The Moot Valley

Recent years have brought increased forestation to the south of the Magaliesberg range. This is enhanced by patterns of frequent winter veld fires. The Witwatersberg visible in the distance to the south has similar vegetation to the northern low gradient slopes of the Magaliesberg. Many trees in these areas are stunted to shrub status by the summer heat and the shallow soil on the barely covered rock. The southern slopes of both ranges are often densely covered in many of the well-known bushveld tree varieties.

The fertile Moot Valley between the two ranges has been successfully farmed since the 1840’s when the Voortrekkers settled here. Before them the tribe that split off from the Zulus under Mzilikazi spent about 10 years in the neighbourhood, before departing to Zimbabwe to become the Ndebele tribe there.

The inhabitants of the Magaliesberg for many centuries, the Po tribe of Tswana people are still here. Apart from a group of the Po under Mohale Mohale, after whom the Magaliesberg was named that moved south to Thaba Nchu in the Free State in 1847, to escape the wrath of the Voortrekkers. And they still live there (Carruthers, 1990).