DLOMO DAM [LEEUWKUILPAN]
Sharpeville is set within a valley like setting that influenced the coining of the phrase, ‘Skotiphola - Ons Phola Hierso’ Relaxed Valley- We Stay Here. This indicated that most people who came to Sharpeville felt at home and indeed felt they are here to stay.
From 1942 people started being moved from Top Location, near Vereeniging, to this valley like settlement. This movement was swift as living conditions in Sharpeville were far better than at Top Location despite the process taking almost 20 years. Within the Leeuwkuil Farm there were already people living there. On the eastern portion towards Vereeniging, there was a pond with a homestead nearby that was a home to a certain Dlomo and his livestock. On the far south-western side of the Dlomo household there was the Raqhwabedi household that seemed to have lived longer on the farm than Dlomo. Legend has it that they also had their loved ones graves lined along their homestead.
Many a people have drowned at this fascinating and enigmatic large pool of greenish water that often turn grey and violent during windy days. This is Dlomo Dam to Sharpevilleans and LeeuwkuilPan to all others. It is a silent water giant that stays undisturbed only to be frequented by grazing herds of cattle that has been there since its legendary days as a small pond.
Legend has it that this pan, dam or wetland became a recipient of blood soaked water from uptown after the shooting of thousands of pass laws protestors on the afternoon of Monday the 21st March 1960. It is the same place that introduced Sharpevilleans to sailing surfers in the 1990’s and also the same dam that once became a recreational facility for nearby boys who became great fishermen. This is Dlomo Dam; which became an occasional spot to commit the perfect suicide for some. It is unofficially named after an early settler named Dlomo who had his homestead there with his cattle drinking out of this once said to be small pond.
This place has beautifully singing birds on huge trees along its banks. The air there is always cool in summer though very cold in winter. One would often see young boys hunting wild ducks there, but the most fascinating is to witness a large school of pink long necked birds that gives the dam a very unique colour in winter. These are Flamingoes. They would come and go every year.
Sharpeville became part of the Vaal Birding Route for the development of Avitourism in the region. Avitourism refers to travel outside of one’s usual environment to view birds. There’s approximately 21 000 to 40 000 avitourists in South Africa and Avitourists spend approximately R927 million to R1.725 billion per year (domestic and international). They are also known as spending more per visitor than other niche tourism market sector.
Avitourists have higher income levels, longer trip lengths and spend a higher total number of days per year travelling. Their profiles correlate with priority markets segments targeted by South Africa Tourism. Avitourism generally has positive environmental and conservation impacts.
The birds have saved Sharpeville from disappearing on the global tourism radar. Sharpeville is strategically placed within the wetlands of the South Africa’s Highveld. The Highveld boasts a large number of natural pans, and Vaal is no exception. These pans are seasonal and water levels vary from year to year. When conditions are right they may hold large numbers of waterbirds, including Flamingoes, Ibis, Herons, Grebes and Waterfowl. One of the best pans in Vaal is Leeukuil Pan [DLOMO DAM], just outside Sharpeville. It may share similar birds with Klipkop Farm, Grootvlei Pan and some of the wetlands in the Devon grassland, but Leeukuil Pan [DLOMO DAM] is the largest of these waterbodies and may hold over 3000 water-birds at times, including large numbers of shorebirds in the summer months.
From 1942 people started being moved from Top Location, near Vereeniging, to this valley like settlement. This movement was swift as living conditions in Sharpeville were far better than at Top Location despite the process taking almost 20 years. Within the Leeuwkuil Farm there were already people living there. On the eastern portion towards Vereeniging, there was a pond with a homestead nearby that was a home to a certain Dlomo and his livestock. On the far south-western side of the Dlomo household there was the Raqhwabedi household that seemed to have lived longer on the farm than Dlomo. Legend has it that they also had their loved ones graves lined along their homestead.
Many a people have drowned at this fascinating and enigmatic large pool of greenish water that often turn grey and violent during windy days. This is Dlomo Dam to Sharpevilleans and LeeuwkuilPan to all others. It is a silent water giant that stays undisturbed only to be frequented by grazing herds of cattle that has been there since its legendary days as a small pond.
Legend has it that this pan, dam or wetland became a recipient of blood soaked water from uptown after the shooting of thousands of pass laws protestors on the afternoon of Monday the 21st March 1960. It is the same place that introduced Sharpevilleans to sailing surfers in the 1990’s and also the same dam that once became a recreational facility for nearby boys who became great fishermen. This is Dlomo Dam; which became an occasional spot to commit the perfect suicide for some. It is unofficially named after an early settler named Dlomo who had his homestead there with his cattle drinking out of this once said to be small pond.
This place has beautifully singing birds on huge trees along its banks. The air there is always cool in summer though very cold in winter. One would often see young boys hunting wild ducks there, but the most fascinating is to witness a large school of pink long necked birds that gives the dam a very unique colour in winter. These are Flamingoes. They would come and go every year.
Sharpeville became part of the Vaal Birding Route for the development of Avitourism in the region. Avitourism refers to travel outside of one’s usual environment to view birds. There’s approximately 21 000 to 40 000 avitourists in South Africa and Avitourists spend approximately R927 million to R1.725 billion per year (domestic and international). They are also known as spending more per visitor than other niche tourism market sector.
Avitourists have higher income levels, longer trip lengths and spend a higher total number of days per year travelling. Their profiles correlate with priority markets segments targeted by South Africa Tourism. Avitourism generally has positive environmental and conservation impacts.
The birds have saved Sharpeville from disappearing on the global tourism radar. Sharpeville is strategically placed within the wetlands of the South Africa’s Highveld. The Highveld boasts a large number of natural pans, and Vaal is no exception. These pans are seasonal and water levels vary from year to year. When conditions are right they may hold large numbers of waterbirds, including Flamingoes, Ibis, Herons, Grebes and Waterfowl. One of the best pans in Vaal is Leeukuil Pan [DLOMO DAM], just outside Sharpeville. It may share similar birds with Klipkop Farm, Grootvlei Pan and some of the wetlands in the Devon grassland, but Leeukuil Pan [DLOMO DAM] is the largest of these waterbodies and may hold over 3000 water-birds at times, including large numbers of shorebirds in the summer months.