Exploring Krugersdorp's historic post office
Before the internet, people relied on post offices, and in the fifth edition of Echoes of Krugersdorp, the focus is on uncovering the stories and letters from Krugersdorp's historic post office, or the Central General Post Office as it was known when it was completed in 1938.
Recently, the Krugersdorp News partnered up with the Krugersdorp Heritage Association (KHA) to revisit some of the past events and remarkable buildings that hold deep historical significance in our town.
Co-founder of the KHA, Jaco Mattheyse, explains that the post office on the corner of Ockerse and Kruger Street is a more recent addition to the town, at least in comparison to the buildings previously featured in this series.
ALSO READ: Echoes of Krugersdorp: Town Hall and its rich history
'Originally, this site formed part of a block of stands reserved by the ZAR government for official use. An exception was made for the corner of Commissioner and Kruger Street, which was allocated to Abner Cohen for his Monument Hotel, later known as the Majestic Hotel. Before the construction of the post office, the precise site served as the Pass Office under the ZAR administration,' he explained.
Jaco continued to say to maximise the potential of the plot, the architects opted for an L-shaped layout, with the southern wing that housed public spaces and circulation offices, while the western wing contained staff facilities and, above, a switch-room.
He added that the main entrance, originally from the private box and posting lobby facing Kruger Street, is of generous proportions. Sadly, this entrance is no longer in use, and the once grand main façade is now neglected.
'The principal public hall reserved at the time for Europeans measured 20 by six metres and had a secondary entrance on Ockerse Street, which serves today as the building's main access point.'
He said that adjacent to it was a smaller, nearly square room of 5.5m x 6m, designated for non-Europeans. This section was accessed through an atrium off Ockerse Street.
'Today, the two spaces have been combined into a single large hall. Both public halls were acoustically treated and originally paved with wooden blocks.
'The Kruger Street wing included rooms for the Postmaster, accounts and general offices, male and female staff rooms, a records room, a cable vault and duct, and a staff entrance and stairwell leading from the postal yard,' he said.
ALSO READ: Watch: World's most powerful rocket makes history with epic catch
Jaco said the first floor was entirely dedicated to the engineering section, lit from the west by double bull's-eye windows and from the east by glass bricks.
Architecturally, the building is clad in face brick, with white-painted concrete cornices and fins at window-head height. On the Kruger Street elevation, fins at sill level help square the building against the steeply sloping street.
'The main entrance is framed by four semi-circular-ended brick pylons. The two central pylons are topped with bronze effigies of a winged springbok, symbolising the building's communication function.
This entrance is recessed slightly from the main wall and further distinguished by glass brick panes on the first floor and a variegated brick frieze.
'The frieze depicts an ox-wagon, representing the Great Trek and the discovery of the Reef, with mine dumps, headgear, and buildings of Krugersdorp's past and present in the background,' he revealed.
Jaco continued that the building has served the Krugersdorp community for almost 90 years.
'It made national headlines on a rainy day in January 1992, when Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging members Petrus Jacobus Judeel and Andries Stefanus Kriel bombed the post office, scattering glass and debris across Ockerse Street.
These two men were also involved in the bombings of Hillview High School in July 1991 and Cosatu House in Pretoria in December 1991.
ALSO READ: Krugersdorp Bowling Club makes history
They were granted amnesty on 12 June 1998 for these acts, including the theft of explosives from the Rustenburg Platinum Mine in 1991.
'This outstanding example of 1930s Art Deco architecture has withstood the trials and tribulations of nearly a century and remains a symbol of Krugersdorp's past, present and future,' he concluded.
TEASER: Step back in time with the Krugersdorp Heritage Association as they explore the nearly century-old post office building.
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
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The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Exploring Krugersdorp's historic post office
Before the internet, people relied on post offices, and in the fifth edition of Echoes of Krugersdorp, the focus is on uncovering the stories and letters from Krugersdorp's historic post office, or the Central General Post Office as it was known when it was completed in 1938. Recently, the Krugersdorp News partnered up with the Krugersdorp Heritage Association (KHA) to revisit some of the past events and remarkable buildings that hold deep historical significance in our town. Co-founder of the KHA, Jaco Mattheyse, explains that the post office on the corner of Ockerse and Kruger Street is a more recent addition to the town, at least in comparison to the buildings previously featured in this series. ALSO READ: Echoes of Krugersdorp: Town Hall and its rich history 'Originally, this site formed part of a block of stands reserved by the ZAR government for official use. An exception was made for the corner of Commissioner and Kruger Street, which was allocated to Abner Cohen for his Monument Hotel, later known as the Majestic Hotel. Before the construction of the post office, the precise site served as the Pass Office under the ZAR administration,' he explained. Jaco continued to say to maximise the potential of the plot, the architects opted for an L-shaped layout, with the southern wing that housed public spaces and circulation offices, while the western wing contained staff facilities and, above, a switch-room. He added that the main entrance, originally from the private box and posting lobby facing Kruger Street, is of generous proportions. Sadly, this entrance is no longer in use, and the once grand main façade is now neglected. 'The principal public hall reserved at the time for Europeans measured 20 by six metres and had a secondary entrance on Ockerse Street, which serves today as the building's main access point.' He said that adjacent to it was a smaller, nearly square room of 5.5m x 6m, designated for non-Europeans. This section was accessed through an atrium off Ockerse Street. 'Today, the two spaces have been combined into a single large hall. Both public halls were acoustically treated and originally paved with wooden blocks. 'The Kruger Street wing included rooms for the Postmaster, accounts and general offices, male and female staff rooms, a records room, a cable vault and duct, and a staff entrance and stairwell leading from the postal yard,' he said. ALSO READ: Watch: World's most powerful rocket makes history with epic catch Jaco said the first floor was entirely dedicated to the engineering section, lit from the west by double bull's-eye windows and from the east by glass bricks. Architecturally, the building is clad in face brick, with white-painted concrete cornices and fins at window-head height. On the Kruger Street elevation, fins at sill level help square the building against the steeply sloping street. 'The main entrance is framed by four semi-circular-ended brick pylons. The two central pylons are topped with bronze effigies of a winged springbok, symbolising the building's communication function. This entrance is recessed slightly from the main wall and further distinguished by glass brick panes on the first floor and a variegated brick frieze. 'The frieze depicts an ox-wagon, representing the Great Trek and the discovery of the Reef, with mine dumps, headgear, and buildings of Krugersdorp's past and present in the background,' he revealed. Jaco continued that the building has served the Krugersdorp community for almost 90 years. 'It made national headlines on a rainy day in January 1992, when Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging members Petrus Jacobus Judeel and Andries Stefanus Kriel bombed the post office, scattering glass and debris across Ockerse Street. These two men were also involved in the bombings of Hillview High School in July 1991 and Cosatu House in Pretoria in December 1991. ALSO READ: Krugersdorp Bowling Club makes history They were granted amnesty on 12 June 1998 for these acts, including the theft of explosives from the Rustenburg Platinum Mine in 1991. 'This outstanding example of 1930s Art Deco architecture has withstood the trials and tribulations of nearly a century and remains a symbol of Krugersdorp's past, present and future,' he concluded. TEASER: Step back in time with the Krugersdorp Heritage Association as they explore the nearly century-old post office building. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
IOL News
17-05-2025
- IOL News
There's more to Kashmir - like shikaras, saffron, skiing and snow
THERE are no takers for hotels and houseboats in Kashmir despite discounts of up to 70% following the massacre of 26 non-Muslim tourists at Pahalgam resort on April 22 by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. India and Pakistan are on the brink of a wider conflict after India launched strikes on both Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, targeting terrorist camps. Residents in the divided Himalayan region, known for its snow-covered peaks, fast-running streams, picturesque lakes and majestic Mughal-era gardens, rely heavily on tourism, but their livelihood has become one of the first victims of the latest hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbours. A sharp decline in militancy and a ceasefire that largely held for four years sparked a tourism boom, sending more than three million travellers to the Indian side of Kashmir last year. After the Pahalgam pogrom, there is no telling when tourists will again feel safe to go to the most picturesque high-altitude meadows in the world, lush green grasslands, dense forests, lakes, apple orchards and snow-covered mountain slopes? My thoughts go back to December 1989. My wife and I had a choice of adding neighbouring Sri Lanka or Kashmir to our annual holiday in India. The Sri Lankan civil war, particularly in the Tamil stronghold town of Jaffna, involved intense fighting between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. I did not want to get caught up in a battle in Jaffna. My two sons were then still in single digit ages. Kashmir sounded a better bet, although the history of conflicts and tensions between Indian and Pakistan still hung heavily over a region that must have certainly been front of the queue when God was dishing out scenic beauty. My decision to include Kashmir on the itinerary of our India vacation was inspired by Hindi and Tamil movies. Before entering the world of journalism, I worked as a lowly-paid advertising salesman and called on all the cinema houses, which booked acres of space for movies. I got free tickets to movie premieres and was taken aback by the magnificent scenery of Kashmir on the silver screen. Cinema owner and my close friend Katy Vagar used to say if it's true that heaven is where love resides, then Kashmir has to be paradise on earth. Ironically, while Kashmir is also associated with so much of violence, terror, bloodshed and hatred, it is truly where love seems to bloom with an almost otherworldly grace amidst its snow-capped mountains, crystal-clear lakes, and meadows bursting with flowers that have been used as the backdrop for some of the most iconic tales of romance in Indian cinema. Kashmir is where the Hindi box-office hits such as Love Story with Rajendra Kumar, Kumar Gaurav and Vijayta Pandit, Aradhana with Sharmila Tagore and Rajesh Khanna, Bobby with Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia, Kabhi Kabhi, a timeless tale of love, poetry, and destiny, with Amitabh Bachchan and Raakhee Gulzar and Silsia with Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, were shot. The Tamil movies Roja and Kaatru Veliyidai, both by award-winning director Mani Ratnam, were also largely set in Kashmir. The Tamil movie Wagah featuring Karthi and Aditi Rao Hydari was also extensively filmed in Pahalgam. With Kashmir being a favoured canvas for filmmakers to paint stories of passion, longing, and unbridled love, my wife and I jetted out of Delhi to Srinagar, a city in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, on the morning of December 9, 1989. As soon as we landed at Srinagar International Airport, our dreams of a week of bliss in paradise on earth quickly ended. Srinagar was under curfew. Why didn't my trusted travel agent, and brother from another mother, Frank Goveas, of Trimurti Holidays, warn me of this anti-holiday state of affairs? I soon learnt the curfew had just been enforced the previous evening, on December 8, 1989, after Rubaiya Sayeed, the daughter of the then Indian Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, was kidnapped by Kashmiri separatist militants (or should I say terrorists, lest Indian TV news show hosts lambaste me?) as she was travelling in a bus from medical college in Srinagar. The kidnappers demanded the release of five jailed members of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front in exchange for her release. Inside the airport, heavily-armed security officials body searched us and went through our possessions with a fine-tooth comb. The batteries in my video camera were removed and discarded in case they were explosive devices. I can still clearly remember the stunned expression on the face of the khaki-coloured sari-clad woman who found my bottle of whiskey in my wife's bag. It was a look that said, 'decent women do not drink'. It was biting cold. Was I glad the nectar of the Gods was not confiscated. Now this wasn't a really warm welcome to Kashmir, a veritable Eden on earth and the apotheosis of tourism in India. Our tourist guide soon had us on our way to the edge of Dal Lake where we boarded a shikara, a gondola or taxi boat that is supposed to be enticing and an icon of romance as it is slowly rowed to the houseboats or around the lake. Any amorousness I had kept for Kashmir was dissipated by the sight of soldiers everywhere and the thought of spending a week under curfew, with only a bottle of almost-impounded Scotch to keep my spirits up. My depressed and despondent mood quickly changed to one of excitement, enthusiasm and eagerness when the shikara pulled up alongside our houseboat named Rose Garden, featuring two lounges, dining areas, and bedrooms with attached bathrooms, which would be our luxurious hotel for the next seven days. Exquisitely furnished houseboats on the vast Dal Lake boast of the tradition and culture of Kashmir and offer premium services. Away from the city noise, you enjoy the sound of rippling water with a backdrop of the mountain ranges. All the delicious meals on the houseboat are prepared by the owner and his family who live nearby. The interiors of the houseboats are decked with fine Kashmiri handicrafts. The intricately carved balconies and decks enhance the aesthetic appeal of these lavish floating houses. Looking across the lake, you see vendors selling local goods, like souvenirs, carpets, saffron, dry fruit, Kashmiri carpets and essential oils. You'll also find shikaras laden with the freshest roses, lilies, daisies, zinnia, and lotus blooms. Yes, I was tricked into buying some fake saffron, made of the hair found on the end of a maize cob, which is dyed red. My wife was more careful and bought a beautiful, genuine Pashmina shawl, which still looks new after 35 years. Known for its softness, warmth, and luxurious texture, a 100% Pashmina is made from the wool of the Changthangi goat, native to the Himalayan regions of Nepal and India. Silently watching the sun go down, nothing can be more peaceful and tranquil than this experience. Fortunately, it was a dusk to dawn curfew and we were allowed to go into Srinagar city and beyond during the day. One day we took a two-hour drive to Gulmarg, a hill station, a popular skiing destination within the Himalayas and which is India's answer to the sights of Switzerland. The cable cars were still being erected then, so we could not go up Apharwat Peak. However, my wife and I trekked as far as we could and took in breathtaking views from the height. Although it was summer season, it was cold because of the thick snow on the ground and the local tourist guide got us belly-warming kangris. It is like a personal heater; a mud pot filled with red-hot coal embers kept under a pheran, a loose-fitting shirt-like garment made of was a memorable destination for me. I wonder if the Rose Garden is still moored on Dal Lake. Sadly, the attack on the tourists at Pahalgam was also a direct attack on the livelihood of shikara and houseboat owners. The hostilities must end.
The Citizen
13-05-2025
- The Citizen
Jozi, my broken home
When a vagrant directs traffic, you know the city is gone. My morning commute from Melville to the Moneyweb office in Houghton Estate takes about ten minutes. The route winds through the leafy suburbs of Parkview, past the zoo and Saxonwold, before crossing Oxford Road into Houghton Estate. It's a short drive that always leaves me angry when I open the office door. There are eight notable potholes along the route. I say 'notable' because they're large enough to have their own GPS coordinates. There are also four traffic lights, only two of which worked on Friday. The other two were broken, one being off for nearly two months. An unemployed man has assumed the role of traffic officer and does more than a half-decent job regulating the traffic. There is no traffic officer in sight. We've had running water at home for a few weeks now — which, in Joburg terms, qualifies as a winning streak. My solar system has also held up well, shielding us from the increasingly frequent power cuts caused by ageing and overburdened infrastructure. ALSO READ: Morero's vision to make Johannesburg a world-class African city Yesterday, I rode my mountain bike along the Braamfontein Spruit. For those non-Joburgers, it is a 30km long green strip running through Johannesburg along the river, offering some of the best mountain biking in Gauteng. I stick to the mountain bike these days, as my wife forbids me from riding on the road. The pieces of remaining road between the potholes are cracked, and the non-enforcement of traffic laws has transformed taxi drivers into hell drivers without any regard for traffic laws. Cops tend to emerge only when it's time to extract the customary R20 'tollgate fee' from minibus drivers. But even the spruit is not spared. At Alberts Farm, the trail now crosses the remnants of a sewage spill from recent rains. Garbage lines both sides of the river, and the mess continues right through to the Emmarentia Botanical Gardens. This is the daily reality in Johannesburg – a city I care about deeply. I grew up in Stellenbosch, but Jozi has long been home. I love its people, the energy and the vast man-made forest that still gives the city a measure of charm and resilience. But that affection coexists with a growing sense of despair. ALSO READ: State of the City: Joburg thirsts for solutions as Morero takes the stage Johannesburg is failing. The rot isn't confined to the inner city – which I haven't visited in years – but stretches across suburb after suburb. Service delivery has all but collapsed, and the state is absent in every meaningful sense. And yet, it's the people who are keeping the city from going over the edge. Across Johannesburg, communities are stepping in where the state has long checked out. In Melville, where I live, a well-organised security initiative and an active homeowners' association are driving efforts to make the suburb safer, fighting the sale of drugs, pushing back against the flood of liquor licences, and even initiating plans to close off certain streets to improve safety. That application has been with the Johannesburg Metro for nearly two years, probably gathering dust in the same drawer as half the city's service plans. Hopefully, it will come through before someone gets hurt. There was a time when the city more or less worked. The basics were largely intact under ANC mayors Amos Masondo and Parks Tau and during Herman Mashaba's time with the DA. Mashaba stepped down in 2019. Since then, the city has been passed around like a hot potato – eight mayors in six years. It also speaks to the dysfunction of Gauteng's political landscape, where political parties – especially the ANC – are more focused on internal power games than the basics of service delivery. That much is obvious to anyone who lives here. ALSO READ: Joburg needs action, not a 'bomb squad' President Cyril Ramaphosa, to his credit, finally acknowledged the obvious in March when he called Johannesburg a 'dump' and warned that the G20 summit could become an embarrassment if nothing changes. He even launched a new presidential initiative to fix the city. But predictably, apart from appointing another 'committee,' he didn't do anything to hold the Joburg leadership to account. Not Panyaza Lesufi, premier, Dada Morero, the current mayor, or anyone else. And then came Morero's big announcement last week, which caused me to burst out laughing: a new 'bomb squad' to rescue Johannesburg. He likened it to the Springboks's famous bench. It's a flattering comparison, but badly misjudged. The Springboks's bomb squad replaces world-class forwards. In Johannesburg's case, we're not talking about tired legs – we're talking about a leadership team that's been missing in action for years. The bomb squad's leader is a 73-year-old former journalist and ANC Veterans' League president. Not an engineer or professional project manager: another ANC cadre. I'm looking forward to next year's local elections, not because I expect a sudden fix, but because the implosion of the ANC in the metros now seems inevitable. And that might just mirror the decline of this city – only one of the two has a chance of being reversed. Let's hope it's not too late. This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.
