CONGOSKRAAL /. CONCOSKRAAL

RAIL SIDING NEAR TO NANAGA: CONCOSKRAAL VS CONGOSKRAAL.
SITUATED AROUND 50KM EAST OF PORT ELIZABETH

RIVER KOMGHA VS VILLAGE OF KOMGA

ORIGIN MAY BE FROM CHIEF U'CHUNGWA. XHOSA CHIEF IN THIS REGION FROM AROUND 1774 TO 1816.

CONCOSKRAAL STATION


CONCOSKRAAL NEAR TO SPRINGMOUNT. TURN OFF AT KINKELBOS STASIE FOR ABOUT 10K OF DIRT ROAD


;
RON EXPLAINS ABOUT CONCOSKRAAL


THE ROAD SIGN SAYS CONGOSKRAAL WHILE THE SIDING AT THE DISUSED RAIL STATION READS CONCOSKRAAL



CONGOSKRAAL VS CONCOSKRAAL
OCTOBER 2013

A couple of years ago (November 2011), on the mountain bike ride along the farm road between Kinklebos Stasie and Springmount we came to the T junction which turns off to the tar road between Nanga and Alexandria.

At this point we stopped for a drink and explored the old ruined station siding. The rail line was long ago abandoned and is overgrown with bush.
But through the trees we could see the old siding name: CONCOSKRAAL.

I wondered where this name came from but never found the answer. Then on a later trip between Nanaga and Alexandria I noticed that the roadside sign read CONGOSKRAAL and became even more curious.

I did a little research in the Walmer Library and on the Internet but could not find a suitable answer. I spoke about this riddle to a couple of people but no one was able to give a suitable explanation. Graham suggested that I should contact Margaret Harradine. Somehow I never got to doing this until recently. Barbara and I were on our way back from Alexandria and passed the Congoskraal Sign on the R62. I then phoned Graham to remind me of this contact name. When home I looked up the number and then called Margaret.

I explained my dilemma and Margaret agreed to do some research the next time she was in the main PE library. Well within the hour I received a call back. The puzzle was about to be solved.

SIGNS ALONG THE N2 INDICATE THAT THIS IS FRONTIER COUNTRY. READING ABOUT CHIEF uCHUNGWA VALIDATES THE SIGNAGE.

King Tshiwo of the Gqunukwebe tribe ruled the land west of the Buffalo River. His son, Tshaka had a son Chungwa.
Chungwa (or uChungwa) ruled over the Gqunukwebe tribe from 1774. Chungwa may have been one of the lesser known chiefs at the time however history shows that his rule stretched from the Buffalo River to Graaff Reinet and down to the Zwaartkops (Swatkops) River. During his rule he both tried to repress cattle raiding and also attacked white farmers and left destruction. He formed an alliance with Stuurman of the Khoi Khoi who had settled around the Gamtoos River.

The British evicted Stuurman and jailed him on Robben Island.
In 1816 Chief Chungwa was ill and the British shot and killed him. It is also reported that he was "killed in a skirmish with the boers".

Chungwa had two sons, Phato and Kama. The British recognized Kama as the paramount chief. This was probably due to the fact that Kama had converted to Christianity.

Phato ruled over the inland area now known as Middeldrift while Kama ruled the coastal area of Tsholomnqa.
Phato is today recognized by "ordinary Xhosa people" as the true lineage of the clan of the Ama-Gqunukwebe.

The name Chungwa was misspelled over the years and so both the names CONCOSKRAAL and CONGOSKRAAL are incorrect translations / spelling of the original uChungwa. During the period 1811 to 1812 the Gqunukwebe and other Xhosa tribes were evicted by the British from farming west of the Fish River.

Previous wars between tribes and between Boers had been of a lesser scale. The objective of these "wars" were to steal cattle and women or to abduct men as slaves. The war of 1811-1812 was a total election and elimination of the people and the tribes west of the Fish River. It may have been the last time that Chungwa would have had cattle Kraals in the area now known as Nanaga and CONCOSKRAAL.

I believe that the name of the river Khomga (between PE and Grahamstown) and the Eastern Cape Town; Komga (just West of the Kei River) may also both originate from the name of the ruling chief in the early 1800's, uChungwa.

ON THE N2 BETWEEN PE AND GRAHAMSTOWN YOU CROSS THE KOMGHA RIVER

THE KOMGHA RIVER AS SEEN ON THE N2 BETWEEN GRAHAMSTOWN AND PE. I WONDER IF THIS IS ALSO A MISTRANSLATION / MISSPELLING OF CHUNGWA?




NOVEMBER 2011. DURING OUR SUNDAY MORNING CYCLE WE DISCOVER THE RAIL SIDING CALLED CONCOSKRAAL

Sunday morning started off with a MTB ride at Kinklebos stasie. Ron, Ben and I loaded Gerald's trailer and drove out to the turn off. We started at around 6am and road in an Easterly direction. We passed a number of farms. I looked out for the farm belonging to Graham Moolman but could not find it. The old rail line is now totally out of use and overgrown. Ben and Ron are a little stronger than I am and I had to sweat to stay with them. We passed the turn off to the Steyn's farm and just a little further on we came across the T Junction for Springmount farms. Here there is an old disused house and the rail siding for ConcosKraal station. This morning was perfect for cycling. It was slightly cooler with a drizzle at times. I enjoyed the sensation of the cold and wet on my arms and face. We rode at a steady pace which I was able to maintain for most of the ride. I find this MTB riding incredibly relaxing and being out in the fields is good for my soul. Hopefully we will be able to continue doing these rides over the weekends ahead.



COWS ON THE FIELD


CONCOSKRAAL STATION
RON EXPLAINED THAT CONCOS WAS A XHOSA CHIEF WHO HAD A SONGOMA (SPIRITUAL ADVISER) WHO COULD FIND WATER IN THE DUNES. IT WAS ONLY AS A RESULT OF THIS ABILITY THAT ALLOWED CHIEF CONCOS TO MOVE ACROSS THE FISH RIVER AND DOWN TO THE ALGOA BAY AREA.

The strange thing is that Concoskraal is also known as Congos kraal. On the main road the sign shows the way to Congoskraal station. I am also able to find a book written around 1848 by Daniel Kidder called the Young Basuto boy or Congos kraal: This book tells the story of an orphaned Basuto boy who moves to Port Elizabeth to find work but encounters a missionary and is converted to Christianity. The book describes South Africa at the time as a place populated by a great number of heathen nations and tribes. Tribes called Caffres found in the Congos Kraal area. The young Basuto Boy comes from this tribe. His father was a king or chief and was killed by a marauding tribe plundering and killing. The boy was taken captive and sold to the Boers and then to an Englishman.

I also find that in August 2009 there was a Parliamentary Question regarding the claim of the CongosKraal community as to the state of the claim of this community to Land Restitution. The answers given were that the original claimant was Mr Arthur Nosilela and he had died and the Land Claims dept was having difficulty in finding a representative for this community as they were wide spread.



SPRINGMOUNT TRAILS; THIS IS WHERE WE HAD RUN A TRAIL RUN ORGANISED BY DALLAS AND JANE BARNARDO.


RAIL LINE TO THE NEAREST TREE; THIS DISUSED LINE RUNS ALONGSIDE THIS FARM ROAD.




RON AND BEN AT THE OLD HOUSE SPRINGMOUNT TRAIL T JUNCTION

VICTORIA CROSS MEMORIAL NEAR TO KOMGA.

A stone monument honours Major Hans Garett Moore. The first recipient of the Victoria Cross in South Africa. During the Battle of Draaibosch; Fought here on 29th December 1877; Moore and three others went to the assistance of a Comrade named Private Giese who had been overtaken by the Gaika warriors. Their heroic attempt failed to save Giese. Moore was stabbed in the arm.


From the Times Newspaper, February 27 1878.
The Newspaper report reads as follows: "About two miles from the ruins of Macdonalds Canteen, our right patrol came upon a body of about 300 Kaffres, who were advancing in our direction; the troop was ordered to dismount to reprieve them, but after firing a few shots, retired. The Kaffres followed up and having overtaken one man, Private Giese, who was dismounted, killed him with assegais, despite the efforts of a few to rescue him. I grieve to say we were unable to recover the body."

The next day Moore led a patrol that was attacked by a Xhosa army of 1000 men on foot and 600 mounted warriors. (the Times newspaper report says 600men and 50 mounted warriors). Moore and his men held off the attackers who eventually fled. Moore returned to England and in 1879 wrote his own recommendation for the VC. The award upset the men who rode with him. Moore retired in 1888 and drowned when sailing off the coast of Ireland. The Plaque in memory of Moore was first erected on a Cairn on the national (R63) road and is now housed in the Anglican Church of Komga.

BATTLE OF DRAAIFONTEIN NEAR TO KOMGA WHERE MOORE ENGAGED WITH THE LOCAL PEOPLE AND WROTE HIS OWN RECOMMENDATION FOR A VICTORIA CROSS

BATTLE OF DRAAIFONTEIN KOMGA

LOVE TO FIND SIGNS LIKE THIS ONE

PUPLIC GARDENS FOR USE BY SCHOOL PUPILS?

This sign reads Phalo Route: this is not the Son of Chungwa -- Phato. Phalo is the son of Tsihwo; and King Phalo ruled 1700 to 1775. He was the last king of a United Xhosa Nation.

Phalo had two warring sons: Gcaleka who was east of the Kei River and Rharhabe who settled on the Western side of the Kei (Ciskei). This division split the Xhosa Nation.

 The name Komga is said to mean "lots of Clay". There is a monument in Komga to remember the epic ride of Dick King --- 960km between Port of Natal (Durban) to Grahamstown. On horseback in 10 days. Over what must have been some really tough terrain.

 Komga -- I wonder if this name does not eminate from Chief Chungwa?

 On the N2 between East London and the Kei River is the turn off to Komga.

 At this particular turn off there is often a small economic activity as local sell produce and even cooked meals on the side of the road.

Just before the road to the Kei Bridge is the turn off to Tyityaba. This is where I turn off to Mpotsheni Game park. This is where I stay when visiting the Butterworth and Dutywa shops.