Before the skyscrapers of Johannesburg dominated the horizon, there was Klerksdorp. Established in 1837 on the banks of the Schoonspruit ("Clear Stream"), it is the oldest European settlement in the former Transvaal. Image: mindat.org While it began as a quiet pastoral escape for Voortrekker pioneers, the discovery of gold in 1885 transformed it into a chaotic, champagne-soaked frontier. Today, Klerksdorp stands as a resilient survivor, bridging the gap between its agrarian r