subject: South Africa 4x4 and SA's greatest mind [print this page] South Africa 4x4 and SA's greatest mind
"Sudden the desert changes
The raw glare softens and clings,
Till the aching Oudtshoorn ranges
Stand up like the thrones of kings."
-Rudyard Kipling on the Swatberg Pass-
The Swartberg pass is without a doubt one of the greatest engineering feats ever completed in South Africa. 4x4 Hire is the most comfortable way for a visiting tourist to see this amazing achievement and experience the majesty of the mountain range that divides the Groot and Klein Karoo. This mountain range displays some of the most striking and easily recognisable examples of Cape Fold Mountains. With the pass reaching a height of 1583 metres above sea level the views across the Karoo are spectacular and are something that every visitor should experience in South Africa. 4x4 hire car or not.
Amazingly very little on the road has been changed, minor restorative work was undertaken and safety assessments are conducted at regular intervals but the road you can drive today is largely the road that Thomas Bain and his crew built. In fact it has yet to be tarred which is amazing when one considers its popularity with people going on road trips in South Africa. 4x4 car hire is not essential but will make the drive slightly more comfortable and probably safer after heavy rains. Howeverif one considers that when the road was built it was traversed with ox wagons by the farmers of South Africa, 4x4 car rental doesn't seem completely necessary.
The pass was completed in 1886 and was officially opened in 1888.It was designed and constructed by Thomas Bain the son of Andrew Bain, the engineer behind the equally spectacular Bain's Kloof pass. When the Swartberg pass was first proposed local authorities were understandably sceptical, legend has that a discouraging telegram was sent by an MP saying, "Mr Bain, I predict your report will be extremely short, it will be but one word: IMPASSABLE," to which Thomas replied, : "You were correct, Mr Luttig, my report is indeed short. In fact, it is shorter than you anticipated. It is but one word: PASSABLE." 7 years later Thomas Bain had his road, a masterpiece of engineering and a national monument to this day.
The anonymous tragedy of this stunning mountain pass is the convict labour that was used in the construction. They were often mistreated and received absolutely no recognition for their work this is not so much a reflection on Thomas Bain but more a reflection on the country at the time. The precise number of prisoners used is unknown and varies from 200 to over 1000. This part of the country is subjected to snow in winter and extreme heat in summer, this was long before the days of South Africa 4x4 car hire and it is unknown how many labourers perished doing the work or making the trek up the mountain.
A drive through the Karoo is a highlight of any road trip through South Africa and this drive cannot be called complete until you have driven over the Swartberg Mountain pass. If attempting this drive in South Africa, 4x4 car rental would be recommended if only for comforts sake.
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