Balfour, Mpumalanga! S1 - Ep 570

The excitement for our visit to Balfour in Mpumalanga was palpable, as it was our first time exploring towns in this province. As we drove through the town, we noticed signs of neglect, particularly the numerous potholes lining the streets. However, after speaking to some of the locals, we were struck by their enduring love for the town and their determination to make it a better place. This resilience was evident as we passed through the suburbs, where the properties were well-maintained and the gardens were beautifully tended, painting a starkly different picture from the town’s infrastructure. It was truly inspiring to witness the pride and effort of the community in Balfour.
#DustBugs #DustBugsTravel #AdventureTravel #SouthAfrica #SouthAfricanVlog #TravelOnGravel #mpumalanga #balfour
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[@ingeborgvanderveer789]

Volgens mij een unicum in de DustBugs episodes dat we hier een oude oorspronkelijke NG kerk zien waar aan vast de nieuwe jaren 50 is gebouwd. Gelukkig heeft men nog 233 leden, dat valt me nog mee. Jammer dat uit navraag van Sonja blijkt dat alle verdere tekenen uit tijden van weleer kennelijk vernietigd/ verwijderd zijn. Dat gebouw uit 1921 krijgt hopelijk nog eens een opknapbeurt, de structuur lijkt nog prima. Altijd leuk als jullie weer een stationsbord ontdekken, al blijft Zuidelijke station een mysterie 😅

[@deonzar]

To all the people of Balfour that stuck it out there, good luck to you guys, I really wish you all a happy future.

[@yvonnecoetzee3508]

It is a beautiful province, but just very broken, i have always lived in this province

[@zinimountglobal]

Yoh! You visited Mpumalanga for the first time. Wow. You two are the only people I've seen on YT that travels to cites and towns in SA.

[@MariaVenter-n4k]

Oh my. Those high electrified fences tell their own story. We visited Ermelo and slept at the guest farm Tolderia. It was the most beautiful tranquil place I'v seen and experience outside the boarders of Western Cape

[@maggiediedericks761]

Never visited Balfour sad to see the neglect of the town, but good to see the other side of good houses and neat gardens

[@rosemarymoolman6765]

We lived on the property at Grootvlei Power Station from 1973 to 1975. I went to primary school at the mine. It was called Springfield. We enjoyed living there. Balfour was quite a nice little town then. Mpumalanga is a beautiful province, so green. We lived at Camden Power Station for 10 years and then Ermelo 37 years. Chrissiesmeer is a beautiful place.

[@mariusroos]

Nice trip. The signs of decay are clearly visible. So sad. Must have been a busy town back in the days. Thank you for taking us to Balfour. Looking forward to the next trip

[@elmawj]

I was born in Villiers 07/08/1955. My parents lived on a farm near Grootvlei. I went to Grootvlei primary school and to Balfour High school. After we got married, we lived in Balfour in Minnaar street. The street that the combination school is in. We moved to Germiston in 1998. The only reason why the road going to the combined school is in a good state is due to the parents that re-tarred that road. The coal mine was at Grootvlei but closed down long ago. There is supposed to be a new gold mine but it failed now for the second time. It is so sad to see the total devastation of a once wonderful town.

[@gollygosh40]

Born 1956, also went to balfour high school, remember some of the teachers: potgieter-science; haasbroek-woodwork; blackie swart-history who my backside remembers very well. Who knows, maybe we were in the same class?

[@johangouws8855]

Hi Elma, ek is ook in Villiers gebore (01/06/1955) en het van my kinderjare in Balfour deurgebring. My pa se broer Fanie Gouws het buite Balfour geboer. Jy lyk baie bekend ………Dit is hartseer om die verval te sien.

[@elmawj]

@@johangouws8855 Omm Fanie Gouws was getroud met my ma se oudste suster, tannie Nakkie

[@charlietreston4035]

Hi guys this is what i Iike about dustbugs you see real places. The big Eskom plant coal trucks in abundance shows how industrial SA is the powerhouse of Africa. I read in the comments it was guard Ed by the army. The moving train full of coal cars large railway complex was impressive and you found the station name boards great stuff. It always makes me smile when you drive on the platform ☺️ only 50 miles south of joberg .the cbd was a bit run down but I did spot a little bakie. New one on me the massive wagon wheel pizza oven .we'll kept DRF church I can understand why different churches used the same land it seems practical to me. The big property's behind the mosque reminds me of when I put aerials up in Lenaisia the whole family lives in one house. As you said the suburbs looked tidy with the people making a effort. And the school with big sports fields is positive. Industrial video thanks for taking me along cheerio till the next one

[@melodylupberger8848]

Interesting 🎉

[@tonytinderal]

The gold mine near Balfour is the Burnstone Gold Mine owned by Sibanye Stilwater

[@kennethdshort]

Hi Curtis and Sonia Great to see you are exploring Mpumalanga towns. Getting ever closer to Ermelo!!❤ Sad to see neglect in Balfour. Thanks for showing us the real on the ground South Africa. Good to see there is some rail infrastructure still being used . Coal in railway cars ! Glad to see that still exists. I have probably passed through the town or nearby. As per my tradition the next town will be Standerton

[@kennethdshort]

Thanks!

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you so much! 😊 It will always be our goal to show any place exactly the way we found it on the random day of our visit. It was pretty sad to see the state of Balfour, but as always we had to look for the upside. 🚙😁

[@1812nico]

Hi you two! Thanks for this interesting trip. It is good to see and hear the truth about some places. I'm sure Balfour will be able to pick itself up if all is not left to be done by the community members only. Looking forward to the next trip! Keep safe!

[@rosemarymoolman6765]

Mpumalanga definitely the province for power stations.

[@samsonkjoseph6087]

Baie dankie vriende.

[@ChristaGodley]

Hi Sonia en Curtis kyk ek het al baie van plek gehoor het nie geweet is groot nie jammer als gaan so agteruit, dankie vir al die inligting wat Sonia so gereeld vir ons gee wardeer dit baie mooi loop en wees veilig

[@johangouws8855]

Way back then the NG and NH (Dutch Reform in Africa) amalgamated for a few years but split up again …. I know the present Dutch Reform in Africa was build later as my Dads family attended it for many years. The NG church with the Hall surely came from the time of amalgamation. Balfour has always been a very small town and Balfour North station was the only station I ever knew. The shops and houses around the mosque belonged to the Muslim community, as they were not allowed shops in town. I recall my grandma doing business at Essa’s store in the early sixties.

[@annawitter5161]

So! A salt and pepper pot! Cooling towers 🤣 and one for Aromat. The town vibe is sad. And there seems to be a lot of neglect. Good to see some of the railway is still active. It must have been a busy station in it's day. That's a whopper of a mosque! Must be a large Muslim population. Thank you for showing us Balfour

[@Helgardt6189]

Lothair and Chrissiesmeer is very pretty.

[@jcr_jcr]

Enoyed your visit to Balfour, Mpumalanga. Interesting to see the power station at work. Do you still experience load sheddingin SA? You used to mention it in the past.

[@DustBugsTravel]

We had about ten months of uninterrupted power supply since April 2024. This past weekend we had two days of loadshedding, which has been suspended again. We continue to live in hope that our beautiful country will once again be the powerhouse it once was in terms of electricity generation. 🇿🇦💡

[@tonytinderal]

Grootvlei PS was commissioned between 1969 and 1977, with an installed capacity of 1200 MW. In 2022 the SANDF was deployed there to address threats of sabotage, theft and corruption.

[@sicko_the_ew]

I think I had this name mixed up with Bethal in my mind (was expecting an unusually pretty town for this country, and what I saw, looked like a huge wipe-out). Phew! I'm glad to see I was wrong. (If I recall correctly, it was always a place we'd bypass heading in the direction of Standerton, and I think it might've even been one of the earliest to have squatter camps along the bypass - which are gone now, so that's an upgrade, if I'm not making yet another mistake.) It's almost within commuting distance of Jo'burg, so maybe the suburbs are full of people who work on the East Rand?

[@DustBugsTravel]

We didn't get that idea, but I suppose it's certainly possible. We were thinking more along the lines of folks who work locally, like at the power station, school, beef and fruit processing facilities and many other smaller businesses in town. 🚙🏘️

[@chrisprins1]

Ek het groot geword op Balfour. Het in 1978 verlaat en begin werk. Was daar op laer skool en hoèrskool gewees. Die paviljoen by die hoerskool was begin bou in 1976 en was voltooi in 1977. Ek was deel van die bou van die rugby veld en paviljoen het daar op rugby gespeel en atletiek gedoen. Mnr Haasbriek ons houtwerk onderwyser was die hoof ingeneur van die bou van die veld. Dr Victor was toe ons skoolhoif gewees. Ons het in Rissik straat gewoon

[@susannaemmerich1166]

Now you know why the road is soooo bad, trucks full of coal. Which as you probably know used to come by rail!!!!🙃👍👀💥

[@gollygosh40]

Fining municipalities, fining the tax payer. Chuck them in jail, that's how it should work. Went to school in Balfour. Grootvlei mine was operational in the late 60's when attending boarding school. Such a shame, used to be a vibrant, thriving community. Africa addio.

[@vonrecht1236]

Saw a movie called Africa Addio in the sixties. Felt smug: it wasn't going to happen to SA. But hey, didn't count on FW and Roelfie and the boys...Left SA in the nineties.

[@gollygosh40]

@@vonrecht1236 you got it

[@MargaretSmuts]

Ai tog..jammer ons kleiner dorpe gaan so agteruit. Ek het daar grootgeword...my oorlede Pappie het daar in Standard Bank gewerk. Ons het op ñ plot net buite Balfour gebly oppad na Greylingstad. Die McHatties het pragtige plase gehad daar. 😢

[@frederikbrits9559]

Ongelukkig....die dorpie lyk treurig

[@teresagillmer9464]

I wonder if that area with all the lovely houses and near the Mosque are not a Muslim community

[@DustBugsTravel]

We were almost certain that it was predominantly a Muslim area, but it was our opinion only and not based on any confirmation we had received from anyone. It's very possible that there could be other residents also residing in that area. 🚙🏘️

[@yvonnecoetzee3508]

All our electricity comes from these power plants

[@dawievanheerden4416]

Op Grootvlei gebore 1944 en skool gegaan op Balfour.Dit was n netjies drop.Paaie en dorp lyk na teede wereld plek.Ek wil nooit weer wil besoek

[@ElephantKing-n1h]

Ek is mal oor tannie en oom se videos, ek geniet dit ingelooflik baie eks 35 nou en is mal oor natuur en mal oor travel maar kry nie altyd tyd nie maar oom en tannie se videos gee ons kaans om te travel waneer ons nie tyd het om te kan travel nie waneerbons moet werk ek kyk videos in aand en geniet so so baie.

[@thewanderer58]

Sadly a neglected and somewhat scruffy-looking town without any character. Definitely not my idea of a spot to get away to for a weekend!