Kopanang Route
The Kopanang Route comprises attractions in and around the four rural towns of Frankfort, Villiers, Cornelia and Tweeling in the Mafube Municipal area of the north-eastern Free State. Mafube, a Sotho name meaning 'where the sun rises', is only one and a half hour’s drive from Johannesburg (Gauteng Province, South Africa’s richest province) on the N3 route to Durban. Agriculture is one of the key income generators in the area, which is well known for the production of maize. Intensive livestock farming is also practised on a large scale; the area is the seventh-largest producer of red meat in South Africa.
Frankfort:
Frankfort was founded in 1873 and is today the capital of the Mafube Municipality. Only 150km from Johannesburg, it lies 1 563m above sea level on the banks of the Wilge River, just south of the Vaal Dam. Frankfort is a small yet picturesque rural town, whose scenic beauty changes with the seasons. During the summer, the willow trees lining the banks of the river are a youthful green while, in the winter, banks of white, pink, mauve and magenta cosmos flowers delight visitors and residents alike.
Because of its central location (midway between Johannesburg and several larger towns in both KwaZulu-Natal and the north-eastern Free State), Frankfort’s community boasts several vibrant manufacturers, some of which have received international recognition. A good example is the Clover SA factory producing quality dairy products for national and international markets.
A capable local population and the constantly flowing Wilge River are other drawcards: the first providing water-intensive industries with a willing work force and the other an abundant supply of water. Numerous small retail businesses exist side-by-side local branches of the major chains that meet the needs of consumers in the area.
In addition to its thriving business community, Frankfort has many tourist attractions, particularly for the sport lovers. There are tennis, bowls, squash, golf, badminton and swimming facilities; angling and other water sports are made possible by its proximity to the river. Annual events, such as the Elite Wilge Marathon in February and the Wilge Makiti in October, attract many visitors to the town. The Frankfort River Resort, hotel and several bed and breakfast facilities offer a wide variety of accommodation.
Cornelia:
This beautiful little town was proclaimed “Cornelia” in 1894 when it was named after the wife of the then President Reitz. It is rich in history and is situated on the alternative route to the N3. The respected writer PG du Plessis was born in Cornelia and the local Nederlandse Gereformeerde Kerk (church), built from sandstone, is one of the town’s better-known tourist attractions. Cornelia is also renowned for the 1955 discovery of fossils of pre-historic creatures, which are safeguarded in the National Museum in Bloemfontein.
The farming community around the town is the major supporter of Cornelia’s business sector. “Riemland”, a brand of cheese and other dairy products sold mainly in Gauteng, is one of the major employers. Its retail outlet in Cornelia is worth visiting.
There are many initiatives by the Cornelia community aimed at reducing unemployment and uplifting the community at large. The town also has numerous shebeens at which visitors are welcome.
The History of Cheese:
To give you an idea of how old the art of cheesemaking is, we looked into the history books and discovered that people knew about making cheese before they invented writing. A Greek historian named Xenophon, born in 349 BC, wrote about a goat’s cheese that had been known of for centuries in Peloponnesus.
It is, however, fun to speculate on how cheese might have been discovered. We like the often-told tale about a nomad who poured his noon ration of milk into a bottle made from a sheep's stomach and plodded across the desert all morning, only to find, at noon, that his liquid lunch had solidified!
It must have been a shock for the poor wanderer. He may not have been as brave as the man who ate the first raw oyster, but we imagine our hero eating a rather late lunch that day. Once he finally tasted it, however, he probably became the first travelling salesman, singing the praises of this new food at all his overnight stops. We guess that it didn't take long for his customers to recognise a good thing when they tasted it, and that cheesemaking mystique took hold.
As the centre of civilization moved westward to Rome, the art of cheesemaking was carried along. The Romans refined techniques, added herbs and spices, and discovered how to make smoked cheese.
When Julius Caesar sent his soldiers out to conquer Gaul, they packed rations of cheese for the long marches. Wherever they went and conquered and settled, the savage, northern tribesmen quickly learnt to copy their captors' delicious food.
And so the process of cheesemaking spread across the known world.
Tweeling:
Situated on the main route between Gauteng and Bethlehem via Villiers and Frankfort, Tweeling is worth visiting for its well-kept historic guesthouse and interesting shops. It is the centre of a large sheep, cattle and maize-growing district and is named after two small koppies (hills) on the nearby farm of Tweelingskop (twin heads).
The town was proclaimed in 1920 and today its new library plays an important role in the community and serves as a tourist information centre. The town boasts two schools and a hostel, which accommodates learners from grades 1-12. There are also taverns and shebeens, at which visitors can mix with the locals and get the African experience.
Villiers:
Situated on the banks of the Vaal River just off the busy N3 route overlooking the silos between Johannesburg and Durban, Villiers is 80km south of Heidelberg and 120km from Johannesburg. Recreational facilities include bowls, tennis and squash and biking has become very popular. Excellent angling opportunities along the Vaal River are one of the town’s biggest attractions.
One of Villiers’ enduring features is the Villiers Holiday Resort, offering rondawel, chalet and caravan accommodation; warm- and cold-water swimming pools; and a restaurant and bar. The well-known Toeriste Hotel (tourist hotel), also on the banks of the Vaal River, offers excellent accommodation. There are a number of taverns and shebeens where visitors can chat to and get to know the locals. Shebeen tours are becoming popular in South Africa, and this small town has a number of shebeens as well as a tour operator to take visitors on a tour.
There are a number of community projects in the area started by the community to earn income. Women are the main initiators of the projects, which include dress making, agricultural activities, candle making and a bakery project.
With its abundance of water and labour, Villiers is ideally suited to prospective industries. The proximity and easy access to road transport enhances the prospects of industrial development in a town so close to consumer markets.
This small town also won the Masakhane Award for being South Africa’s most progressive rural town (in terms of development projects to make a better living for all its citizens) in 2001.
Masakhane awards:
When, in 1995, President Mandela launched the Masakhane campaign, it was with the expressed purpose of contributing to reconstruction and development.
The main reasons for the introduction of the campaign were:
- To emphasise the birth of a democratic dispensation;
- To respond to the socio-economic challenges facing the country;
- To promote citizen participation; and
- To develop a new way of thinking and acting.
“Over the years the Masakhane values of civic responsibility, community participation and partnerships have influenced the way of doing business in the democratic dispensation. The Masakhane Annual Award was established to provide incentives to municipalities that implement their mission in accordance with the Masakhane paradigm. Many municipalities across the country took part in this programme. This is the beginning of the journey. The experiences we gather will constitute a benchmark for implementation of the developmental vision of local government. The best practices are not static; they are dynamic phenomena that change with time.” –MV Moosa, Minister for Provincial Affairs and Constitutuional Development
Nelson Mandela also visited Villiers during the struggle against apartheid. Here is his story:
Mandela’s connection with Villiers:
“When my banning order came to an end in September, I took on a case in the little town of Villiers in the Orange Free State. It was an opportunity to breathe in some good country air. In many ways, I was still a country boy at heart. I left Orlando at three in the morning, which has always been my favourite time to set out on a journey. I like to see the coming of dawn, when night turns to day. The drive to Villiers lifted my spirits, but not for long. When I entered the small courthouse, I found a group of policeman waiting for me. They were there to serve me with another banning order under the Suppression of Communism Act. The ban ordered me to resign from the ANC and not to attend any meetings or leave Johannesburg for two years. I had to return home immediately. Suddenly the fresh air did not feel so good. On the drive back to Johannesburg, the beautiful Free State countryside had lost its charm.” – Nelson Mandela
Nearby routes
Horizon Route
South-western Free State, South Africa: A route that explores vast open spaces, complemented by small towns or villages that pride themselves on surviving in rural remoteness.
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