Dundee

Attractions

Also see the neighbouring towns

The original farm building of Peter Smith, founder of Dundee and the coal industry here, is a museum. Several battlefields are found in this area: Blood River between Dutch pioneers and Zulu warriors, Isandlwana between the Zulu and British, Rorke's Drift between the Zulu and British, Talana between the British and Boers, and Elandslaagte between the British and Boers.

Old bakery		Main Street
Police station		Station
Boswell Building		Dutch Reformed Church

Photos: Ben de Klerk

History

This area is rich in coal which was found even on the surface in early days. The early European pioneers (the Voortrekkers) reported surface coal here and named one of the streams Steenkoolspruit (Afrikaans for Coal Stream). In 1862 a local farmer, Pieter Smith of Talana farm, began to transport coal to Pietermaritzburg. A geological survey was made in 1880 which found coal on the farms Dundee and Coalfields. Smith, with partners Dugald MacPhail and Charles Wilson began a mining company. In 1882 Smith laid out a town on the farm Dundee. It became a municipality in 1902.

TOP