Sites

Archive Import
History: These two very interesting forts are situated on koppies to the south of Pretoria. Fort Schanskop stands about one kilometre east of the Voortrekker Monument and can only be reached from the direction of that monument. Klapperkop, on the farm Groenkloof, is situated about three kilometres east of Schanskop and almost the same distance from Pretoria, to the left of the road to the Jan Smuts Airport and Germiston.
The Jameson Raid and the abortive uprising in Johannesburg against the Kruger regime took place at the end of 1895 and the beginning of 1896. A so-called plan for the siege of Pretoria was found in a tin trunk of one of Jameson’s officers. These events alerted the Republican authorities to the dangers which would threaten the Capital in the event of a repetition of the disturbances. Consequently the Executive Council instructed a committee to draw up a plan for the defence of Pretoria. The plan was designed by L. Groenberg in the first place and completed by 0. van Dewitz with the assistance of Capt. P. E. Erasmus, Lt P. C. Paff, and E. Lutz, the City Engineer of Johannesburg. This plan called for the construction of seven forts on the hills round Pretoria and another near Johannesburg.
The Executive Council approved the plan on 24th March, 1896, but decided at . the same time to start provisionally with ‘two first class forts at Schanskop and Wonderboompoort’. The construction of these two defensive works was entrusted to H. C. Werner of the South African Contracting Association and was to be carried out under the supervision of a special committee under the chairmanship of Comdt.-Gen. P. J. Joubert and Lt. Paff as secretary.
The first of the forts to be started was Fort Schanskop. The work progressed so well that it could be handed over to the government on 6th April, 1897. The total cost was about R80 000. As soon as it was completed it was immediately fortified and manned by an officer and thirty men.
While the fort was still being built the necessary armament was ordered. Mountain guns were selected since they could also be used outside the fort.
Fort Klapperkop was started a short time after Fort Schanskop, probably in December, 1896, and Italian, German and Dutch artisans and large numbers of Bantu labourers were employed to speed the work. Large-scale excavations were done to provide concrete bomb-proof rooms and magazines. The fronts of the concealed barracks and the gun sites are of the best quality masonry. The total cost of the fort, including the installation of a pumping station in the Fountains Valley, was R100 000.
President Kruger accepted this fort on behalf of the Republican Government on 18th January, 1898. It also was manned by about thirty men of the State Artillery, while one of the famous Long Tom le Creusot 15 mm cannon was mounted on a wooden undercarriage. At a later stage all the forts were provided with electricity and linked together by a telegraph system by Cor. Delfos.
Fort Klapperkop.
When the Anglo-Boer War broke out in October, 1899, the Long Tom and other artillery under the command of Lt.-Col. S. P. E. Trichardt were sent to Ladysmith and the other fronts. It was intended to bring the guns back to Pretoria later on, but the British advance from the south was so rapid that the defenders of Pretoria found the forts unoccupied and unarmed when the British force approached. Consequently no shot was ever fired from the forts and when the British occupied Pretoria, Fort Klapperkop and all the other Republican military installations became the property of the British Crown.
After the establishment of the Union of South Africa, the fort was used for military signalling and observation purposes, but Comdt.-Gen. C. F. Beyers felt even at that time that it should be preserved as a monument for future generations. This idea was partly achieved in 1938 when the Historical Monuments Commission proclaimed the fort as a monument. When the Second World War broke out the Department of Defence took over the fort for storing ammunition and used it for that purpose until 1950. It became more and more dilapidated until it was decided a few years ago to use it for a military
museum. The restoration of the fort was commenced without delay. Dr. Ploeger writes: ‘During the fifth year of the Republic of South Africa - - - Fort Klapperkop was given a new, worthy function . . - The pentagonal fort with the treasures in the museum forms a precious inviolate part of our military and political history and our military traditions; traditions which are anchored in the South African army of today and will inspire the future defenders of our country’.
Proclaimed 1938"
Visual Description:
Colours:
Site Features:
Condition:
Construction Date:
Materials:
Catalogue: , No: , Significance Category: