Background Information

Back in 1972, the residents of Philippolis had a sad time. Until then, cars on the highway between Cape Town and Johannesburg passed through their town. But overnight the taps were turned off as the N1 was rerouted via the Gariep dam and Springfontein, only a short yet telling distance away. The economy of the town crumbled, and the five petrol stations of those days became the one of today.

In the long run, Philippolis has seen a positive side to this rerouting of the national road – serious crime is very rare, property prices have remained largely affordable and national monuments have remained protected and cared for. Philippolis, the oldest settlement in the Free State, has the most national monuments in the province after Bloemfontein and Bethlehem.

Like Richmond, Aberdeen and Hanover, Philippolis has a namesake overseas – in Siria of all places! The southern Free State town was named after a missionary, Dr. John Philip. The London Missionary association sent him to South Africa with two purchased doctors degrees (from Stanton and Princeton), thinking that these bought degrees would lend him more stature.

Philip was born of a weaver, Mr. James Phip (later changed to Philip) in 1777. He left school at the age of 11 to become a spinner and weaver, and was later trained to be a preacher. In 1791, after serving two parishes, he was dispatched by the London Missionaries to South Africa to involve himself in politics and mission work.

Where Philippolis is today, Philip assisted in establishing a mission station for the Khois and the Bushmen. The added advantage of such a place was that it could double as an observation post to keep an eye on the Boers who were busy migrating over the Orange River illegally.

However, nothing came of either of these functions. The Bushmen, Khois and (then) Griquas were nomadic in order to sustain their hunting needs. Due to the sheer number of Boers trekking over the river, the Orange Free State Republic government bought the area surrounding Philippolis from the Griquas. Any plans the English had of staunching the flow of Boers were never realised.

It is here in Philippolis that the Griqua leader, Adam Kok established his command post, writer Laurens van der Post was born and Emily Hobhouse established a school of weaving. The impressive Dutch Reformed Church was the venue of the first wedding held in Afrikaans, performed by Rev. Tobie Muller.

One is acutely aware of this rich heritage in upper Voortrekker Street. Along this pine-lined street, there are inscriptions indicating the Victorian Jacobson library building, the Trans-Gariep museum, and Adam Kok’s command post and cannons. Poding Tse Rolo, the local township, is also worth a visit as it too has an interesting history.

There’s plenty to do in the surrounds. The Gariep- and Waterkloof dams are the two biggest in South Africa, and the Orange River, which flows between these two, offers outstanding fishing opportunities. To keep visitors occupied while moving around, there are over 200 bird species, including hundreds of the rare Blue Crane. The photogenic Waterkloof settlement (on the road to Colesberg) could possibly have been a second Nieu-Bethesda, had it been saved 20 years earlier. It is now the local Ghost Town.

Visitors should surely pop into “Ons Dien”, the General Dealer where one can acquire some locally cultivated olives, as well as the local newspaper “Philippolis Pos(t)”. The “Pos” is crammed full of local news and is a must for anyone who wishes to know what is getting the town buzzing. The local butchery offers top grade Karoo lamb, and will gladly pre-pack and freeze orders.

Game farms, 4x4 routes, the Laurens van der Post Memorial Garden, tiger breeding projects, and the many lovely guesthouses in the town make Philippolis an ideal stop-over or indeed a destination.

How to get there

Especially during the holiday season, the R717 is an ideal alternative route to the N1. This tarred road is both quiet and 7km shorter than the N1. Turn off at Colesberg or Trompsburg and avoid heavy traffic for about 120km.

Worth knowing

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