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Did You Know?

Van Renens Pass is a mountain pass located in the KwaZulu-Natal province, near the town of Van Reenen (often spelled Van Renen in historical records). The pass is situated on the main route between Durban and Johannesburg, crossing the Drakensberg escarpment. It was named after the Van Reenen family, who were early settlers in the region. The pass was a key transport link in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly for wagon traffic and later for railway development. In the year 1900, the area around Van Reenen was significant during the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902). The pass and its surroundings were used by British forces as a route to move troops and supplies between the coast and the interior. The nearby town of Van Reenen was established in the late 1800s, and the pass itself was improved for military and civilian use during this period. The railway line through the pass, which included a tunnel, was a strategic asset, and the region saw skirmishes and troop movements. Contextually, the pass is part of the larger Drakensberg mountain range, which forms a natural barrier between KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State. The construction of roads and railways through this escarpment was a major engineering feat of the era. The Van Reenen Pass remains a historically important route, and the town today serves as a stopover for travelers, with heritage markers and remnants of the old wagon road still visible in places.

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