History
Volksrust Town History
Volksrust is situated on the border of the former Transvaal and Natal. The Orange Free State border is only a few kilometres away. The area is predominantly
undulating highveld grassland and wetlands, with the added attraction of the Drakensberg escarpment which provides an attractive variety of landscapes and
climate. Volksrust experiences mild summers and cold winters where light snowfalls are no strange sight.
This is the closest point from the Transvaal (Mpumalanga) to the Durban harbour, and was the ideal stopover for stage coaches and oxwagons on their way to the goldfields in bygone days. Today it is the southern gateway to Mpumalanga’s game parks and from the north it is the gateway to the Battlefields Route of Natal.
The beautiful and historical town of Volksrust forms the northern gateway to the Battlefields Route. Dorie de Jager, sister of Dirk Uys, who fell in battle on the 28 th of January 1881 at the Battle of Laingsnek, gave the town its name, dutch translation for the people rest, when battle weary Boer soldiers came to rest at the Rooibult during the signing of the peace treaty that followed the First War of Independence.
In 1889 the name Volksrust was officially accepted by President Paul Kruger. In that year there were approximately 150 whites inhabitants. In 1904, when the first census was undertaken, the population figures were given as 1342 white, 906 black, 135 asian and 32 coloured folk. The earliest inhabitants of this area were the bushmen and their paintings can still be found on rock formations on farms in the serounding area’s. The first ‘Voortrekkers’ settled in this area during the 1850’s. In 1876, Rowland Meek bought the farm Zandfontein and opened a store on a premises to be called LIanwarne. This gave way to the birth of Volksrust in March 1889.
In April 1891 the railway line reached Charlestown and in October 1894 was lengthened to Volksrust where the station building was completed by Lindsay and
Perle in December 1895. The connecting line to the reef was taken into use on 2 January 1896.
On 11 October 1899 the English rejected the Boer ultimatum and the Anglo Boer War started when the Boers invaded Natal. On 11 June 1900, General Buller’s forces broke through the Boer defences at Allemansnek and the Transvaal was open to them. The town of Volksrust was surrendered to the British on the 13 th June 1900.
Historical sites to visit near Volksrust
Market Square
Market square in Volksrust was renamed Voortrekker Square in 1938. At the north eastern corner several memorials are found, e.g. the 1881 War Memorial and the Wall of Remembrance for those who died in the British concentration camp. The Volksrust concentration camp was erected in 1901 at Grens Spruit.The camp was one of the biggest camps after those of Potchefstroom, Irene and Middelburg. A total of 772 people died in the camp, the majority of them children. Emily Hobhouse found at her visit that the camp was hopelessly overcrowded.
Convention Bridge
Situated just south of the town in Smit Street, this marks the spot where President Paul Kruger and Sir Henry Loch signed the Swaziland convention in 1894 in a railway coach, parked exactly in the middle of border bridge.
British Memorial
Situated on the north side of town – on the R23 left in De Jager Street. This leads to the memorial commemorating the British soldiers who lost their lives during the Anglo Boer War in this area. This memorial is laid out in the form of a cross.
Dirk Uys / Boer Cemetry
The separate cemetries for Dirk Uys and other Boers who died in the 1881 Battles of Laingsnek and Majuba are 2km north on the N11. Dirk Uys was the son of “ Swart / Black “ Dirk Uys who took part in the battle of Blood River.
Allemansnek
This is the site of the battle of 11 June 1900 which enabled General Buller to
enter the Transvaal, 18km west on the R543.
Rustfontein
The farm of the late Comdt-Gen Piet Joubert and the site of his grave. This
national historical site is 30km west of the town on the R543 to Vrede.
Roodedraai Museum
A museum housing a typical farm school of the 1990’s and other objects of the
period, a hideout for bird watching is also available, 35km west on the R543.
Amajuba (Mountain of the doves)
12km south of Volksrust on the N11 to Newcastle. This is the site of the decisive battle on 27 February 1881 when the British lost to the Boers. This national historical site now houses a museum, youth hostel and camping site. At the foothill of Amajuba there is an extremely interesting sight which has nothing to do with war.
A large number of Bushman paintings are to be found under an overhanging rock, about two kilometres from O’Neil’s Cottage. There are about 70 paintings. Many bushmen paintings can still be found on rock formations on farms in the surrounding area’s.
O’Neill’s Cottage
This national historical site is where the peace treaty was signed in 1881.
17km south on the N11 to Newcastle.
Schuinshoogte
The site of the second battle of the First War of Independence. Heavy losses
on the side of the British against Joubert led Boers.