Rawson Properties Wilgeheuwel

Company Information

• Year Establish
• Description/Remarks and Honeydew Ridge property are situated on the outskirts of Roodepoort (meaning "red valley" in Afrikaans). Roodepoort is a residential area which gets its name from the red soil in the area. Dating back to 1884, when Fred Struben discovered the first gold in the area in a large rocky outcrop in the centre of Roodepoort. At the time, the area was settled by scattered Boer farmers. Four of the farms - Roodepoort, Vogelstruisfontein, Paardekraal and Wilgespruit - were soon declared public diggings. Jan Bantjies secured the prospecting rights on the farm Roodepoort and the next year, gold was discovered and the farm was opened for public diggings. The diggers needed a place to pitch their tents and so the farm Roodepoort opened up its land and a shantytown sprang up. The gold at Confidence Reef, mostly surface gold in quar