Zastron

Zastron is named after Ms Zastron, who married JH Brand, President of the Orange Free State

Attractions

Also see the neighbouring towns

There is an Anglo-Boer War Monument at the Dutch Reformed Church. The De Winnaar grave still exists. The town was built on the farm of Jan Hendrik de Winnaar.

Aasvoëlberg and the Eye of Zastron

Zastron lies at the foot of Aasvoëlberg (Vulture Hill) among the grassy hills of the Eastern Freestate. The mountains of Lesotho can be seen in the distant east. The Eye of Zastron is a hole in the huge sandstone ridge on the hill.

San rock paintings

San rock paintings can be seen in the area in caves in the sandstone hills. In Hippopotamus Cave paintings of hippo dominate. Here pottery sheards were found. In Hoffman cave on the farm Glen Rosa, there is a San polychrome painting of 4.5m by 1.5m.

Vechtkop (Vegkop)

Vechtkop (2'072m) lies to the east of Zastron. In 1849 a battle took place here between the Sesotho Chief Poshuli and Lourens Wepener.

Mayaputi Nature Reserve

Fishing, bird watching, game watching, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, river rafting, 4x4 drives.

Eeufeeskloof Dam

Water recreation is admitted on the town's dam.

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History

The oldest evidence of settlement in the area is abundant rock paintings of the San people. Later Sesotho people also lived in the area, and by the time the European pioneers ("Voortrekkers") arrived the chiefs roaming the area were Poshuli and Lebenya.

In 1830 a pioneer commando fought a group of San people whose leader was Korei, and who were accused of stealing cattle. Fighting occurred at Genadeberg (Mount Grace), which is about 20Km southeast of Zastron. The San fled to Poshuli's Hoek (Poshuli's Corner) into a huge cave, large enough to accommodate a thousand people. After several peace offerings extended by the Pioneers to the San tribe, which were rejected, the entire tribe was extinguished, and seven Pioneers were killed. The name Genadeberg was not given because of the initial peace attempts, but given many years later when a falling rock narrowly missed killing a surveyor, MC Vos when he surveyed the area.

The first European settlers in the area were brothers Jan Hendrik and Petrus Renier de Winnaar. Renier's birthdate is unknown, but he died in 1883 with claims that he was 102 years old! Jan Hendrik first settled in the area of Smithfield, and later, in 1838, moved to the area around Aasvoëlberg (Vulture Hill) at Zastron. At the time one of the Sesotho chiefs, Moshoeshoe (c1823 - 1870, also written as Moshweshwe) tried to unite the fragmented Sesotho people. Moshoeshoe later became king of the Sesotho people. Jan Hendrik and Moshweshwe got along fine, and shared a liking for yellow peaches, and perhaps its brew when distilled. Moshweshwe granted ownership of the land to Jan Hendrik in return for yellow peaches and who knows what else.

The political instability of the area, a combination of conflict among Sesotho fractions, and the arrival of European colonists at the same time, resulted in regular fights. Jan Hendrik left the area several times, only to return at a later stage.

Sir George Grey, British Governor of the Cape of Good Hope in 1854 and 1855, mediated at a meeting in Smithfield and a treaty was drawn up between the Sesotho people and the colonists. Peace did not last long, as raids, particularly by Poshuli and Lebenya continued. In 1858 the Orange Free State declared war on the Sesotho people. The pioneer commando reached Thaba Bosiu (previously also called Bosigo), the stronghold of Moshoeshoe, but found it impossible to enter, and then retreated. Thaba Bosiu is located 25 km south-east of Maseru, capital of Lesotho, which, by road, is about 170Km north of Zastron. Several attempted meetings failed but eventually Sir George Grey brokered peace at a meeting held in Aliwal North on 29 September 1858. Boundaries were agreed upon, with Aasvoëlberg reverting back to the Sesotho people. Jan Hendrik de Winnaar thus lost his farm legally, although he and his brother continued to live in the area.

Another frontier war broke out in 1865 and lasted until 1869. The British intervened and the Sesotho areas became a British protectorate. New boundaries were drawn, and Jan Hendrik de Winnaar was granted a portion of his original land, which he called Verliesfontein (meaning Fountain of Loss), and Petrus Renier de Winnaar granted a portion he called Reniershof.

The nearest town, Rouxville, was 30Km away, which was too far for the local community, and plans were made to establish a new town. In 1876 the town Zastron was laid out on the farm Verliesfontein of Jan Hendrik de Winnaar and became a municipality in 1881.

Peach brandy and truth

As in other parts of South Africa, such as at Groot Marico, farmers used to stoke their own peach brandy, which results in interesting stories.

One of the stories doing the rounds in Zastron tries to explain the hole in the sandstone cliff.

In earlier days there was no hole in the face of the sandstone. Renier de Winnaar had a San companion, called Boesman. One day Renier and Boesman were fishing in a stream at the foot of the hill, smoking tobacco pipe and enjoying the fermented juices of peach brandy. The devil arrived together with a group of baboons and vultures and asked for a puff. Renier happened to have an old gun with him that had to be loaded with gunpowder. He pointed to the gun and told the devil this is his new pipe. So he loaded the gun with a mixture of tobacco, gun powder, and for the heck of it added some stones.

The devil was told to put it to his mouth, light it and take a very strong draw, which he did. As the gun exploded the devil inhaled. He replied that this was good, strong stuff with a good kick. But then there was a second explosion, and the devil's head flew through the rock, leaving a hole. The devil's body then rushed off to catch up with its head.

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