United in the Arts 2008

In November 1949, 60 Mozambican miners died in a tragic accident on their way home to their families after a year’s work on the mines. The steam train, derailed at Waterval Boven, on the trecherous edge of the escarpment where the Mpumalanga Highlands drops dramatically to the Lowveld.

To this day, families of the men return to Waterval Boven from Mozambique to honour their dead and a memorial has been erected in the village graveyard.

When I look at the land that is now called Waterval Boven, vivid pictures come to mind, each depicting the landscape, the people who have passed through here and the character of this town.

The character of Waterval Boven is forever influenced by the legacy of the railways and the importance this development bestowed on the town.

Bald Headed Ibis fly at my eye level as I stand on the escarpment edge, they soar over the valley, an extreme, abrupt drop below us. Strong waters have flowed through the belly of this land for millions of years, cutting the path that makes the river gentle and the waterfall sometimes wild.

Waterval Boven has always been a railway town. The Nederlandsche Zuid Afrikaansche Spoorweg Maatschappij railway line reached Waterval Boven in 1894, opening up a direct line from Pretoria to the port of Lourenco Marques, known as the "Easternline" or "Oosterlijn".

Vintage rail safaris run through the lush semi tropical lowveld following the course of the Elands River or up through the Mpumalanga highlands into trout country covering some of the most scenic and adventurous steam locomotive routes in Africa.

In 2008, Charles King, a freelance writer from Waterval Boven, introduced what would become a formidable team. Anton J van Rensburg from Kreatif Publications in conjunction with Trina Matheson from The Emakhazeni Tourism Association decided to host the 1st Music Festival in honour of the men that passed away in 1949.

This spectacular event was well received by the schools in the Gauteng area as well as Eventáge, the department of Sport and Culture, SAHRA as well as the Emakhazeni Local Municipality and thanks to their generous sponsorships; this event will soon become an annual national festival.

Correspondence with KORISA - Norway has proven that South Africa is as popular as ever with tourists and they have shown interest in the 2009 event. Also, the Mozambican Embassy has shown their support by means of press coverage for 2008 and a pledge to become actively involved next year during the 60th anniversary of the accident.

This event that will take place on the 6 and 7 of December 2008 will assist the tourism in this majestic part of South Africa as well as support the local community and businesses. It will also act as a reminder that xenophobia in our country is total taboo and should be combated at all cost.

Activities over the weekend will include:

Uniting Ceremony, Eye witness accounts, tour guiding - township tour to the Monument & waterfall viewing site, Choir performances, dance & music groups in Nicholas Ndlovu Hall Waterval Boven, Massed Church Service Sunday.

Additional Tourist activities: Rock Climbing, abseiling, mountain biking, hiking, historical tours & info, fly fishing, horse riding, steam trains, visit the market stalls & choir & dance performances, lots of fun!!!!!

 

Market stalls can be booked at R50 per stall per day and bookings can be made by contacting the following contact persons.

Debbie: 083 253 7456
Sonja: 071 256 3726

 

For any information regarding the festival, accommodation or to become actively involved with the 2009 event, please feel free to contact:

Anton J van Rensburg: 072 192 8311
Trina Matheson: 082 892 1364

 

 

Newsflash

New camera tracking system at TRAC Toll Plazas will improve security  

Concession cardholders requested to update vehicle registration details

Trans African Concessions has installed a new camera tracking system, called VITAS, at two of their toll plazas. This system allows for improved security measures and better monitoring of toll transactions.

The camera tracking system automatically matches the toll card holder’s details with that of the vehicle passing through the toll plaza. A major benefit is that every vehicle’s movement and transaction history through toll plazas along the N4 Toll Route can be tracked and verified.
Through VITAS, any criminal and fraudulent activities are quickly identified and addressed. 
 
The new system is fully operational at the Middelburg and Nkomazi Toll Plazas, and will be installed at the Machado and Diamond Hill Toll Plazas on the N4 Toll Route in 2009.

Following the initial installation at the Middelburg Toll Plaza, TRAC has audited all toll card transactions and have found many customers who are not complying with the terms and conditions of the card concessions. More than 1000 card account/number plate mismatches per day have occurred at the Middelburg Toll Plaza during the audit phase. 

TRAC concession card holders are therefore requested to update their motor vehicle registration details at their local toll plaza by no later than 30 November 2008. Failure to do so will result in the cancellation and downgrading of these particular concession cards.

Trans African Concession is committed to provide a secure and trusted toll operation service to road users.

For more information contact your nearest TRAC N4 Toll Plaza

If you have not yet registered for the TRAC N4 news updates, do so on www.tracn4.co.za

Information supplied by:  Trans African Concessions