The public holiday of 16 June is known as Youth Day, commemorating the death of 60 youths shot by police in 1976. But for the Afrikaners 16 June signifies the day the British forces started the genocide of the Boer nation. On 16 June 1900 Lord Robberts set the...
Almost all that is left of the thriving mill industry on the Bult during the latter part of the 19th century are mill streams, repurposed as storm water drainage and three street names, Molen Street, Meul Street and Hoffman Street. The first two are self-explanatory...
The interesting people that walked the streets of Potchefstroom never cease to amaze me. The exasperated first teacher of Potchefstroom, another historian and a once fancy hotel all lent their names to street names starting with a “K and “L”. Kamp Street (Central) was...
Many colourful characters are remembered in streets named after them. Under the G’s and H’s are a stable boy, one of the first owners of a car – nicknamed “Knight of the Road” and Potchefstroom’s first tree hugger. “Knight of the road” Gaisford Street (Potchindustria)...
From a prominent citizen who died in a plane crash in Greece to the first principal of Potchefstroom Gimnasium, Potchefstroom street names starting with a “C” tells the story of the many-faceted history of our city. Street name and building remembers businessman...
The first person to wear the mayor’s robe and the saviour of an ox-wagon has lent their names to street names starting with a “B”. The wealth of Potchefstroom’s history, being the oldest town north of the Vaal River, is reflected in its street names. Many streets are...
He lost an eye in a war, rubbed shoulders with many famous South Africans, including the two Boer generals Jan Smuts and Louis Botha, Cecil John Rhodes and Dr Leander Starr Jameson, leader of the Jameson Raid. He was Jack Borrius, eldest son of the pioneer printer of...
Potchefstroom lost its third heritage building in four months when the smithy at the President Pretorius Museum collapsed at 10:00 on Thursday 29 October. The building was approximately 175 years old. The building formed part of the President Pretorius Museum complex...
Iemand wat geweet het wat inperking beteken was Beyers Naudé, voormalige predikant van die NG Kerk, Potchefstroom (Moedergemeente) en uitgeworpene tydens die apartheidsjare. Oor sy inperktyd skryf hy later: Die sewe maerste jare van my lewe (het) die sewe verrykendste...
Vir 112 jaar is daar klokslag weekliks ’n Herald in Potchefstroom. Plakkate en vriendelike koerantverkopers was so deel van die Herald – én Potchefstroom – as die koerant se kenmerkende mashoof. En nou het dit verdwyn! Aan die begin van die inperkingstyd is daar...