Is This the New Home of SA’s Parliament? PICTURES
The Union Buildings might seem the obvious place to put Parliament if it were to move from Cape Town, but it appears the mayor of Pretoria/Tshwane has other ideas. He is talking about the old Boer War fort at Klapperkop. During this year’s state of the nation address by President Jacob Zuma it was suggested that […]
The Union Buildings might seem the obvious place to put Parliament if it were to move from Cape Town, but it appears the mayor of Pretoria/Tshwane has other ideas. He is talking about the old Boer War fort at Klapperkop.
During this year’s state of the nation address by President Jacob Zuma it was suggested that giving South Africa one capital city – either Cape Town or Pretoria, not both – would help reduce overheads for the government and the tax payer.
Pretoria/Tshwane has made a strong case for the capital to be there, a point raised again by mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa last month in his state of the city address.
According to the fort’s webpage, “In March 1896, a defence plan for Pretoria (Tshwane) was accepted by the Executive Council of the Republic of South Africa (ZAR). The failed Jameson Raid had raised serious concerns about the safety of the capital, so a defence strategy would be implemented to protect Pretoria (Tshwane) from foreign invaders, as well as disgruntled uitlanders (foreigners) on the Witwatersrand.
“Four main Pretoria (Tshwane) forts were erected by the government. … Fort Klapperkop was manned by a maximum of 30 troops, but by 1899, only 16 soldiers remained as the war drew men out into active service.
“The fort never saw active combat and it is now a Gauteng Provincial Heritage Site and a South African national monument. It affords splendid views of Jacaranda City both from Johann Rissik Drive and the garrison itself.”
The site is popular with runners, cyclists and motorbikers, or just about anyone looking for a good view of the city.
Here are a few angles of the fort’s surroundings taken from Facebook and Twitter.
