Burgersfort

Afrikaans name: Burgersfort

Burgersfort

Photo © Johan van Zyl

Limpopo

The town of Burgersdorp is located in the Spekboom River Valley which gives it a scenic setting. It is not far from the border between the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces.

During 1876 and 1877 the people of the "Transvaal Colony" fought a war against the Pedie people (also known as the Bapedi) who were ruled by Chief Sekhukhune. During this war the Transvaal people built a hexagonal fort on the site of what was to become Burgersfort. The fort was named after President Thomas Francois Burgers who was the 4th president of the South African Republic between 1872 and 1877. The fort was manned by volunteers from foreign countries.

Visitors to the area will find plenty to do. The surrounding hills offer good hikes and birders are frequent visitors to the area. The wild flowers are also a popular drawcard. The main attraction, however, is the various historical sites in the area.

The area around Burgersdorp is particularly rich in platinum.

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Above - Scenic beauty surrounding Burgersfort

Photo © Johan van Zyl

References and further reading

Southern Africa from the Highway - Author: AA RSA - Published: 1991 - Page: 39

On Route - Explore South Africa region by region - 3rd edition - Author: B.P.J. Erasmus - Published: 2014 - Page: 291

On Route - A region by region guide to South Africa - Author: B.P.J. Erasmus - Published: 1995 - Page: 187

For more info: Wikipedia

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