Did You Know?
The Heliograph Buffelshoek African Hills site near Magaliesburg, Gauteng, dates to 1899, during the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902). Heliographs were communication devices using mirrors to flash sunlight in Morse code, allowing long-distance signaling across rugged terrain. This specific site was likely used by Boer forces to relay messages between defensive positions in the Magaliesberg range, a strategic area for Boer commandos operating against British columns. The Magaliesburg region saw significant skirmishes, including the Battle of Buffelspoort (December 1899), where Boer forces used the hills for cover and communication. While no detailed records of this exact heliograph station survive, its location aligns with known Boer signaling networks that linked key points like Rustenburg and Pretoria.
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