S1 - Ep 276 - Kakamas - The First Hydro-Electric Power Station in South Africa!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 พ.ค. 2024
- We knew Kakamas was located on the banks of the Orange River. What we didn’t know was that it had the first hydro-electric power station in South Africa and the transformer building was designed to look like an Egyptian Temple. The power station harnessed the power of the river to generate electricity, which was used to power the irrigation systems that enabled the farmers in the surrounding area to cultivate their crops. However, the construction of the irrigation canals in Kakamas was not without controversy. Qualified engineers criticised the farmers for their building methods. Despite this criticism, the canals that were built using these methods have remained in use to this day and continue to be used. One of the unique features of the Kakamas irrigation canals is the water wheels that are used to lift the water from the canals. These water wheels have become an iconic symbol of the town and are a popular tourist attraction for visitors to the area. #DustBugs #adventuretravel #southafrica #southafricavlog #travelongravel #northerncape #kakamas
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I can't remember if we stopped at Kakamas on our way back from Augrabies in the 1970s, but we did stop at Keimoes. Thanks for showing us this lovely town.
It's very possible that you stopped at Kakamas too, but probably not very likely since you stopped in Keimoes. I hope our video reminded you of good times you had at Augrabies! 🚙🌊
From the moment you got to Kakamas till you left I was amazed at everything we saw. The "Pienk Padstal" to the waterwheels and csnals. So neat and clean showing people cared even the graveyard, how refreshing. A big thumbs up for Kakamas 🎉
I agree with you! Kakamas has a lot to offer any visitor who decides to include it in their route. It was fantastic to see a well-maintained and clean graveyard for a change. 🏛️ Die Pienk Padstal is a super cool place and I'm glad we stopped there for a look-see! We appreciate you coming along! 🚙😁
Kakamas...my favourite peach ! Very tidy cemetary, people should plant some low maintanance vetplante just to have something growing.The Pienk Padstal looks such an interesting place to go browse. Oh wow! Those clouds as you drove into town! Yeah, those canals, ja, n boer maak n plan en dis gebou om te hou! The ruin of the sportsfields is so sad. I was never an athlete but when I was a teacher at DF Malan high school I so enjoyed our trip out to Coeztzenberg to hold our inter schools meeting. Once again...those clouds! Oh I can imagine those rugby matches at Kestell, everyone excited and chatting, players warming up, marching band, tannies selling pannekoek and hotdogs....ai, die vervloe dae tog! Oh the teapot cheers me up, so cute, thought it was a blue elephant at first.
Definitely one of the tidiest cemeteries we've ever seen! 🏛️😊 Die Pienk Padstal for sure has a lot of character, I can also imagine hanging out there for a good few hours! I'm not sure why that particular sportsfield took me back to Kestell, but they're all good memories, so I was happy to relive those times. I'm glad you could be transported back to Coetzenburg as well. Those sports meetings back then just had a very special vibe and good, healthy competition! 🚙🏉 By the way, Kakamas peaches are Sonia's favourite too, we just never knew them by that name! 🍑
@@DustBugsTravel my ouma always used to call them Kakamas perskes . So golden and ymmy!
Thank you for Kakamas. Quite a nice town and seems to be alive. Like your comment it is really clean. Footage well done and covered all i wanted to see. I appreciate every single trip you show us.
Like we appreciate every time you come along with us! 😁🚙 Kakamas is indeed alive and there was no shortage of activity on the Saturday we drove through town. There are a lot of interesting things to see and it was well worth the visit. We'll see you at the next stop! 😎
Good to see Kakamas as well, the town one of my grandmothers grew up in! Those big waterwheels are on a farm that used to belong to her late brother, Uncle Boy Lubbe. The last time I was there was Dec 1997 and it's unfortunate to see the current condition of the roads. During my last visit, there were no potholes!
Hi. You missed the underground water channels before you get to Lutzburg where you first stop at the cemetary. It was dugged by hand. Right from the cemetery. on a koppie, was also the graveyard of former German soldiers. I like your videos. Keep it up.
Like I've replied to a previous comment of yours before, we're not fussed at all by anything we miss in a town. We're just too grateful for the interesting things and places we do get to see! 🚙😁 Thank you for watching!
I like your channel
And we appreciate that very much, thank you! 🚙😁
Altijd heerlijk om na een lange werkdag als ‘beloning’ een nieuwe DustBugs episode te kijken! Gelukkig reden jullie niet met 250 km per uur door deze plaats heen 😅. Zoveel prachtige beelden, van ontroerende teksten op de oude grafstenen, meekijken in die roze winkel (wat een verleidingen!), de inventieve irrigatie ‘water wegen’, te veel om alles te benoemen. De naam van Martin Oosthuizen heb ik even gegoogled, mooi dat die school is vernoemd naar het oude schoolhoofd uit vervlogen jaren, dat is een echte lokale onderwijs held. Volgens de school sites er een kookpotdoop in graad 8, dat klinkt wel intrigerend … 🙄🍲. En veel dank voor telkens een reactie terug, wat een tijd zal dat steeds kosten! Soms voel ik me schuldig dat ik alweer reageer maar ja, jullie video’s zijn gewoon geweldig 🥇🏆
Even if I wanted to do 250km/h, our choice of vehicle wouldn't even come close! 😍🚙 I'm so glad to hear that you found many things in Kakamas of great interest, it was the same for us. Thank you for the info you provided about the former Principal whom the school was named after, we appreciate that you share the research you do with us to help fill in some of the blanks. As you know, we only do superficial research while we're in a town, so any additional info is always much appreciated! It's my pleasure to respond to each comment on our channel, we appreciate those who appreciate the joys of travelling and it's great to connect about interesting places we get to visit. Thank you so much for watching! 😎🇿🇦
Just beautiful....I'm putting it on the list. Love your show and all your efforts. Attention to detail always.....baie dankie 🎉😂❤
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed visiting Kakamas with us! There's certainly a whole lot to see and experience there! Your list is getting long, I hope you have a few trips planned already! 😁🚙
I have been following your channel for a while now and the one thing I have come to realise is that how little I know of my own country - there is so many fascinating and beautiful places to visit in South Africa. Thank you for the channel
Our pleasure, I'm so happy to hear you enjoy our videos and we're able to show you places which you may not have visited before. We're certainly pleasantly surprised at some of the things and places we come across on our travels which proves that this country is still an amazing place! 🚙🇿🇦
I'm so glad you're going through all these towns in the Northern Cape. I spent most of my life in Cape Town but spent some time in Upington in 8SAI and Lohatla. The Northern Cape is where I feel most at home. The last couple trips I took back to South Africa I went to the Northern Cape. To many of the towns you are currently touring and it's nice to "be there" again.
We're also very fond of the Northern Cape and this particular trip just reinforced that, especially because it was so surprising in how green and beautiful it was! We were always under the impression that the entire province is always bare and barren and it's so not the case! 🌳💚 I'm glad we can take you back to some of the places you know and that you can check them out again! 😁🚙 This trip was a month or so ago already and we think back often to all the different places we got to see and know.
The Kalahari Gateway hotel looks👌👌👌👌👌
Kakamas....still looks the same...thanx for showing us. Eagerly awaiting the next town... 🙂
It was our first time and we thought it was a rather interesting place! Clearly not the first time for you! 😁🚙
Kakamas is still a very active town by the looks much more than other old towns you visited looking semi ghostly. There must be some strong industry keeping it going. And that canal must be important if it is so well protected . A beautifull place.
We were there on a Saturday and the town was a hive of activity, so there was no shortage of people around! 🚙😁 The vineyards in the area gave us the very distinct impression that grapes are one of the main sources of economic activity in the town. Those canals are incredible, especially if you think they were dug by hand initially all those years ago and they're still in use today! 😳🍇
It is quite a busy town. There isn't much distance between it and Augrabies, and plantations all the way. Grapes and raisins are a huge asset, I think all the way to Upington. Then in the drier areas, sheep farming is big.
Love the music for this video. Also, like the name Kakamas - it's fun to pronounce. Sounds like a spur of the moment nickname I would've given my old cat! So, anyway, good video Sunday greetings from Chicago, cheers!
I'm glad you liked the tunes too! 😎🎶 Having lived in the US for a while, I know how some of our friends would pronounce Kakamas and it makes me smile! Keep it in mind for one day when you do perhaps have an old kitty-kat! 😍😻
That cemetery, so neat and serene🙏
Great little town.
I'm glad you enjoyed Kakamas! When you suggested in a previous comment that we visit the town, I wasn't keen on telling you that we did indeed include the town on our trip and hoped to surprise you with our video! 😁🚙
Hi you two! Thank you for introducing me to Kakamas, where I've never been before.
The Prettige, Propvol, Pienk Padstal (museum) is just what one needs to feel welcome. It would take me a couple of hours to say goodbye there, probably with an empty wallet.
I really love it when a community does not forget their history of hard work and ingenuity, illustrated by the water wheels, the canals and the power station; and in fact keeps building on it. With 6(!) schools they are obviously not trying to send their kids away.
The town is so neat, including the cemetery. Pity about the deserted sports field.
You really let me touch reality with your excellent video's and Sonia unpacking some history of the 'unknown' places you visit. Thank you again! I'm looking forward to the next trip.
Keep safe!
Sonia was in alliteration heaven at Die Pienk Padstal! 😆 I hear you loud and clear about the empty wallet situation. If Sonia had her way, we would've left there with a Kwidload full of pink quartz rocks! 😳 And if I weren't driving that day and had quite a way to our overnight stop, I may have just not left there so quickly either! 🍻🍻 I'm glad you also found the old power station, the water wheels and the canals interesting, I just thought they were all amazing. And we think we're clever today, those folks were really innovative with extremely limited means, but they made it work. And it still works today, that boggles my mind! 😍🍇 Thank you for letting us take you to Kakamas for your first visit! 🚙🇿🇦
This brings back many wondrous memories of my stay in Kakamas on a road trip to Cape Town about 8+ years ago. We spent a few nights at the Palm Hof Chalets which is just across the road from Die Pienk Padstal (amazing place to visit), and during our stay in Kakamas we did wine tasting at Die Mas van Kakamas, and visited the Augrabie Falls. Planning to do a revisit next year September
It certainly sounds like you had a fantastic time and I'm glad our videos reminded you of that special trip. I wish you happy travels when you do revisit next year, sounds like fun! 😁🚙
Loving the green Kalahari area👍👌
Awesome video...Thanks so much
Thank you so much, happy to hear that you enjoyed our video! 😁🚙
Hi there. Good to see my hometown again. Many great memories. Quick correction though. What you showed to be the canal is not correct. It is one of many "sloeps" that is used for draining purposes. The water wheels you showed are positioned in the canal. So the canal runs roughly parallel to the river and the road you were on, and the sloep runs at 90 degrees to that. How sad to see the state of the sports grounds. It used to have a decent green pitch and we used practice rugby there in primary school. Both schools still look great, as does the church. Thanks for the trip and sharing your observations, I liked it!
Thank you for watching our video of your old hometown and for the correction. 👌🏻 It makes complete sense that the water wheels would be in the canal, I so wish we could get closer. I'm glad you enjoyed our video! 😁🚙 That sports field sure has seen better days, but it did take me back to small-town living back in the day! 🏉
No sir, thanks to you. I enjoyed every moment immensely. Keep up the good work!
Hi guys another gem very neat old cemetery great to see over the Orange River. Loved crazy pink shop old bikes car front water feature old singer sowing machine hand cranked reminds me of my MUM she didn't like electric one it's also poinent as today's mother's day in the UK. High-school and hostel looks well maintained I noticed OK bazaars in the high street. What a place vineyards in town water wheels canals everywhere well done to DRF church for helping people out and I love story about the engineers .beautiful church. The tin fruit monument defines the area then more surprises old theater and an Egyptian temple to tins love it so eccentric. The convent was interesting. When I was in primary school one of the nuns who taught us had been in South Africa. The monument and the sports fields were sad .but the town was outstanding for interesting things. The bit about speed tests reminds me of the autobahn in Germany they had no speed limit crazy. Thanks for a interesting video cheerio till the next one
I'm so happy to hear that you also found all the things we got to see in Kakamas interesting. It was certainly a wide variety of things that kept us engaged all the way through and we loved that. Our time in the town flew by and we weren't bored for a single moment! I also found the convent rather intriguing since they appear to be completely self-contained and self-sustainable, yet in the centre of a town. The power station was one of the highlights for me, I thought the story about the design was so cool! 🏛️💡 That little bit about the stretch of road where they test cars up to 250km/h was cool too, not that I'd ever see those speeds again in my lifetime! 🏎️😎
Not many people know about the "speed" section on that road to Pofadder where one can speed up to 250kph. This "special permission " was put in place for the European and other car manufacturers. They apply for this and bring their cars to test it on that road at that top speed in the summertime. I've visited Upington and Kakamas numerous times between 1990 and 2000 and seen new cars covered so people could not identify it. There accommodation was primarily at Die Eiland in Upington and the Kalahari Gateway Hotel in Kakamas.
Very interesting all that info, thank you! We've only visited this area twice now and have never seen a wrapped or covered vehicle, but it sounds very intriguing! 🏎️😎 We did chat to a few people later that same day about these test drivers and they also got to meet some of them. Super cool stuff! 😁🚙
I grew up in Augrabies and went to HMO Kakamas my dad still lives in Augrabies
So you must know the area extremely well then! Thank you for watching our video of Kakamas! 🚙😁
Pretty church! Was looking for one and there it was, stunning👌
Aha, Sonia are you the mas from Kakamas?. Also is the grave of Comdt Albertus Stadler, a Boer War veteran. He participating in the 1914/5 rebellion and died of his wounds against the Union Force of Genl's Botha and Smuts. He was a strong and brave man, he once was attacked by a leopard and drowned the animal in the river. I love Kakamas
We loved Kakamas too! It's a busy, bustling place with lots of interesting things to see! I'm not sure how Sonia would feel to be the Mas of Kakamas, she's not too fond of the alcoholic version of grapes! 😁🍇 Such a cool name though!
Oh….. the church👌👌👌
Lekker town. Some good and not so good memories there. My ex came from there. Her son in law runs the coffee shop / restaurant at the Pink padstal. Though I do not think very hands on anymore as he opened a second restaurant in the area, but sure where. That Rykheer grave, I know people with that surname there. Going by their age, it could be there parents or grandparents even. All friends of my ex of course.
I remember you told me to have ribs at Die Pienk Padstal, but we just had too long a way to our overnight accommodation, so just quickly stopped to have a look at the place. I'm glad we did, it's very quirky and cool! Interesting that you recognise that one surname on a grave and quite an unusual one too. 🏛️ Kakamas is a busy place, I wasn't expecting that on a Saturday afternoon. Glad you came along to Kakamas again, although not altogether a place with happy memories for you. 🚙😏
Travelling the country while at home. Thank you. Any plans for Kenhardt, Verneukpan & Brandvlei ??
Thank you for joining us from your armchair! 😁🚙 Kakamas was very close to the end of our Northern Cape trip. We certainly plan to revisit the province again, not sure exactly when and what our route will look like though! 🇿🇦😍
@@DustBugsTravel I have a lot of Catch-up to do on your channel. Kind regards from Somerset West.
Another fantastic video of a beautiful town. I remember my parents talki about the Kakamas Cling peach. Do you by any chance know if it's connected to the Janse-van Rensbergs monument?
Glad to hear you enjoyed Kakamas with us! 😁🚙 I have a fair idea that that monument about the peach we saw in town is incomplete because we couldn't make out what it was and we couldn't find anything online either about it or the Janse van Rensburgs. To be honest, we didn't even know that the cling peach, Sonia's favourite peach, is known as the Kakamas peach, so we've learnt something new! 🍊👌🏻 I would imagine that monument and the folks mentioned on it, must have some connection to the Kakamas peach, but I'm not sure what that would be. 🤷🏼♂️
Thanks for very entertaining content. I have a question though: "When will you finish that plate of food?"
Thank you, I'm glad to hear you enjoy our videos. 😁🚙 I'm not with you as far as your question about the plate of food goes though, so will need more info to answer, unless I'm not catching a joke. 🤷🏼♂️
Kakamas is the centre for motor vehicle testing, attracting VW and BMW from Germany. They normally in the area in February during the extreme heat. Check out the signboards on the Pofadder Road warning motorists of the high speed testing on the main road. They allowed with a permit to travel at a speed up to 250km/h. BMW has a base on a private farm and also at the Augrabies National Park camp site. BMW invested money into the Augrabies main camp facilities which helps the national park.
VW has an extensive private test track between Kakamas and Pofadder.
Riemvasmaak is worth a visit!
Thanks for all the info! 🚙😁 Check out Episode 317 for our visit to Riemvasmaak.
Van Der Merwe was the mayor of Lichtenburg. He always had a hard time with the mayor of Kakamas.
One day van and this guy were in an argument, when van said, "In Lichtenburg l am known as 'Die Lig van Lichtenburg '.What do they call you?"
🤣 Thank you for that good chuckle! 💡💩
A famous peach came from there, it's a yellow delicious caning peach
Pelgrims Rest. They soon realised that electricity was needed to handle the workload of crushing the ever-increasing gold ore and a plan was put in place to construct a hydro plant in the Blyde River Canyon. Power was turned on in 1911.
Thank you for the interesting info. 👌
Not sure you are correct with Kakakmas being the first electric hydro scheme in South Africa.
"Pilgrim's Rest was the second town in South Africa to be lit by electricity. In 1911, Belvedere hydro-electric Power Station was built in the Blyde River Canyon near the current Bourke's Luck. This power station was the largest hydro-electric scheme in the southern hemisphere.
First Town to have power in South Africa was Kimberly."
It does look like an Egyptian temple - Thebes! Heathen power generation,hmm..... Interesting.
Heathen didn't come to my mind. I actually thought it quite quirky and innovative. 🤷🏼♂️🏛️
Tongue in cheek - not serious at all! We have a building here in Chicago, an old storage building that is designed like this one but with standing pharaohs on either side of the entrance. I like "heathen" architecture! Better work on my messaging delivery. Cheers again!
That boat indicates the level of the flood that were in 1986 or 1985 somewhere around that time the big flood
You missed the graves of three World War One German Soldiers who was killed by SA troops. And the status of the blue lady.Also the tunnels that was dug by hamer and chissel in Kakamas.
Thank you for taking the time and effort to list all the things we missed in your opinion. You may be new to our channel and not know that the two of us are not in the least bit fussed about anything we miss in a particular town or place. Instead, we're grateful for everything that we did get to see. 😁🚙 It is not our intention to cover every single place of interest in a particular town since it's simply impossible to do so.
ja daai graf lyk soos n familie wat ek nie kan plaas nie....
Hopefully it still comes to you and you can share with us. 🏛️
If I knew you guys were in the aria I koud have listhen ifbi could have shows you guys Arie se put a true secret gem in the kalahari
We'll have to remember that for a next time we're in the area! 😁🚙 It certainly sounds intriguing!
It's a beautiful place in the back on the farm I work for had 3 bedrooms a beautiful living aria and at sunset most of the animals comes to the waterhole right next to the lapa