The aptly-named ‘ N12 Treasure Route ' traverses some of South Africa 's richest gold and diamond mining regions, historical towns and vast agricultural areas. It is accessed just south of Soweto ( see Route 1 ) and takes you from Gauteng to the North West Province in under an hour.
Potchefstroom, the oldest town north of the Vaal River , not only hosts the annual (September/October) Aardklop National Arts Festival but is a centre for both educational and sporting disciplines. Klerksdorp, birthplace of Nobel laureate and Archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu, is the heart of a gold and uranium mining region. South of the city en route to Wolmaransstad are private lodges offering game-viewing and good fishing. Also along the N12 is Goudkoppie, showing the original gold diggings and the replica of a 300-year old Tswana headman's kraal. As you continue along the N12 to Bloemhof the vistas are endless in a predominantly flat region where fields of maize and groundnuts are punctuatued with towering grain silos. Stretch your legs at the Bloemhof Dam. Sulphur springs and diamond diggings are found on the way to Christiana.
The village of Windsorton just off the N12 is reminiscent of the early alluvial diamond diggers. This R374 road continues to Barkly West, gateway to the Vaalbos National Park. Just before Warrenton the Vaal River forms the border between North West, Free State and the Northern Cape provinces. The town itself marks the start of your journey through the Northern Cape and is the junction where the N18 from Mafikeng joins the N12 to Kimberley.
The numerous, unusual and often truly unique attractions (such us the only guided underground tour of a working diamond mine in the world) in Kimberley and its central situation make it not only a good stopover point, but also a worthwhile mini-stay destination: historic pubs, a fabulous art gallery, the Big Hole, the Freddie Tait Golf Museum etc, etc – all well worth the visit!
South of Kimberley the Karoo scrub plains become more evident as you travel through Hopetown, site of the first diamond discovery, the 'Eureka' diamond, then Strydenburg, Britstown and on to Victoria West home of the oldest working art deco cinema in South Africa, the Apollo Theatre. At Britstown the N10 from Upington continues to De Aar , Cradock and Port Elizabeth. Continue down the N12 to Beaufort West (see Route 2) where you find the juncture of the N1 to Cape Town, or the continuation of the N12 to George and the Garden Route.
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At Victoria West, take the Old Cape Road alternative route on the R63/R356 via Loxton, Fraserburg (dinocephalian footprints and Gans/Garsfontein Palaeosurface) and Sutherland (home to the South African Observatory), before rejoining the N1 to Cape Town at Matjiesfontein.
Suggested stop or stretch towns on the N12: Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp, Kimberley, Britstown, Victoria West and Beaufort West.
More Routes:
JOHANNESBURG - BLOEMFONTEIN - COLESBERG ON N1
COLESBERG - BEAUFORT WEST - CAPE TOWN ON N1
BLOEMFONTEIN - EAST LONDON ON N6
BLOEMFONTEIN – LESOTHO ON N8
JOHANNESBURG - KIMBERLEY - BEAUFORT WEST ON N12
CAPE TOWN - PORT ELIZABETH ON N2 : THE GARDEN ROUTE
PORT ELIZABETH – CRADOCK – COLESBERG ON N10 : THE KAROO
PORT ELIZABETH - EAST LONDON - WILD COAST - DURBAN ON N2
CAPE TOWN – SPRINGBOK ON N7: THE WEST COAST
JOHANNESBURG – DRAKENSBERG - DURBAN ON N3
JOHANNESBURG – SWAZILAND – NORTH COAST ON N17/N2
JOHANNESBURG – KRUGER NATIONAL PARK – MOZAMBIQUE ON N4
JOHANNESBURG – MESSINA - ZIMBABWE ON N1
JOHANNESBURG/PRETORIA – MAGALIESBURG - BOTSWANA ON N4
JOHANNESBURG – UPINGTON – SPRINGBOK ON N14 |
