Flavour of the Month - March 2020: S58 Dzundwini Loop & Viewpoint

[Klipspringer]

This loop is a sand road from H1-7 west to H13-1 Punda Gate road (Dzundzwini spring access).

IMG-7950.JPG (165.3 KiB) Viewed 694 times

[Alf]

Need to go and check my map for this road

[Klipspringer]

Dzundwini Spring, the site of the temporary resting camp set up in 1919 by Captain Johannes Jacobus Coetser

Captain Johannes Jacobus Coetser was appointed as game ranger in 1919 for the far northern part of the Shingwedzi Reserve. Due to lack of roads, he had to have his belongings brought in by black carriers along the old trade route past Dzundwini, a large conspicuous hill on the plains southeast of Punda Maria next to the existing road to Shingwedzi. Dzundwini is a Tsonga word meaning “at the land belonging to the chief and cultivated by his people”. At Dzundwini spring he set up a temporary camp under a huge Sausage tree which is still visible today. As winter progressed, the water from the spring deteriorated and became brackish and could barely be used for drinking water. He had heard of a strong fountain in the region of Chief Shikokololo’s fertile place known to the Tsonga people as Dimbyeni ra Shikokololo (water or fountain of Shikokololo), roughly 18 km northwest of his camp. In the area on the foot of Dimbo Hill and close to the fountain, he set up his permanent camp. He had his family come along and named his camp Punda Maria. With his appointment in 1919, the illegal harvesting of Pod Mahogany (Afzelia quansensis) and Lebombo Ironwood (Androstachys johnsonii) in the Punda Maria area was brought under control.

[Alf]

Wow very interesting information

[Lisbeth]

Klippie

There you are, Alf! We learn something new every day.....almost

[Flutterby]

Interesting.

I added a map to your first post.

[Richprins]

Klippies!


Dzundwini is the highest point in the Far North, at 600m ASL, and dominates the landscape from horizon to horizon.

The 5.3 km road is slightly shorter then going via the tar road junction, but quite narrow and twisting. A 2km road leads to the top of the mountain and a lookout to the southwest, very steep and rugged indeed, and sometimes closed at certain lengths. Not really suitable for a sedan.



The S58 is between the two red dots.

Lookout is at the yellow dot.

[Alf]

I have never done this road

[Richprins]

A nice rest stop by Duke at the spring in 2015:


viewtopic.php?f=46&t=5308&start=10

[Alf]

Typical baboon again