It's hard to believe that Gauteng as the smallest and most
industrialised of all South Africa's provinces also
contains such a collection of traditional and cultural
homesteads. A wide variety that stretches from turn of the
century Voortrekker white and coloured farmsteads to
colourful Ndebele, Zulu huts to Credo Mutwa's garden of
mythical African figures. There is certainly location for
just about any film shoot.

Of interest in Johannesburg are various historic farmsteads
including the Driefontein Farmhouse built in 1906, which
can be found on Olympia Road in Parkmore, and the original
Emmarentia farmhouse on Greenhill Road in Emmarentia.
Filming often takes place on the well known Nash's Farm in
the Cradle of Humankind, where there are various rural
locations including an old Transvaal farmhouse setting, and
Lesedi is often used for African cultural locations.

The location highlight has to be the Onverwacht settlement.
Onverwacht's fascinating history is reflected in its many
old, welcoming and well kept plots. Situated North East of
Cullinan, it was occupied by descendants from freed Malay
slaves who arrived with the Malan "na-trek" in 1857. They
inter-married mainly Pedi people, who now call themselves
Black Afrikaners and consider their land "bloedgrond" given
to them by President Paul Kruger for their assistance
during the Anglo Boer War.

There is a big old church, the Verenigde Gereformeerde Kerk
of Onverwacht, replete with an old church bell mounted on
four poles at the entrance to the church yard. The
settlement includes a cemetery, a plethora of donkey carts,
old stone houses and plots surrounded by stone walls
containing vegetable gardens, vines and fruit trees.

It's not surprising that Gauteng is the hub of South
Africa's film industry if you take into account the number
of hidden historic gems to be found - all in close
proximity to main centres.

19th century farmsteads: The Willem Prinsloo Agricultural
Museum features an 1880 farmstead furnished with late
Victorian furniture, a working outside oven, blacksmith's
shop, dairy, water mill and peach brandy still. Various
domestic animals roam around while live demonstrations of
traditional farming activities, such as baking bread,
making butter, shearing sheep and distilling peach brandy
continue. The museum is situated at Rayton, ten kilometres
from Cullinan. The Diepkloof Farm Museum, situated in the
Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, is an old farmhouse built in
1850 that has been restored to its former beauty.

The Diepkloof farm was built by JG Marais, one of the first
trekkers to farm in the Highveld in the 1800s. Vintage
furniture and personal belongings give insight into another
time. Various animals add to the farmyard atmosphere like
the sheep, cows and geese.

Pioneer Museum, in Silverton, Pretoria, is an open-air
museum and pays homage to the Voortrekker lifestyle. David
Botha, a Cape farmer who migrated first to Natal and then
to Ohrigstad in the Northern Transvaal, built the original
pioneer dwelling and outbuildings on the premises of what
is today known as the Pioneer Museum in Silverton in 1848.

Demonstrations of traditional farming activities include
milking cows, making butter, baking bread and grinding
coffee beans. The house is a t-shaped dwelling with a
thatched roof, dung smeared floor and pioneer furniture
dating from 1848 with outside oven and outbuildings. A
tanning pit, wagon shed, water furrow, threshing floor,
water mill, animals, and duck pond can be seen.

Victorian homesteads: The Sammy Marks Museum - Just outside
Pretoria is the home of wealthy entrepreneur and good
friend of President Paul Kruger, Sammy Marks. Sammy Marks'
last will stated that nothing could be changed in his house
for three generations after his death. His wish was
fulfilled and today his home holds the distinction of being
the only Victorian museum with an authentic interior.

Designed by the London Architect WT Wale in 1886, Melrose
House in Pretoria is a beautiful example of Victorian
architecture. During the Second Anglo-Boer War, Lord
Roberts and Lord Kitchener used the house as their
headquarters. Today, the Melrose House Museum is a national
monument.

Indigenous African cultural homesteads: The Mapoch Ndebele
Traditional Village is home to a group of Ndebele people
who still adhere to the old way of life and belong to the
Msiza family. The Ndebele are well known for their artistic
abilities and the intricate designs and blends of gay
colours that adorn their walls and clothing. This 'living'
cultural village is situated opposite the Loopspruit Wine
Estate near KwaMhlanga, north of Bronkhorstpruit.

Two locations offer glimpses into traditional Zulu
lifestyles. The Sibaya Zulu Boma Cultural Village situated
on Main Road, Kyalami provides visitors with an authentic
Zulu experience. At the Voortrekker Monument outside
Pretoria there is a medium size Zulu hut. It is a replica
of the huts built during the reconstruction of a section of
the Royal Capital of Umgungundlovu during the 1980s.
Characteristic of the traditional hut is its beehive-style
construction. The hut is typical of the dwellings found in
the then Zululand.