August 14, 2021
On Monday 3 September 2018 the Swellendam Heritage Association had two heritage information boards erected in the town.
One of these information boards is erected on the site of old lemmetjiesdorp (Lemmetjies Town) which area is still referred to by this name. The inscription on the information board which is self explanatory reads as follows:
The area known as Lemmetjiesdorp was sold to one Dawid Lemmetjies in 1849. Upon Dawid Lemmetjies’ death in 1863 the plot of land passed on to his son, Arend Lemmetjies. Thirteen brown families lived on this land alongside the Glen stream. In the 1970’s the Group Areas Act forced the Lemmetjies family descendents off their land.
This panel has been erected by The Swellendam Heritage Association as a dedication to the Lemmetjies family.
Die gebied bekend as Lemmetjiesdorp is in 1849 aan ene Dawid Lemmetjies verkoop. Met Dawid Lemmetjies se dood in 1863 is die stuk grond aan sy seun, Arend Lemmetjies, oorgedra. Dertien bruin gesinne het op die grond langs die Glenstroom gewoon. In die 1970’s het die Groepsgebiedewet die nageslag van die Lemmetjies-familie van hulle grond gedwing.
Hierdie paneel is opgerig deur die Swellendam Erfenisvereniging as erkenning aan die Lemmetjies-familie.
Lemmetjiesdorp Sign Erected 03. 09. 2018
The second information board was erected at the old Anglican Cemetery and is again dedicated to members of the Lemmetjies family who were the stone masons who built the lovely old stone wall around the cemetery. Again the inscription is self explanatory and reads as follows:
THE ANGLICAN CEMETERY STONE WALL
This beautiful wall of dressed stone bonded with clay was built by one Arend Lemmetjies circa 1855 when the Anglican Church was built in Swellendam. Arend Lemmetjies was a sought after stone-mason in Swellendam in the 1800’s along with his builder father Dawid Lemmetjies.
This panel has been erected by The Swellendam Heritage Association as a dedication to the Lemmetjies family.
DIE ANGLIKAANSE BEGRAAFPLAAS-RINGMUUR
Die Anglikaanse Kerk is in 1855 in Swellendam gebou. Die Anglikaanse begraafplaas is ongeveer dieselfde tyd geopen. Die pragtige klipmuur, wat met klei gebind is, is deur ene Arend Lemmetjies gebou. Hy en sy vader, Dawid Lemmetjies, was in daardie tyd gesogte klipkappers en bouers in Swellendam.
Hierdie paneel is opgerig deur die Swellendam Erfenisvereniging as erkenning aan die Lemmetjies-familie.
More projects
Named, legend has it, because they ran out of cement and used sugar instead.
The Bufflesjags river bridge was built 1845 by the Royal Engineers. It is referred to as a Mitchell/ Montegu bridge. It was part of the”Groote Wagen Weg’ that carried the eastern highway until the 1950s.
It has long been considered a local landmark and is described by historians: Hans Fransen, Dr Mary Cooke & Edmund Burrows : as consisting of 10 red sandstone buttresses joined by teak struts brought up the river to Malgas from the wreck of the Robert.
The bridge was damaged by floods 11/11/1936 and has been the subject of proper restoration ever since. It was declared a National Monument 6 Feb. 1989 Number: 18541/9/2/092/0067 and has become a grade 2 heritage site. Various local municipal departments and heritage bodies applied for repair /restoration work in 1950s, 1980s, 2000s.
One of the piers sagged and concrete and cables were used to shore it up, but without real repair the wood has degraded further and with successive floods, notably 2009, most of the wood has gone completely.
In 2016 the Heritage Monitoring Project set out to define the Ten Most Endangered Heritage Sites in the country. Swellendam Heritage Association entered the Sugar Bridge and it was named second on the list. The heritage listing received a lot of media attention and Heritage Western Cape took up the cause placing the bridge as their profile photo on social media.
Members of Swellendam Heritage Association attended a BELCom meeting where restoration of the bridge was on the agenda 22/11/16 and the decision was to support the restoration.
The problem remains getting a Provincial department to take the responsibility.
Support includes; Swellendam Municipality, Swellendam Heritage Association, Swellendam Aesthetics committee, the Drostdy museum, Bufflesjags farmers, visiting architects & engineers.
Beside the bridge now is a drift for vehicles and there is a railway bridge close by.
The consensus of opinion is that the sugar bridge be restored as a pedestrian bridge for the use of local people who need to cross the river to and from work and who at present use the railway bridge for the purpose. Steel would seem to be a more economic material for the replacement.
Several visiting experts have offered their services towards the restoration, most recently Dennis Walters, a civil Engineer with experience working on Eastern Cape bridges, who has offered to prepare a proposal with costings at no charge. Fassler Kamstra + Holmes Architects have also worked on a restoration plan. Local farmers feel their workers need a safe method to cross the river and would look to make the bridge a tourist site.
Swellendam Heritage Association (Swellendam Trust) has made many applications over years for the restoration of this bridge and would bring their support, time & skills to this venture.
CAROL PODD
Swellendam Heritage Association
On Monday 3 September 2018 the Swellendam Heritage Association had two heritage information boards erected in the town.
One of these information boards is erected on the site of old lemmetjiesdorp (Lemmetjies Town) which area is still referred to by this name. The inscription on the information board which is self explanatory reads as follows:
The area known as Lemmetjiesdorp was sold to one Dawid Lemmetjies in 1849. Upon Dawid Lemmetjies’ death in 1863 the plot of land passed on to his son, Arend Lemmetjies. Thirteen brown families lived on this land alongside the Glen stream. In the 1970’s the Group Areas Act forced the Lemmetjies family descendents off their land.
This panel has been erected by The Swellendam Heritage Association as a dedication to the Lemmetjies family.
Die gebied bekend as Lemmetjiesdorp is in 1849 aan ene Dawid Lemmetjies verkoop. Met Dawid Lemmetjies se dood in 1863 is die stuk grond aan sy seun, Arend Lemmetjies, oorgedra. Dertien bruin gesinne het op die grond langs die Glenstroom gewoon. In die 1970’s het die Groepsgebiedewet die nageslag van die Lemmetjies-familie van hulle grond gedwing.
Hierdie paneel is opgerig deur die Swellendam Erfenisvereniging as erkenning aan die Lemmetjies-familie.
Lemmetjiesdorp Sign Erected 03. 09. 2018
The second information board was erected at the old Anglican Cemetery and is again dedicated to members of the Lemmetjies family who were the stone masons who built the lovely old stone wall around the cemetery. Again the inscription is self explanatory and reads as follows:
THE ANGLICAN CEMETERY STONE WALL
This beautiful wall of dressed stone bonded with clay was built by one Arend Lemmetjies circa 1855 when the Anglican Church was built in Swellendam. Arend Lemmetjies was a sought after stone-mason in Swellendam in the 1800’s along with his builder father Dawid Lemmetjies.
This panel has been erected by The Swellendam Heritage Association as a dedication to the Lemmetjies family.
DIE ANGLIKAANSE BEGRAAFPLAAS-RINGMUUR
Die Anglikaanse Kerk is in 1855 in Swellendam gebou. Die Anglikaanse begraafplaas is ongeveer dieselfde tyd geopen. Die pragtige klipmuur, wat met klei gebind is, is deur ene Arend Lemmetjies gebou. Hy en sy vader, Dawid Lemmetjies, was in daardie tyd gesogte klipkappers en bouers in Swellendam.
Hierdie paneel is opgerig deur die Swellendam Erfenisvereniging as erkenning aan die Lemmetjies-familie.
C/O Moolman Street 10
Swellendam,
Western Cape Province ,
6740.
TO: Mr Dana Du Plessis
CC: Mr Anton Groenewald
FROM: The Swellendam Heritage Association (SHA)
Dear Sir,
SWELLENDAM FAMILY CREST PROJECT
Our meeting of 22 August 2018 to discuss the potential Family Crest Project has reference.
As communicated at the above meeting, it is the intention of the Swellendam Heritage Association (SHA) to launch a community focussed and inclusive heritage project with support from the Municipal Management Team.
This project entails the design and installation of board mounted family crests on existing lamp posts along the western end of Voortrek Street in Swellendam.
The aim of the project is not only to enhance our town and draw visitors, but also to draw together the diverse families within the Swellendam community. Less privileged families will be sponsored and assisted with the design and erection of their family crests to ensure representation that is true to the intention of this initiative.
Approval for this initiative from the Municipality, as well as assistance with the erection of the Crests is requested. We plan to launch a pilot project consisting of three (3) installations following which an assessment will be made. Depending on the outcome of the assessment the intention is to proceed with the rollout of approximately 60 installations.
I trust that the above will meet with your approval.
Kind regards
PHILIP BROMLEY
Chairman – SHA
The committee of SHA took on the task of restoring the old "dipgat" on the corner where the Ashton Road meets the R60.
Under the guidance of Philip Bromley & Hennie Steyn, work is well under way.
There was a lot of preparation but the whitewash has now been applied and the results are looking really good - take a look as you Enter & Exit the town.
A new sign will be placed by the dipgat which will include a list of sponsors who have provided skills & materials .
The muicipality has been asked to make a car park so passing visitors can stop and look at this unusual artifact.