Viljoenskroon is a small farming town in the Free State Province of South Africa, located at the crossing of the R76, between Bothaville and Vredefort, and the R59, Between Kroonstad and Orkney. Viljoenskroon is very centrally situated in this area of the Free state, with Orkney, Bothaville, Vredefort, Parys, Kroonstad and Potchefstroom within a 60 km range.
Viljoenskroon History
Viljoenskroon was laid out in 1921, on the farm Mahemskraal, owned by JJ Viljoen, which became the municipality of Viljoenskroon in 1925.
The town was obviously named for the original owner of the land where Viljoenskroon was laid out, but some sources credit the "kroon" part of the name to the owner's horse. I was not able to verify this.
Viljoenskroon Economy
Viljoenskroon falls within the maize triangle of South Africa, and borders on the Vaal Triangle Industrial Complex. Viljoenskroon is mainly a maize and cattle farming town, but various mining activities also take place in the Viljoenskroon area. Gold, diamonds, uranium and coal deposits are mined nearby.
The Sandfontein Museum, the only museum I was able to find in the Viljoenskroon area, is devoted to tractors of all kinds. I see this as a strong clue that the people of Viljoenskroon are very dependant on agricultural activities, especially maize production, for their income. Maize, wheat, sunflowers, ground-nuts, potatoes and cattle are some of the agricultural products produced on farms in the Viljoenskroon area.
Viljoenskroon Municipality
Viljoenskroon Municipality is the local municipality for Viljoenskroon, which falls under the Lejweleputswa District Municipality.
Real Estate in Viljoenskroon
On my visit to Viljoenskroon, Mr. Blikkies Blignaut at Viljoenskroon Municipality was extremely helpful in providing information about the town. Mr. Blignaut is very positive about the future outlook for Viljoenskroon and its people. Real estate investors also seem to agree with this positive view.
For at least 12 years, serveral vacant erven in Viljoenskroon remained in the posession of the Viljoenskroon Municipality. No buyers were interested in buying these residential erven. But in the last 6 months before June 2006, interest suddenly increased dramatically, and all the available erven has since been sold! The average price of these erven was around R3 000 each.
The fact that two diamond mines will be opening in the vicinity of Viljoenskroon soon, talk of a diesel-from-maize refinery similar to the one planned for Bothaville, and optimism about the possibilities of tourism in the Viljoenskroon area, which includes a part of the World Heritage Vredefort Domes area, are some of the reasons for the optimism about the future of Viljoenskroon.
As with most of the small towns in South Africa, people are generally friendly and helpful. The people make the town, after all, and Viljoenskroon is a firendly Free State town.
Other interesting stuff about Viljoenskroon
When entering Viljoenskroon from the west, via the R59 from Bothaville, you might be surprised to spot lions. Yes, lions! And lots of them! The lions are safely caged, though, and belong to The Lion Trust, a privately owned lion breeding facility. I was awed, and a bit sad, at the sight of the numerous lions just outside of Viljoenskroon.
Viljoenskroon made headlines around the world when the farmers of the Groenebloem Farmers Association released their 2005 calender ("Kaal-ender"), featuring various typical Free State farmers posing in the nude. This boep and bum extravaganza was photgraphed by the local photographer, Danie Blignaut, of the House of Replica in Theron Street, Viljoenskroon.
Proceeds from the sale of the calender was donated to charity organisations in Viljoenskroon.
I am happy to report that I am the proud owner of one of these limited edition Viljoenskroon "Kaal-enders". It is just a pity that I was too late to buy one of those vacant Viljoenskroon erven...
