Echoes of Krugersdorp: Jan Lotz Sports Complex and its history

The Citizen

3 days ago

In the 10th edition of Echoes of Krugersdorp, produced in partnership with the Krugersdorp Heritage Association (KHA), we take a closer look at the origins of the Wanderers Club, which later evolved into the infamous Jan Lotz Sports Complex, situated at the bottom fields of Bob van Reenen Stadium.
Today, the complex stands abandoned, adjacent to the Krugersdorp Fire Station just off Paardekraal Drive and near President Square.
But do you know the history of it?
KHA co-founder Jaco Mattheyse explained that by the end of the South African (Anglo-Boer) War in 1902, large parts of Krugersdorp bore, with some imagination, a resemblance to Grahamstown – an archetypal British settler town – though the streets were still dusty, unpaved, and crowded with rough, unkempt miners.
'During the post-war reconstruction period, the town began to take on a distinctly British character. This was evident in its architecture – commercial buildings sported late-Victorian façades, and in the town layout, which followed a standard imperial grid with broad streets and evenly sized 50×50-foot 'English' stands. British influence was also present in the establishment of the Wanderers sports fields and the presence of Anglican and Methodist churches.'
He continued the town's social development was bolstered by the emergence of white, female-led social reform organisations, which helped to shape Krugersdorp into a relatively wholesome and sober community, particularly for children. As more families settled and raised children, the need for schools, parks, and playgrounds grew, transforming the built environment accordingly.
Refined forms of entertainment – like picnics and children's concerts – became common, as he explains that the establishment of a proper park became increasingly necessary. However, these outward signs of unity belied an underlying ideological tension, especially within the educational sphere, where British jingoists and Boer nationalists clashed over the cultural direction of their children's schooling.
'With the Transvaal now a British colony, Krugersdorp assumed an overtly jingoistic Imperial identity. This was reflected in architectural choices; new buildings were named Victoria or Jubilee, and patriotic holidays like Empire Day were celebrated with Union Jacks, bunting, evergreens strung across buildings, and even a giant gilded crown suspended over Market Street.
'Yet this ideological intensity gradually softened. As the town grew, though still relatively small, its population became more closely knit. Social interaction between Boers and British fostered new friendships and a budding sense of 'South Africanism,' a sentiment that also found expression in the built environment. This is where the birth of the Wanderers Sports Ground in 1906 was conceived, as a space to promote reconciliation through sport,' he added.
The sports grounds were ideally located – between Coronation Park (established to commemorate King Edward VII's 1902 coronation and laid out on the former site of the Krugersdorp concentration camp) and the Boer nationalist Paardekraal Monument. It was also adjacent to Church Square, the open ground near the Dutch Reformed Church used by visiting farmers as an outspan area during quarterly communion weekends. This space still exists today between the stadium and Kobie Krige Street.
• Also read: Through war and worship: A church's 135-year story
'The sports field provided neutral ground for the town's two white elite groups to interact. Middle-class residents, who dominated the town's sports clubs, also served as key figures in local governance and commerce. These clubs often brought together the middle and working classes. One such figure was HS Kingdon, a local merchant who served as secretary of the Krugersdorp Wanderers Club, as well as the local Association Football, Rugby, and Baseball clubs. He was also a member of the Krugersdorp Chamber of Commerce and later became a town councillor. Popular among the working class due to his involvement in sport, Kingdon once shared a stage with Mr Holmes at a public by-election meeting, where Holmes endorsed his candidacy. Kingdon was opposed by RF Thomas, a retired mine manager of the Windsor Gold Mine, who had served as deputy mayor from 1903–1904.'
The original pavilion was given an art deco facelift in the 1930s, along with matching entrance gates in the same style.
He said the Wanderers Club field, located near the small spring behind the current President Hyper Shopping Centre, was later named in honour of one of Krugersdorp's most accomplished rugby players – Jan Willem Lotz.
Jan Lotz was born in Krugersdorp on August 26, 1910 and attended Krugersdorp High School. Standing 1.83m tall and weighing around 92kg, he made his test debut as hooker for the Springboks on June 26, 1937, in Sydney, Australia, at the age of 26.
He went on to play eight test matches:
• June 26, 1937: Australia – win: 9–5 (Sydney Cricket Ground)
• July 17, 1937: Australia – win: 26–17 (Sydney Cricket Ground)
• August 14, 1937: New Zealand – lost: 7–13 (Athletic Park, Wellington)
• September 4, 1937: New Zealand – win: 13–6 (Lancaster Park, Christchurch)
• September 25, 1937: New Zealand – win: 17–6 (Eden Park, Auckland)
• August 6, 1938: Britain – win: 26–12 (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
• September 3, 1938: Britain – win: 19–3 (St George's Park, Port Elizabeth)
• September 10, 1938: Britain – Lost: 16–21 (Newlands, Cape Town)
Jaco concluded that Jan Lotz passed away on August 13, 1986, at the age of 75. Legendary Springbok coach Doc Danie Craven described him as a wonderful man, a clever player, and one of the game's greatest characters.