Dirt & Trail Aug2020

swept away and was never rebuilt. We looked
around and didn’t see a safe place to cross.
We did however find another gate which took
us deeper into the farm. We eventually get
to a spot where we see jeep tracks crossing
through the river. We get off of our bikes
to investigate first. We really didn’t want to
drown the bikes, or worse, get eaten by a
flat dog! After successfully crossing the deep
river we leave the farm via yet another gate
and presto, we pop out on the other side
of the broken bridge. With nothing more
than a vague line and a GPS coordinate for
Jack’s Pass guiding our way, it is exciting
figuring out where to go and traversing all the
unknown tracks.
We continue on the tarred patrol road
for a number of kilometres along no man’s
land, which is also known as the Madimbo
corridor. Back in the 1960s the previous
government removed the Gumbu, Sigonde,
Bend Mutale, Tshenzhelani, Masisi, Tshikuyu
and Mutele communities from the area to
create this buffer zone and to build the
Soutpansberg Military Base. To this day the
local people are disputing their claim to the
fertile lands along the Limpopo River, but no
clarity has yet been gained as to how this
land will be divided.
We see a couple of SANDF soldiers on
patrol and stop to assure them we are
not smugglers. They are all really friendly
chaps from the Northern Cape that had
been stationed there for over a month and
honestly just couldn’t wait to go home. They
told us the road ahead is clear of all danger
and we can safely proceed. I really do feel
for these guys, they have an impossible task
guarding a vast border with no border fence!
As we continue down the patrol road a white
bakkie speeds towards us. It was getting
closer fast, showing absolutely no intention of
slowing down! We both pull off to the side of
the road to get out of his way, when suddenly
he turns the vehicle down a bush path, not
even slowing down for the turn. I nervously
grip my handlebars and slowly exhale. I think
we just dodged the smugglers…
Slightly shaken by the experience, but not
enough to give up the task at hand, we keep
on riding until we get to the Soutpansberg
Military Base. A female soldier waves us
through with a smile and I return her gesture
with a big thumbs up. The dirt road goes
right past the grounds of the base and
Johan on Jack’s Pass
Part of Popallin Ranch, right
on top of a koppie overlooking
the Limpopo River
Sunset over the Nwanedzi
River at DeWet’s Camp
SANDF soldiers report
the way is clear
We reach the Kruger
National Park Fence which
we followed to Pafuri Gate
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