9.Witfontein
Rudi Allmayer & Nigel Krumm delve into the origins of the Witfontein structures in Montagu South. (Updated 12/02/2025)
An approximation of the Witfontein compound. The opsigters house is not in picture. (It is situated between the large swimming pool and main house)
Sketch: Kiara le Roux
The Witfontein story started with taking the dog for a walk. It has become a habit to walk our dog in one of the many areas suitable for dog walking in Montagu and so the discovery of an area called Witfontein. Witfontein is situated behind and next to number 2 v/d Merwe Street. What made Witfontein of particular interest was the various abandoned building structures in the area. This all happened during 2019.
Based on word of mouth and very little written information a story on Witfontein was evolved and posted on the museum webpage Montagu Stories during August 2020. The Witfontein story was revisited after local businessman Dries Barnard contacted the museum in 2022.
His property which is 7.7ha in extent and is called “Fonteintjieskloof is above Witfontein. Part of Witfontein including the spring source is now part of his property. Dries was able to point out the source of the original spring which was still providing water in 2023. Dries had modernised the original water collection reservoir and was piping the spring water to his home. He was also able to point out that the water had a strong chemical content almost acting as bleach. This could also have contributed to the origins of the name Witfontein.
His questions and input led to a decision to try and upgrade the Witfontein story with additional information.
It has not been possible to date activities at Witfontein with any certainty at the time of the update (2023).
THE MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY
At some stage in time the spring water was used by the municipality to supplement the town’s water supply as per the following article.
Uittreksel van ʼn storie wat mnr. Nolte vir die Die Burger gedoen het.
Mnr. D.J. Nolte berieg oor die water probleme in Montagu
Montagu, 30 Jan. 1941 – Daar is seker min plekkies op die aarde van daar op die oomblik meer teenstrydige gebede opgaan as uit Montagu. Die muskadel boere wat reeds begin pars, bid gehoord of ongehoord dat dit tog nie nou moet reën nie waar word almeer kleingelowig omdat ʼn drukkende donderweer vining besig is om op te werk. Die stadsvaders daar en teen het ʼn hoek geraak waaruit alleen ʼn tydige reenbui hulle kan red. Op ʼn hoek van die straat het ʼn paar belastingbetalers gister die vraag aan een van die stadsvaders gerig wat hulle nou gaan maak om meer water te voorsien. Die gevatte antwoord het teruggekom dat hulle ʼn bidpouse gaan instel.
Ongeveer 20 jaar gelede het die Raad groot somme spandeer om die dorp behoorlik van water te voorsien.Twee skema’s het tot stand gekom. Die skuld het swaar op die dorpnaars gedruk maar die watervoorraad was bevredigend. Met die verligting van skuld het die watervoorraad ook afgeneem deurdat pypleidings toegeraak het.Verlede jaar is aansienlike skulde gedelg sodat selfs die belasting kon verlig word. Vanjaar was die water reeds in die voorsomer so kritiek dat die raad begin roer het in die saak. Dit het reeds gevorder tot by die skraap en uitsement van ʼn deel van Keurkloof se pype. ʼn Pomp is opgerig om uit ʼn boorgat by Witfontein water te pomp. Die eerste paar dae het dit taamlik goed gegaan. Die gat lewer egter maar 1,550 gel. per uur en word ook gou droog getrek. Die verbruik het egter vinniger gestyg deurdat die Raad aan Ashton Stasie toegestaan het om water aan die Langberg Koëperasie te lewe volgens kontrak is die Spoorweg geregtig op ʼn minimum van 12,000gel. per dag maar die gebruik het in die somermaande al gestyg tot ʼn gemiddelde van ongeveer 30,000 gel. per dag.
The PUBLIC WASH HOUSE
Despite exhaustive investigations it has not been possible to exactly identify where the wash house was actually situated at Witfontein. However what cannot be disputed is that Montagu had a public wash house and it probably used the Witfontein spring water which makes sense with the information provided by Dries Barnard (local estate agent) about the bleach properties of the water.
In the book MONTAGU SOOS DIE DORP WAS VANAF MY KINDERDAE (1998)
by William (Tokkie) Bussell 26/03/1911- 22/03/2001 the following appears:
DIE DORP SE DRINKWATER.
Die dorp se Munisipaliteit is in 1895 gestig en toe is daar eers drinkwater aangelê na die erwe. Witfontein, effens hoër op as die Washuis, het ook `n mooi stroom water gelewer. Dit is later aangelê na die Hospitaal en die orige water is met ʼn pyp gebring tot by Kerkstraat.
DIE WASHUIS.
Voor die Hospitaal gebou is, was al geboutjie aan die oorkant van die rivier, die washuis. Erf no. 4 en 6 in Hofmeyrstraat het ʼn fonteintjie gehad met helder vars water. Daar was ʼn klein huisie waar ʼn soort van opsigter gewoon het en daar was wasplekke vir die dorpsmense. Ook ʼn reservoir vir die opgaar van water. Die fondamente van die reservoir en wasplekke is nog te sien op daardie erwe. Daardie jare was daar baie wasvroue. Hulle het die meer gegoede huisgesinne se wasgoed by die huise gaan haal, te voet geloop tot by die Washuis en in die heerlike vars water die bondels wasgoed gewas. In daardie dae is die witgoed eerste gewas en dan oor die bosse oopgegooi om te bleik. Saans weer huistoe gestap en die goed gaan opstryk met die swart strykysters wat warm gemaak is op die houtstoof. Die volgende dag word die wasgoed weer teruggebring. ʼn Algemene gesig op straat was ʼn vrou met ʼn yslike bondel wasgoed op die kop. Gewoonlik die stryklaken geneem en al die mooi netjies gestrykte wasgoed mooi ingepak en toegevou daarin en met ʼn groot haakspeld vasgesteek.
This magnificent photo shows the Witfontein property (arrow) to the right of the picture against the mountain
The HOLIDAY RESORT DREAM
The holiday resort dream story has its origin with past Montagu resident Anelma Oosthuizen (b. Kriel). She was able to remember that at one time a Schoonraad family owned the property Witfontein.
Anelma: In my tyd op Montagu as kind het die Witfontein hoofhuis behoort aan die Schoonraadgesin. Hul was Engels sprekend. Daar was 2 seuns Peter en Richard en ʼn dogter Patrica. Hul was op Montagu op skool. Die oudste seun Peter het ʼn predikant geword in ʼn Engelse kerk. Ek weet nie of dit Methodist of Prespeterian was nie. Hul het die kothuises verhuur. In een het op ʼn stadium mevrou Hannah Churchill gewoon.
With the aforementioned information it was then possible to track down oldest son Peter via his vocation. When Peter was contacted at his home in Camps Bay he was well into his eighties. He was not into smart phones and computers and initial contact was made via his landline.
Top left: Peter in his matric year 1955 Montagu High School. Middle: Peter on Table Mountain,Top right: dr. Peter Schoonraad December 2019, in his 82 year.
He could clearly remember his time at Montagu and provided the following input:
His father bought the property Witfontein with an inheritance. He had a vision of creating a holiday resort on the property. There were no buildings on the ground when the Schoonraad family bought the property. His father built the family home (2 v/d Merwe Street), four holiday bungalows, two swimming pools, a water supply system, a recreation hall and started building additional guest accommodation (still standing in 2023).
The Homestead 2023 which has probably been added onto since its initial construction
Mr. Schoonraad senior had a technical aptitude and was able to design a gravity feed water system feeding from a local mountain spring which is still delivering water (2023). Even though the spring did not deliver a strong flow of water it delivered a constant flow of water and by building a network of reservoirs it was possible to provide running water to the homestead, bungalows and swimming pools.
He was busy building additional guest accommodation (see gallery) when his son Charles met with an accident on the building site. Building operations stopped and were never restarted.
Unfortunately the family could not get the holiday resort up and running and sold the property and left Montagu.
Oldest son Peter returned to Montagu on his Lambretta scooter and spent a year working at the local Methodist church. (see article below). He has very fond memories of his year at Montagu and his many return trips to Cape Town on his scooter to visit his family.
AME Kerk Montagu – oorsig
Deur Ernie Oosthuizen 20 Julie 2011
Tans is daar meer as 30 Christelike kerkinstellings op Montagu. Basuin(plaaslike kerkblad) voel dat dit goed sal wees as ons mekaar beter leer ken aangesien ons een en dieselfde God aanbid.
Die een Kerk wat al sedert 1933 in Montagu bestaan, is die AME Kerk.
Dit staan vir : African Methodist Episcopal Church. Die Kerk het alreeds in 1816 in die VSA sy ontstaan gehad en het in Suid Afrika aanvanklik begin as die Ethiopian Church (1892) en later is die AME Kerk gestig tydens konferensie te Marabastad (1896).
Die gemeente het hul eerste kerkgebou teen 1936 voltooi. Hoek van Mark en Le Rouxstraat. Ongelukkig moes hulle die gebou ontruim kragtens groepsgebiedewet. Die nuwe gebou is in Felixstraat opgerig. Dit staan bekend as Sims Chapel, Montagu.
Huidiglik bestaan die gemeente uit ongeveer 750 lidmate en kerkraad van 44 lede.
Tans is Eerwaarde Keith LB Links die prediker en word bygestaan deur Eerw. Timothy Saunders. Eerw. Links is al sedert 2008 op Montagu. Die gesin het 3 kinders.
Daar is ook AME Kerk in die Koo, wat onafhanklik funksioneer.
Eerw. Links is baie opgewonde oor die feit dat die 116’de jaarlikse konferensie van die AME Kerk vanjaar op Montagu gedurende November gehou sal word – 500-600 konferensiegangers van oor die hele land word verwag.
Ons wens hulle alle sterkte toe met die groot gebeurtenis hierdie jaar.
In one of the discussions with Peter, during the review, he also speculated about the origin of the name Witfontein. His viewpoint favoured the name coming from the sand in the area which is very light almost like grainy sea sand.
‘N OUDE INWONER
Carol Churchill wat as kind by Witfontein gewoon het onthou en gee ʼn par insette (2023)
Ons het in 1962 en 1963 by Witfontein gewoon. Eers in die piepkleine opsigtershuisie oos van die groot huis en later in die voorste ‘bungalow’ wes van die groot huis. Ek dink daar was 3 of 4 ‘bungalows’, nie meer seker nie. Rousseau, ja spelling is korrek, het in ‘bungalow’ net agter ons gewoon, kinders Dantè, André, Mauritz en Laetitia, almal baie jonger as ek. In die groot huis het die Negus-gesin gewoon, kinders Geoffrey, Matriek 1966, Ursula Matriek 1968 en Terence, bietjie jonger as ek. Mev. Hugoline Negus het balletklasse in Avalon Hotel se saal gegee; ek het ook nog by haar ballet geneem. Kannie onthou of balletklasse 1 of 2 per week was nie, maar omdat Witfontein end uit die dorp was, het my ma met Tannie Ina Kriel (Anelma Oosthuizen se ma) in Joubertstraat gereël dat ek op ballet en Kinderkransdae (Donderdae) by haar gaan middagete eet.
Die opsigters huis 2023
Ursula is getroud met Alwyn Rossouw, spelling is reg!, Hy boer in die distrik, seker die Koo. Ursula sal seker ook van Witfontein kan vertel. Enorme swembad maar dolleeg langs die groot huis. Oom Peter Schoonraad het na ons in die opsigtershuisie gaan woon. Heerlik om so feitlik in die berg te woon; het kaalvoet berg en veld ingevaar. Toppunt van geluksaligheid en vir g’n niks en niemand bang nie! Eendag trap ek kaalvoet op slang hau! Maar hy was seker so lomerig van in die son lê, hyt my deur die Here se genade niks gemaak nie. Voor ons tyd was Witfontein ‘n vakansie-oord en toe die oord doodloop is die ‘bungalows’ as behuising verhuur. Was baie lief vir Oom Peter, hy het ‘kind’ oë gehad. Hyt my nog eendag ‘n boekie met breipatrone vir baba ‘bootees’ gegee; het vir al my kinders daaruit gebrei. Die boekie is nog hier tussen my goed. My Retief- niggietjies, veel jonger as ek, het vir Oom Peter gesê Oom Pete’ Koonhattetie Ja, my ma was Hanna Churchill.
By wie sou Oom Peter se pa die grond gekoop het? Vanwaar die naam Witfontein; dalk fontein wat baie ‘wit’ water lewer of baie ‘wit’ watervalle teen die berg af? Val my nou by daar het Kriel-gesin net onderkant Witfontein gewoon, net so oorkant die pad Dalk was Witfontein eers hulle plaas waarvan hulle grootste stuk aan ou mnr. Schoonraad verkoop het en net ‘n stukkie grond uitgehou het vir bestaansboerderytjie? Kan niks van Kriels onthou nie, net hulle was toeal baie oud baie bang vir hulle makou wat my sooo kon kyk en storm.
Val my nou by daar was tussen groot huis en ‘bungalows’ so ‘n klipgebou met, ek dink rietdak, daai tyd al half vergaan Dink ek het gehoor die oord het daar danspartytjies gehou Aan wie sou die oord behoort het?
Daai washuis het seker vir die vakansie-oord gewas, en toe saam met die oord tot niet gegaan, reken ek maar, ek weet nie regtig nie, nooit van so-iets gehoor of gesien nie. Nouja, dis tot hiertoe. As jy nog van my onthou-goed wil hoor, laat weet maar.
(Ursula Negus X Alwyn Pieter Rossouw: BRON: Rousseau/Rossouw Familieregister saamgestel deur Katja Rossouw en uitgegee deur Hugenote Vereniging van Suid-Afrika. Het dit net gekoop om my pa se Rossouw-lyn na te spoor)
THE KRUMM FAMILY ALSO LIVED AT WITFONTEIN DURING 1957/58
Nigel Krumm past Montagu resident comments: “Hi there, look at the pictures below and you will see from the background that the ruins are in fact the swimming pool of years ago. Myself looking at the two girls, my sister Wilma on the left and Annalien du Plessis right who is the cousin of Anita Marais daughter of Oom Hannes Marais the manager of Brink Bros. Canning Factory.
The water came from a spring higher up from the cottages. I think there was a sort of structure there.
We rented that place (2 v/d Merwe St.) for a few years. There was a huge house and yes, that was the swimming pool. We had lots of fun there. Water was free for the house and pool. Some way off there were a few cottages that were rented out by the then owner.
THE GALLERY
Die Witfontein bron (2023)
Die eerste opgardam langs aan die bron (2023)
Reservoir structure possible intermediate water collection point between spring, bungalows, pools and house
Arrows L/R: Recreation area, Large pool, Paddling pool, Small pool (note ground colour)
Recreation area with tables and stools on the left hand side of the above picture. It also appears as if the recreation area had some form of roof.
Brick and mortar pool structure on the right of the main pool. This was the first pool built by mr. Schoonraad senior.
This structure must also have been part of the water distribution network. It is just behind the main house. In the background on the right hand side is the opsigters house.
Links, bo en onder: Die onthaal saal
The four bungalows
Foundations of the partially built additional guest accomodation
