Mampoer occupies a distinct place within South Africa's material and intangible heritage, reflecting the agricultural adaptability of frontier communities and the resilience of craft traditions under shifting regulatory regimes. While widely recognised in popular culture, its documented history remains comparatively thin.
BOOK REVIEWS
‘Geomotional’ is a remarkable and beautifully illustrated exploration of – as the sub-title says – ‘Geometric art, past and present’. The book, which has us journey through images, words, poetry and song, and gives account of a ‘performance-installation’, is compiled by Mary Elizabeth Lange, who is prolific in her writings on Indigenous art and story, and various intersections with heritage.
BLUE PLAQUES
Johannesburg's first fire station was completed on this site in 1906. The thirty-five metre tower was used as a lookout for spotting fires before the advent of telecommunications and also for drying out fire hoses which were hung in the tower. When the station was rebuilt in the 1980s, only the watchtower was kept. It is Johannesburg's only remaining firetower and the highest of a group of towers in the area.