Gold fever hits Pilgrim's Rest
Kulani Mavunda
20 September 2005
Gold fever has hit the historical gold mining town of Pilgrim's Rest in Mpumalanga once again.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the championships on Monday, Mpumalanga premier Thabang Makwetla said it was fitting that the event came at a time when "the outlook for the fortunes of our country, and indeed our continent, could not have been brighter."
For nine days between September 17 and 25, gold panners from around the world will converge for the 2005 World Gold Panning Championships.
"This is event is for everyone," stressed provincial spokeswoman Zanele Gama. "Even if you have never panned for gold before, you can try your luck in the beginners' categories."
The pros will compete for the world championship title, however, and include teams from Europe, America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Africa.
Those who will be panning for gold will receive a bucket of sand in which tiny, real gold nuggets are hidden. The winner
will find the most nuggets in the shortest time.
And no, they can't keep the nuggets
"The chief judge knows the exact number of nuggets in the buckets of sand and participants will be penalised if any go missing," said Gama.
The Rules Committee of the World Gold Panning Association will be keeping a close eye on the championships.
While the actual competition takes place over six days, from September 20 to 25, the fun will start three days earlier, with a street parade, dance, music and stalls full of goodies.
The provincial government has budgeted R4.3-million to host the event, which will be linked to a festival - including a "pub-crawl" through the town's historic drinking holes - a gold symposium, mineral and jewellery fairs and a traditional wheelbarrow race.
South Africa will be the first country in Africa to host the championships.
The championships are held annually in one of 22 countries that are members of the World Gold Panning
Association.
"We are expecting about 3 000 tourists including competitors at Pilgrim's Rest per day," said event organiser Ria Mills. "A foreign tourist spends between R850 to R1 000 a day, so the town will generate some revenue as well."
Pilgrim's Rest was established during southern Africa's largest recorded gold rush in the early 1870s, when wild west-type gold diggers and adventurers seeking to make their fortune flooded the Pilgrim's River valley.
The town itself was declared a "living museum" and national heritage site 100 years later, in 1974, preserving everything from the printing works, shops, houses, and taverns to local churches and digging sites.
Today, Pilgrim's Rest is one of South Africa's most-visited tourist attractions.
Source: BuaNews
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