AFRICA reprise- South Africa – 24th Sept 2018 – Day 11

After a great breakfast prepared by Pauline, Dave & I drove around his large block on the Magaliesberg ridge. It is a dry rocky area, with bare scrub bush, contrasting with the watered areas around the houses. The block has been divided into 3, for the two children Noel and Natalie. Apart for their houses, there are several other small houses, some occupied by friends. Dave and Pauline are great Christian examples. They also have three horses, a bull and cow.

We continued into Rustenburg. So many more roads, highways, and buildings so that I did not know where I was. The church building is a private house once again, on a smaller block as the road is wider, the original large lawn is now another block – quite unrecognisable. I treied several shots through the barred gate till a large black guy approached asking what I was up to.

The town was cleaner than I expected, but still not great. We drove up the hill slopes where the homes are more expensive and gardens lush. Much of the flat area is now Black-owned and in disrepair.

As I would expect, Pauline’s house is unique. A large double storey, steep roof, wide veranda’s surrounded by trees, shrubs, some native, terraced, with a long view to the west and north from the small lawn and pool platform projecting over the hill slope. The interior is eclectic; comfortable couches and a standard dining table in the large lounge entry room; a door into the kitchen, another to a hall and the stairs; and another door into the Christmas’ room. Every room is filled to capacity with furnishings, pictures, and interesting objects. A clutter to some, a nightmare to dust! But that’s Pauline! The top floor is timber (the exterior walls are brick). Each bedroom reflects Pauline’s restrained taste ie not as full. They are in the steep roof space with dormer windows. Mine looks out on the south uphill side where a motorcycle rusts away adjacent to a red UK telephone box. Dr Who? Pauline badgered the original owner till he sold.

We had a braai lunch; some neighbours came too. The birds were very active, especially my favourite yellow masked weaver. There was a large msasa tree at my bedroom window on Iddesleigh farm in Rhodesia (1950’s), invaded by these birds and their nests. Pauline is much taken with a large green pigeon that has nested 2m from the veranda. It has one nestling that is almost ready to fly.

This is the southern edge of the low veld, several hundred metres lower than Johannesburg to the south in the high veld. Both areas hosted large herds of animals till the gold rush to Johannesburg, and the later discovery of platinum and chromite in the low veld. I worked on a platinum mine from 1972 till emigration to Australia in 1981. Game farms have become popular, and large areas bought for game reserves The two best known in the western low veld are the lavish Sun City in the Pilansburg, and the private reserve at Thabazimbi maintained by a small iron ore mine. Kruger Park is in the eastern low veld.

We watched the sun set in a red ball, in line with their path out to the viewing platform. Having taken several shots using the tripod, I moved to the platform – and the camera and lens fell off. The 16-24 lens is broken – I will try to get a replacement in Cape Town but that means not having it for the next 10 days.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•