Braamfontein Spruit

Origins

The ridges known as the Witwatersrand form one of the main watersheds in the Rep of SA. The name means ridge of white waters, for the early travellers found 14 streams rising from these rocky ridges. These streams feed into 2 major river systems, namely the Limpopo and Orange Rivers.

The Braamfontein Spruit rises in Hillbrow, as a spring. The Spruit flows northwards and is joined by the Montgomery and Westdene Spruits below Emmarentia Dam. It continues on its way through Victory Park, Parkhurst, Craighall Park, Craighall, Glenadrienne and Bryanston joining the Klein Jukskei in Sunninghill. Together they join the Jukskei at Leeukop and continue to the Crocodile River which flows into Hartebeestpoort Dam.

Delta Park

This was originally one of 4 sewage farms developed in the 1930s. When the Sewage works were closed in 1963 the buildings lay unused for 10 years when they were developed into an Environmental Centre thanks to the forethought of benefactors such as the Bloom family.

The Delta is the largest of the parks in Joburg and is 104 hectares in extent. The park is a bird lovers paradise with over 200 species being recorded here.

Craighall and Blairgowrie

There are fascinating tales about this area. In 1891 the farm Klipfontein was bought by William Gray Rattray and renamed Craighall after his birthplace in Blairgowrie, Scotland. His estate comprised the suburbs now known as Craighall, Craighall Park and Blairgowrie.

In 1902 when plots were offered for sale, Craighall was described as offering unrivalled scenery with some of the plots to edge an artificial lake which was to cover some 20 acres! Craighall Park is rumoured to have boasted itself as being a new suburb that charged no service rates. You can imagine how people flocked to buy!

Rattray created a series of three weirs on the estate and today the remaining walls offer a fine example of dressed stone masonry. The first weir was bui1t in 1905 and was known as the Braamfontein lake which became part of the recreational area of the Craig hall Park Hotel. The lake was stocked with trout to offer flyfishing to the wealthy visitors who frequented the resort. The other weirs provided irrigation for the market gardens of the estate.

The Rand Epileptic Employment Association is situated on the eastern bank of the Spruit. This was opened in 1941. Today REEA grows organic veggies which can be purchased by the public and assists with funds for the care of the residents.

Supplied by Paulette Malcolm