So here’s what you need to know about the town that inspired this blog, Piet Retief.
Piet Retief (a.k.a. eMkhondo) is a medium sized town nestled in the south-east corner of Mpumalanga, in the Assegaai Valley. Surrounded by mountains with forests of indigenous yellowwood and hardwoods, as well as flourishing plantations of pine, eucalyptus and wattle trees. It’s proudly part of the Mpumalanga Forestry Heartland, with key industries including forestry, agriculture, mining, and tourism.
“The area’s scenic beauty varies from dense forests to rivers and majestic mountains. An abundant water supply is available from the Heyshope dam which is the 4th largest dam in South Africa.” -(Mkhondo Chamber of Commerce – eMkhondo History)
Piet Retief is approximately 100 km away from neighbouring towns; Ermelo, Vryheid, and Pongola. It is the seat of the Mkhondo Local Municipality and is not too far from the Swaziland border. Nearby border posts include Mahamba (34km), Emahlatini (23km), and Bothashoop/Gege (20km). Due to its convenient location, Piet Retief is a popular stopping point for people travelling to Swaziland, Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal especially during holidays.
It’s populated by people from all walks of life, as seen in the below statistics (sourced from Wikipedia, so take it with a pinch of salt):
Population (2011)
• Total 57,428
• Density 870/km2 (2,300/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black African 88.2%
• Coloured 1.3%
• Indian/Asian 2.1%
• White 8.0%
• Other 0.4%
First languages (2011)
• Zulu 82.8%
• Afrikaans 7.8%
• English 5.0%
• Other 4.4%
This blog explores Piet Retief and other small towns in a new light, through rose-coloured glasses if you will. Taking a look at the lifestyles of small town folks and the community in general. Soon you’ll see the simple life isn’t half bad.
Attractions near Piet Retief
Things to do in and around Piet Retief (as per the Mkhondo Chamber of Commerce):
- Moderate to strenuous hiking trails are available in the area including the Assegai Hiking Trail, a popular trail through mountain scenery and the Phongolo Highlands Hiking Trail System, featuring hikes from one to five days or longer through near pristine countryside, including the Nchaga and Mpisi Routes. Other nature related recreation includes 4×4 Safari trails and game viewing, which can be done on horseback or specially adapted game viewing vehicles.
- Together with nearby Wakkerstroom, this is one of the most popular bird viewing areas in the country. The south-eastern area around Piet Retief offers much for the bird enthusiasts and features more than 360 species of birds.
- For the fishermen among us, the area has several dams and many rivers with Yellowtail and Natal yellow fin. Fly fishing facilities are also available. Heyshope dam offers a popular annual national Carp and Bass fishing competition.
- Magnificent local fauna and flora can be seen in the outlying district, including the endemic aloe species Aloe Hlangapies, found only in the Piet Retief area.
- The area features many commemorations to the senselessness of war, including the Zulu War Memorial, the Heinrich Filter and Nils Larsen Monument, and the monument and gravesites of the many British soldiers who died during the battle of Ntombe in 1879.
- Sandstone Bridge: (S26°46’12.6″ E29°55’23.1″) The Paul Kruger Bridge, built by the celebrated architect Sytze Wierde, can be seen on the line between Piet Retief and Ermelo. The bridge, built in 1897, is the longest arched sandstone bridge in the region and has been proclaimed a national monument. It’s about 127-142km from Piet Retief depending on which road you take.
- Goliaths Foot: (S26°18.043 E30°38.675) Goliath left his footprint here when drinking water from the Empuluzi river… This is about 100km from Piet Retief.
Cultural sites
- Koi-San rock art
- Dutch Reformed Church designed by renowned Architect, Gerhard Moerdijk
- Entombe Battlefield
- British Fort Clery
For a more information, visit the Mkhondo Chamber of Commerce.
History of Piet Retief
Khoi and San tribes were the first inhabitants of the land, their rock-art painting can be seen on the crags and cliffs of the Assegaai Valley. Some dating back as far as 8000 B.C.
Evidence also suggests that Swazi and Zulu occasionally occupied the lands for the past 500 to 800 years. But with the arrival of European settlers in the 19th century, the occupation of the land became more perplexing.
“These Europeans were made up of Dutch ‘Voortrekkers’ from the Cape Colony, who were attempting to escape the British, as well as Germans and Scots fleeing from the potato famine as well as religious persecution in their homelands in Europe.” -(Mkhondo Chamber of Commerce – eMkhondo History)
Piet Retief was officially founded around 1883 by the Voortrekkers, who named it in honour of the famous Voortrekker leader, Piet Retief (1780 – 1838). The town became a municipality in 1932. On 2 February 2010, the town was renamed to eMkhondo as approved by Lulu Xingwana (South Africa Arts and Culture minister). However, the town is still known, both nationally and locally, as Piet Retief.
“The valley was named after the Assegai river which runs through it, and it is formed by the mountains of Swaziland and a part of the Drakensberg escarpment that stretches between Ermelo and Wakkerstroom. The name of the Assegai river is actually a misnomer that was derived from the original Zulu name, Mkhondo. This refers to an animal spoor and signifies how the river runs along a meandering course like the spoor of an animal. White settlers, however, confused the word Mkhondo for Mkonto, which means spear. Therefore the name was wrongly translated to Assegai (or Spear) River.” -(Mkhondo Chamber of Commerce – eMkhondo History)
One of the main attractions is the Dutch Reformed Church located next to the main road going through the town. It was built in 1921 by Gerard Moerdijk – the architect responsible for the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria. As a result of its surroundings and diverse fauna, Piet Retief is also a great place for nature lovers and outdoors enthusiasts. There are many opportunities for hiking through beautiful scenery, horseback riding, birdwatching and fishing.
It’s a community-driven town worth exploring.
For a more detailed history, visit the Mkhondo Chamber of Commerce.
Bibliography
Small Town Charm 