Matatiele Municipality is a Local Municipality, category B. It is within the Alfred Nzo District Municipality. Which is found between Kwa-Zulu Natal, Lesotho and the Eastern Cape. It adjoins Lesotho to the North, Elundini to the South-West, Greater Kokstad to the East, with Free State Province to the West. Matatiele, is a charming Town with a rich History. The Town invites you to explore its best-kept secret, the Matatiele Museum. This Museum is housed in a converted Dutch Reformed Church. This sandstone gem showcases an impressive collection, from vintage photos chronicling the Town of Matatiele, with the transformation verying from antique household items, to post boxes, and an array of fossils. Step inside and embark on a Historical journey, uncovering the past of Matatiele and its neighbouring Regions, as well as the cultures of the Xhosa, Sotho, San, and Zulu peoples.

This Provincial Heritage Site and National Monument, offer a captivating experience for History enthusiasts and the curious minded alike!

It is the largest of four Municipalities in the District, making up almost half of its geographical Area. The Matatiele Municipal Area is composed of commercial Farmlands, surrounding the Town of Matatiele, the Town of Cedarville and the Township of Maluti. The Municipality is predominantly rural in nature. Matatiele Town serves as the main economic hub for Matatiele Municipality and beyond. The Settlement pattern is characterised by dispersed rural Settlements surrounded by Subsistence Farmlands, in the former Transkei region. The R56 road is a major arterial and trade route running through the Municipality in an East-West direction, linking Matatiele with Kokstad to the East and Mount Fletcher to the West. It links the Municipality with KwaZulu-Natal and parts of the Eastern Cape which are located South, of Matatiele Municipality. The Western parts of the Area are mainly; Commercial Agricultural Farms. They form part of the high production potential land stretching from Matatiele and Kokstad in the South, through to the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands to the North-Western parts of KwaZulu-Natal. 

As this Area is located at the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains. It adjoins this World Heritage Site, along its Western boundary and was included in the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Project (MDTP). The latter was a collaborative initiative between South Africa and the Kingdom of Lesotho, to protect the exceptional biodiversity of the Drakensberg and Maloti Mountains. This is done through: Conservation of sustainable Resources and Land using Development planning. On the 6 December 2023, Matatiele Township changed its name to Willie Jones. 103 Geographical name changes have occurred in the Eastern Cape since 2019. 

PC, as Jones was affectionately known, was the right-hand man of Struggle icon and father of Black Consciousness Movement, Steve Bantu Biko. Jones was an unassuming freedom fighter who, at the height of apartheid repression in the late 1960's and throughout the 1970's, he was a prominent and a constant thorn in the side of the white minority regime.

Witwatersrand, ridge of gold-bearing rock mostly in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Its name means “Ridge of White Waters, in Afrikaans.” The highland, which forms the watershed between the Vaal and Limpopo rivers, is about 100 km long and 37 km wide; its average elevation is about 1,700 meters. Its rich gold deposits, occurring in conglomerate beds known as reefs, were discovered in 1886. A heavy in-migration of miners followed, and the city of Johannesburg grew near the centre of the Witwatersrand. The tailing dumps of the gold mines stretch the entire length of the ridge, and chains of lakes created by water pumped from the mines occupy adjoining valleys. Two major theories-the placer model and the hydrothermal model-attempt to account for the origin of gold in the Witwatersrand basin. The placer model holds that gold was eroded from a pre-existing source and transported into the basin with other sediments forming the conglomerate strata. The first recorded discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand was made by Jan Gerrit Bantjes in June 1884, on the farm Vogelstruisfontein, and was followed soon thereafter, in September, by the Struben brothers who uncovered the Confidence Reef on the farm 'Wilgespruit', near present-day Roodepoort. The Witwatersrand Gold Rush initiated South Africa’s domination of World gold production. Although legends of a South African: “El Dorado”, existed among the natives of the Area, it was not until 1886, when a poor Australian prospector named: 'George Harrison', staked the first claim, that the vast riches of the “Rand” were discovered. It took very little time for the local village of Ferreira’s Camp to transform into the Ferreira Township, as miners settled in the region hoping to strike gold. The Witwatersrand Basin still produces most of South Africa's gold and much of the total World output. These operations have weakened geological strata, disrupted natural drainage patterns and altered ecological habitat. The original semi-arid grasslands ecology is now converted to an urban forest, and sediment from mining waste has blocked natural waterways, unexpectedly creating wetlands with rich bird habitat. Massive mine dumps, many upwards of 30 meters tall, have become landmarks of Johannesburg — or "eGoli"-the place of gold, in Zulu. In the 1970's the gold mines moved from Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni to the rural areas of the Witwatersrand, and informal settlements began to occupy the vacant mining lands in the heart of the city.

The end of apartheid, in 1994, brought a large influx of rural residents — mostly blacks or foreign Africans — seeking opportunities in Johannesburg and joining family and friends in existing informal settlements along the mining belt. Currently 25 percent of the population in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni live in informal settlements, and approximately a quarter of them — 400,000 people — are in the mining belt. The settlements range from 100 to 40,000 people, with the largest communities in Ekurhuleni, where the mining companies have expended fewer resources to police the land.

Not surprisingly, the settlements face a large number of difficulties or problems, typically faced at the same time. Local zoning laws prevent them from receiving Municipal services such as water, electricity and sanitation. Having no secure right to the land, the settlers construct homes from scrap metal and found wood; and despite such resourcefulness, they’ve encountered degraded environmental conditions that seriously hampered efforts to improve living standards and achieve formal municipal status. "Here is some history of the Witwatersrand Gold Style Ore Deposits as they related to South Africa since the arrival of the Dutch and the southernmost tip of the continent in 1652. The Dutch set up a small fort where Cape Town stands today and started Market Gardens as a place that the Dutch East India Company ships to shelter and to restock with freshwater and provisions on the long journey between Holland and East Indies. The East Indies was a vital spice trading destination for the Dutch. As time went on the tiny community expanded and some of the Dutch were allowed to move into the surrounding area to set up new farms on the condition that they still sell their produce to the Dutch East India Company to supply the expanding ship traffic. This arrangement although it was very successful only lasted for a fairly short time before these farmers or Boers as they became known became frustrated by the restrictions set by the company and they started breaking free of the bond and moving inland in their wagons with the Bible in one hand and the rifle in the other. Towards the end of the 1700’s the global influence of the Dutch began to fade and the British moved to fill the vacuum that they left. By 1815 British sovereignty of the Cape was recognized by other European Nations. The influx of British settlers and the imposition of British law infuriated the Boers and they began moving east to escape the British influence although much of the area that they moved into was pretty inhospitable there were still a tough group and they thrived there.

In 1820 the British began their settlement of the Eastern Cape initially as a way of providing a buffer between the advancing Dutch settlers and the indigenous groups to the East. This idea failed but the British were there to stay and they rapidly expanded up the East Coast and then inland. Hindered by the British to the West and the East and by the ocean to the South the Boers climbed into their wagons again and they headed North East seeking new horizons where they can live their lives free of the hated British. They crossed the Vaal rivers and setup two new Boer Republics; The Orange Free state and the Vaal Boer Republic electing their own presidents.-(This is according to Andrew Jackson an Economic Geologist.)

The earliest Title Deeds could not be found, but it is believed the Farm 'Dwarsvlei', was established in the middle of the 19th Century. The first Homestead, has original reed ceilings and still stands today, next to the new Homestead. There is an old wagon track believed to be the earliest road from Graaff-Reinet passing through the Vlei where a rock, with names etched into the surface, marks the site of an outspan point.

Dwarsvlei Farm was bought by Henry Nourse, who was one of the few survivors of the very earliest pioneering days. He came of naval stock. His father was a naval officer and one of his uncles was at one-time commander of Simons Town, Naval Station. Henry Nourse was born on the 23rd April 1857 on the Farm 'Advice', in the Uitenhage. A District of the Eastern Cape. His father lived there after retiring from the navy. He is one of the World’s most noted horse breeders. Henry Nourse, was also a great sportsman, a fine soldier and a mining magnate. 'Nourse Mine' on the Witwatersrand still bares his name. He was chairman of the SA amateur athletic and cycling associate for 30 years, and chairman of the SA Olympic Games Council for more than 20 years.

Henry Nourse, was also a thoroughbred breeder. At one time he is reputed to have had the largest thoroughbred Stud, in South Africa, the Southern Hemisphere, and one of the largest in the World. With 700 horse spread over his three Farms: Dwarsvlei; Kalkfontein and Rietfontein', on the Orange River.' Rietfontein' now belongs to South African golf veteran, Gary Player. On: 'Dwarsvlei; alone there was stable for 200 brood mares. Henry Nourse also had merino sheep and jersey cattle studs and apparently purebred chickens. There was an extensive vegetable garden and fruit orchard from which he supplied Middelburg.

During the South African War Henry Nourse was closely associated with Colonel Ignatius Ferreria and involved in the second Sekukuni campaign. On the outbreak of the first South African war he was engaged in the defence of Pretoria. He raised a temporary irregular force, Nourse’s Horse, to which a Memorial plate was erected later in the crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral London. Being a military man, Henry Nourse built the main Homestead on Dwarsvlei as a venue to entertain his officer friends from Grootfontein where 7 000 British troops were stationed during the South African war, hence the grand proportions of the rooms and the sprung dance floor of the sitting room. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long used for this purpose, because the house was completed in 1910, the year of the Union of South Africa.

In 1944, on Henry Nours’s death, Dwarsvlei was bought by Nourbet Erleigh, also a mining man. Nourbet Erleigh along with several others became notoriously known for salting a gold mine, (To make a mine appear profitable by filling it with ore containing the desired material.) This resulted in him spending 5 years in prison. Alfred John van Lingen, bought Dwarsvlei Farm from Nourbet Erleigh, in 1963. He has farmed it ever since. As both Nourse and Erleigh lived in Johannesburg, with managers on Dwarsvlei, John van Lingen and his family were the first to live on the Homestead. Dwarsvlei was farmed for 50 years by John van Lingen. He ran race horses for Nourbet Erleigh for 15 years after purchasing the Farm and he also ran a very successful merino stud. John was an astute farmer always willing to consider new opportunities. These properties ( Dwarsvlei and Temple Farm) are now farmed by Andrew and Matthew van Lingen (son and grandson to John van Lingen). They use water for irrigation from the Orange River. Through careful farming, with timed controlled grazing, by the 3 van Lingen generations who have worked the Farm, the ecosystem has improved greatly.

In an exciting new development, Dwarsvlei has been transformed into a venue for cycling and running events, amongst others. 

!Khwa ttu Nature Reserve strives to restore dignity and cultural pride, navigating a practical path between the old ways and the new World. They are committed to the dynamic preservation of indigenous knowledge and the development of skills to equip San to thrive in a rapidly changing Southern Africa.

The Heritage of the San and its restitution, conservation and responsible tourism practice creates a powerful learning experience for young San from across Southern Africa. By sharing their example, expertise and information with visitors, and through forming partnerships, they leverage the impact locally and strengthen indigenous initiatives in remote communities across Southern Africa.

THE HISTORY OF THE SAN PEOPLE- "The San people are members of various Khoe, Tuu, or Kx'a-speaking indigenous hunter-gatherer culture. They are the first cultures of Southern Africa whose territories span Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe and Zambia. They have called these regions home for tens of thousand of Years. In 2019, Botswana was home to approximately 64 000 San people, making it the country with the highest population of San people- hence the strong relationship with the Botswana people!

San people were traditionally semi-nomadic people- moving seasonally within certain defined Areas, based on the availability of natural resources such as: "water; game-animals and edible plants." The tribes are well known for there remarkable connection and knowledge of their land and natural surroundings. They have astonishingly maintained this for Millions of Years in this Area. The sad reality is that their unique way of life will be destroyed if their Heritage is not preserved and passed on to the youth. Hence why !Khwa ttu was established. To serve as a workplace and learning centre which delivers individual designed job-training to 50-75 San people, a Year."

The San people are threatened with a disenfranchisement from their Culture, language and knowledge of their way of life. This is largely due to climate change and the developing World, leaving behind this delicate niche of people! (This generally goes for all of humankind)."

This San culture and education centre, was founded in 1999 and is located 70km from Cape Town. It's a non-profit company managed jointly by: the San and a Swiss-based 'Ubuntu Foundation' !Khwa ttu Nature Reserve story begins with: Irene Staehelin. In 1998, the Working Group for Indigenous Minorities in Southern Africa (WIMSA) decided that the San needed assistance in unlocking potentialTtourism opportunities and showcasing San culture to the World. They turned to Swiss anthropologist Irene Staehelin for this. She agreed to help! In 1999, she was guided by her own vision, and inspired by the Heritage Centre's in the USA and Canada, Irene bought an 850 hectare, Wheat farm, on the West Coast of South Africa for the !Khwa ttu project. Irene, later set up the Ubuntu Foundation in Switzerland, to help guide and support the project.

!Khwa ttu Nature Reserve, opened to the public in 2006. In the following Decade, Farm Buildings have been restored andthere is a steady development of its Tourism. This offered the San more development capabilities. Outside, the Area was carefully rehabilitated and wildlife reintroduced.

In September 2016 Ubuntu Foundation, committed a substantial portion of the funding needed to build !Khwa ttu’s San Heritage Centre. This paved the way to fulfilling the dreams of many, and launched the next exciting stage of !Khwa ttu’s development! 

Yzerfontein Lime Kilns where established and a the refreshment station at the Cape of Good Hope; by the VOC there was no cement available for building purposes. The Dutch built lime kilns to burn mussels to form a binding material to be used as cement.

There is also many Outdoor Activities: The Schaapeiland Hiking Trail (Link in Further Reading). The 'Schaapeiland Hiking Trail'; skirts the edge of the Village of Yzerfontein. Approximately two kilometres long, it starts from the Main Beach – or Sixteen Mile Beach as it is also known – and then runs in a Southerly direction.

What sets the Agulhas National Park apart is its rich diversity of flora and archaeological significance. The coastal plains of this Western Cape Nature Reserve in South Africa hold many secrets for nature lovers. You'll discover fascinating ecological habitats, Shipwrecks, National Monuments and signs of ancient Settlements, in this nature conservation area. The Agulhas National Park is the mainstay of the Agulhas Biodiversity Initiative, whose aim is to address the main threats to the globally significant: 'Lowland Fynbos Biodiversity Area of the Agulhas Plain'. This then improves the livelihoods of the region’s Local Communities.

Agulhas has a number of Wetlands, where endangered flora and fauna can be found such as: 'the Cape Plantana and the Micro Frog as well as a large number of Bird life.' The coastline is home to diverse marine and intertidal life. This intertidal zone is: an ecosystem found on marine shorelines, where a multitude of organisms living on the shore survive changes between high and low tides.  Here you could spot the rare African Black Oystercatcher, and in the second half of the year you can keep a lookout for Southern Right Whales on their seasonal migration.

You can also enjoy a variety of hikes, walks and trails, also bird watching and fishing in the park. There are plenty of pubs and restaurants, shops, banks, and other amenities to be found in surrounding Towns of: Agulhas, Struisbaai or Bredasdorp. You could also visit the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse and Museum in Agulhas. The Cape Agulhas Lighthouse Museum was opened in 1994 and is the only one of its kind that is found in Africa. The museum is a wonderful historical source of not only the lighthouse but also of the old fish traps that were used hundreds of years ago by the indigenous Khoisan people, these traps are made out of stone!

The Museum at Cape Agulhas Lighthouse, invites you to explore and discover all that it has to offer. If you’re feeling fit enough you can make your way up the 71 steps to the top of the lighthouse. ("The view is breath taking and well worth the trip!")

With its pristine Coastlines, where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet at the Southern-most tip of Africa. With its headquarters in Bredasdorp, the Overberg District Municipality is a category C Municipality governing the four local Municipalities of Cape Agulhas, Overstrand, Swellendam and Theewaterskloof.

The Municipal Area covers 12,241 km2 and currently has an estimated population of 300,285 people in 86,716 households. (This is according to a survey done in 2020. The link is in FURTHER READING.)

The Overberg is a Region in South Africa, to the East of Cape Town, is beyond the Hottentots-Holland Mountains. The name is derived from: 'Over the Berg', which means: "over the (Hottentots-Holland) Mountain". It lies along the Western Cape Province's South coast between the Cape Peninsula and the Region known as the Garden Route, in the East. The boundaries of the Overberg are the Hottentots-Holland Mountains in the West; the Riviersonderend Mountains in the North; the Atlantic and Indian Oceans in the South and the Breede River in the East.

The Overberg has always been considered as the breadbasket of the Cape and is largely given to grain farming, mainly wheat. The wheat fields are a major breeding ground for South Africa's National bird; the 'Blue Crane'. Another important food farmed in the Overberg is fruit. Grabouw, being the second largest supplier of fruit in South Africa. Nestled in the Overberg, one can find the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, (which is recognised and registered with UNESCO). Populated with a large diversity of flowering plants not found anywhere else in the; 'Fynbos Biome'.

Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve was the first South African Biosphere Reserve. This Biosphere Reserve was established to preserve the biological diversity, of a particular Region in the World. These Reserves protect the plants, animals, natives and overall environment of the Area. They also help in conserving the lifestyle of plants and animals, that are conserved in it. It covers 103,629 hectares, more than 80% of which consists of Mountainous landscape ranging from high Mountain Peaks and deep Valleys to gentle Hills and lower Mountain slopes. The remaining area comprises a gently rolling coastal plain and a marine area, which covers about 24,500 hectares. The coastline is mostly rocky with sandy Beaches and Estuaries. The main economic activities in the Area are: apple farming and commercial pine plantations.

Tourism, specifically Eco-Tourism, has the potential to become a major Economic activity, (with some 60,000 people visiting the Area during the holiday season!) The major Towns are Hermanus, Caledon, Bredasdorp, Grabouw and Swellendam and the Region includes Cape Agulhas, the Southern most point of Africa. The landscape is dominated by gently to moderate Hills enclosed by; Mountains and the Ocean.