Page 23 - IFV_Issue 5_May_2022

Book Review

hands clasping black and white hands,
shields, spears, sheep, goats, Karoo
windmills and other items reflecting
Steytlerville’s two centuries of history,
including a crest depicting a local
store owner’s heritage – a symbolic
shopping trolley.
Local farmer, Rikus Bezuidenhout,
upset by the neglect of the bougainvillea
shrubs along the island, mounted a
water tank on his bakkie, collected grey
water from the town’s sewage plant and
resuscitated the shrubs. He has kept
them watered ever since.
Helein van Tonder, who teaches
at the local farm school, started an
omgee groep (care group) to keep the Julienne du Toit and Chris Marais
town’s streets and parks clean. This is
not just a weekly task – they remove their personal impressions, yet they There’s a fascinating chapter on
litter whenever they see it. frequently refer to the other, so the springbok and the drama of their
Residents along the main road have reader picks up their mutual enjoyment mysterious 19th century mass
spruced up their modest Karoo-style and their boundless enthusiasm for migrations when they behaved
houses and gardens. what their publishers call ‘Faraway like lemmings mindlessly passing
The great width of the main road South Africa’. Faraway? The Karoo, though farms in countless numbers
speaks of the days when ox wagons, currently a floral wonderland after carrying livestock and even other
drawn by spans of up to 16 oxen, had unusual summer rains, probably takes antelope helplessly along in their
to be able to do U-turns. up half of South Africa. midst and often to their deaths in the
The town’s story is delightfully told in One of the chapters in this latest thirstlands to the west. The chapter on
Karoo Roads II. Co-author, Julienne du Karoo Roads book takes us deep the introduction of merino sheep is
Toit began her career as a Johannesburg underground along the 83km Orange/ equally fascinating.
journalist and Chris Marais, her husband, Fish River tunnel – a brilliant piece of I found the book a sheer joy to read.
is one of South Africa’s foremost civil engineering which sends 22 tons (The book is available in some book
photojournalists. The couple, who of water per second from the Gariep shops but if you would like a signed,
live in Cradock, have had eight books Dam to the Eastern Cape, but which first edition copy, send an email to
published stemming from their probing shuts off the supply for a month a year julie@karoospace.co.za for the details.
journeys across South Africa. when the public can explore it. That is The cost for estate residents is R340,
They write separate chapters giving something I must also see. including delivery.)

Springbok grazing in the veld

The Villager • Issue 5 2022 • 21