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Did You Know?

The Blokhuis at Norvalspont is a British blockhouse built in 1900 during the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902). It was constructed on the Cape Colony side of the Orange River bridge, a key crossing point on the railway line between Port Elizabeth and the interior. The blockhouse formed part of a network of fortified posts guarding bridges and railway infrastructure against Boer commando raids, which were a major threat to British supply lines. This specific site was one of several blockhouses erected along the Orange River to secure the strategic crossing at Norvalspont, which was also a major concentration camp for Boer civilians during the war. The blockhouse is a typical example of the standard British design of the period, usually a two-storey circular or polygonal stone or corrugated iron structure with loopholes for rifle fire. Today, the Blokhuis at Norvalspont is a provincial heritage site in the Northern Cape, recognised for its historical significance related to the Anglo-Boer War. The bridge itself, originally completed in the 1890s, was a vital link in the Cape railway system, and the blockhouse's position on the southern bank reflects the British effort to control both the bridge and the river crossing.

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