johannesburg area. In the second half of the previous century gold was also discovers in parts of the so-called “Black Reef.” The Black Reef was so called because of the well-known exposure of Black Reef conglomerate and which was worked for gold from time to time with moderate success.

The Reef ran through the following farms: Klipriviersoog, Olifantsvlei, Misgund, Rietvlei and Palmietfontein. All the mentioned farms were on the banks of the Klip River.

Because the reef to the South of Johannesburg ran mainly next to the Klip River it was believed that the Klipvallei area had rich gold deposits.

Johannes Petrus Meyer (Jan) and the Pretorius family had visions of a town in the area. At this stage the area towards the South of Meyerton was already famous for the coal deposits. This would later be Vereeniging.

In 1891 a syndicate was formed with Jan Meyer as the Chairperson. The members of the syndicate were very excited and they were already talking of the proclamation of a town. Land was set aside for the development of the town. Huge profits wee expected from the sale of land. 

The ZAR approved the proclamation of the new town, Meyerton, on 6 June 1891.

Historical sites and places of interest in and around Meyerton:

Old Farm Stead:
The house was built in 1975. Mr. Willie van der Merwe was the owner. Originally it was used as a hospital. It was the only building in the area that was burnt during the Anglo Boer War of 1899 – 1902.

Old Railway Bridge:
The bridge was built in the days of the ZAR. The medium that was used is stone.

Water Reservoir:
It is situated at Dr. Verwoerd Laerskool. This used to provide water to the residents of Meyerton in the 1890 and the beginning of the 1900’s.

Witkop Blockhouse:
Various variations of the blockhouse were found. They were rectangular, octagonal, or round. The multi-storied blockhouse, like the one found near Meyerton, was built from stone and cement and was double- or triple- storied. The blockhouse had shooting holes made from steel structures. 

Symbolic Ox-wagon Trek:
Impressions of the ox-wagon wheel of the Andries Pretorius wagon and the foot of an ox was made in concrete at Laerskool Dr. Verwoerd in 1938.In 1980 it was moved to a more central place in the school and a statue of an ox head was added to the monument.

Republic Tree:
The tree is situated at Laerskool Republiek. It was planted on 30 May 1960 when South Africa became a republic. It was also the day that Laerskool Rothdene changed its name to Laerskool Republiek.

Verwoed Garden of Remembrance:
This is a fountain and a bust of Dr. H. F. Verwoerd in the Meyerton City Centre.

Japie Greyling Monument:
This monument was erected at Laerskool Japie Greyling and unveiled on 23 November 1966. It is in remembrance of the Anglo Boer War Child Hero, Japie Greyling.

Johan le Roux on- and off ramp:
23 Children died in a bus disaster. Johan le Roux saved some of his friends and he himself died in the tragedy. The on- and off ramp was renamed on 28 January 1980.

Hero’s Acre:
On 30 January 1980 the Meyerton Town Council decided on a Hero’s Acre at the Meyerton Cemetery. People who died in the service of the South African Defense Force, the South African Police Service and people who died while saving others lives could be buried here.

The Name:
According to Mr. Weilbach, an owner of the farm De Deur, the area got its name early in 1800. The name De Deur means “through,” because the Voortrekkers chased wild animals through the kloof between two kopjes. This made hunting very easy.

The Farm

The area was part of the Heidelberg District. Mr. L. J. Botha “discovered” the farm in 1960 as government ground. He wrote to the government requesting that the farm be registered on his name. Only on 17 September 1882 did Mr. Botha receive the letter stating that the farm was his property.

Mr. Botha sold the farm “De Deur” after only one year to Johan Daniël Weilbach and Johan Carel Preller. Mr. Preller sold his half of the farm to Mr. Weilbach on the same day. Mr. J. D. Weilbach was the owner of the farm until 1904.

The Town:
On 1 February 1904 the farm was sold to “The De Deur Estate Ltd.” The company was eager to sell the farm to the Government and on 11 February 1904 the farm was put up for sale. The Government was interested in obtaining land close to Johannesburg.
The farm “De Deur” was divided into a number of small farms and was auctioned on 25 February 1904.

Historical sites and places of interest in and around De Deur:

Housing:
According to Ms. M. Oosthuizen there are two houses in the area that was already there when she was in school in 1908. The first one being a house built with stone on the banks of the spruit. The second is a house built with corrugated iron on the outside and the inside walls are plastered with clay.

Businesses:
The earliest businesses were not in De Deur itself but on the farm Faraosfontein. It was a hostel for people and their animals if they were on their way to Johannesburg. Not far from this “Halfway House” the “South African Apple and Agricultural Cider Factory” had its origin. This was one of the biggest factories in the area. Some of the first businesses in De Deur were the General Dealer. He was also responsible for the post in the town.

The School:
The first school of the area was on the farm Faraosfontein. According to the knowledge of the town’s people, Mr. Veenemans was the first schoolteacher. 
Mr. Veenemans left the school and for some time the school had no teacher. In 1898
Mr. C. F. Hoogendijk from Oostburg, Netherlands accepted the teaching position at the school. In later years the school moved to better premises that was donated by Mr. Weilbach. According to the Education Museum the school existed since 1906.

Post Office:
The earliest post service in De Deur was the responsibility of the General Dealer. On 1 August 1912 the first telephone booth was installed in the town.