BY Aurelia Mbokazi-Kashe
If like me, you are not a farmer, you probably never heard of Bothaville, Free State, and possibly made the mistake of thinking Klerksdorp, North West, was a small dorpie. But, when you have a farming enthusiast for a boss-friend, you get to know about the price of maize, and even fall in love with dorpies.
Over the years Mabs has never missed a moment to regale me, and anyone who will listen, about Nampo Harvest Day Expo which takes place annually in Bothaville and is the most important date on a farmer’s calendar. It was the stories of rich farmers who land their choppers and small aircraft on an airstrip in the middle of maize fields that caught my attention, more than the most beautiful Bonsmara cattle that can be found in the expo.
However, all this was just FYI to me until an email screaming “We are going go Nampo” from Alphi Sipho Mkwanazi landed in my inbox. It was written in capitals nogal, for grammatic effect. Strangely, accommodation for the team had been secured two months before the expo and it was in some guest house in Klerksdorp. I was confused. Why were we staying in North West to attend an expo in Free State?
The drive
On a stormy Monday, 13 May 2024, the Xploreza team – four members to be exact – set for No 9 Wena Avenue Guesthouse in Klerksdorp, our home for two nights. After carefully packing the boot of the VW T-Cross to fit our four overnight suitcases, we were on our way. We drove through Carletonville and Potchefstroom before arriving at our destination, some two hours later.
The road was in a fairly good condition with clear markings and it was an easy drive. I enjoyed being in the back passenger seat for once, and the T-Cross surprisingly had ample space, legroom and even headroom. Overall, it was an enjoyable ride spent listening to a playlist of popular R&B hits that were a soundtrack to our youth.
First impressions
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Klerksdorp is quite a metropolis. It had once hosted the country’s first stock exchange back in the day, a combination of mining and farming economies. As we navigated to the guesthouse, we spotted several restaurants that were good options for dinner. When we eventually located the guesthouse, after some wrong turns, we were warmly welcomed by our enthusiastic host, Rozel Steyn. The guesthouse consists of a few outside rooms in a large home. There are no frills – just a good old bed and shower facilities, and much some privacy. We booked three rooms, with two of us sharing the large room with two double beds. While the place was undergoing some renovations, these did not impact negatively on our stay.
The décor is an eclectic mixture of the 80’s nostalgia, in some of the bathrooms, and some modern touches modeled on farm style. Amenities on the property include tea and coffee facilities in each room, a common dining space on the patio, a well-manicured garden, and a swimming pool for warm days. The rooms are clean and spacious, and you have mod-cons like the air-conditioner for bitterly cold nights. The area gets quite cold, and sadly they don’t have enough blankets to keep you warm at night.
On our first night, we chose a table at Mozambik restaurant, and the food did not disappoint. The service was swift despite the large turnout for a Monday night, and their servers were attentive. It turns out, Klersdorp comes alive each year as hordes of farmers and enthusiasts make their way to Nampo. As the more developed town compared to the sleepy Bothaville, it is the perfect gateway to Nampo, hence the hive of activity on a Monday night.
Our schedule was tight. In the mornings we drove to Bothaville, some 40 minutes away, and returned late in the evening. Rozel, her husband, and their adorable seven-year-old poodle, Leila, were amazing company and always available to assist and make our stay as comfortable. We felt at home, having long chats around their ample dinner table on the patio. While the guest house does not cater for meals, we bought takeaways and used their cutlery and crockery to enjoy our dinner.
Nampo Expo
Driving to Bothaville we were surrounded by mealies on both sides of the road and some random maize billboards for stretches of kilometres. It was clear that we had entered the ‘maize belt’ and Mabs continued to regale us with nuggets of information, including songs dedicated to the crop we take for granted. Even with all this information and enthusiasm, nothing prepared us for the actual venue. It was a sight to behold, and yet the helicopters and planes were not a myth. In fact, this year’s Nampo expo turned out to be largest ever – with Farmers Weekly reporting that over 16 000 visitors, 55 planes, and 13 helicopters landed on the first day alone. Walking from the parking lot to the gates was quite an exercise and we all needed to remember where we had parked if we wanted to find our way back home. The stalls were amazing and there was an information overload with each one jostling to get people’s attention. The regulars had walking sticks, a better to navigate this huge expo.
It was astonishing to see so many fine legs from men as the majority of boere showed up in their kakhi shorts. After two days of immersing ourselves in all things farming, enjoying some of the best boerewors rolls and biltong, we were ready to return to our normal lives, with much appreciation for farmi
