25 Jan 2017

Every village or city has its own identification, either from its history or anything outstanding enough to catch people’s attention. 

For its part, Takatokwane village has its identity on the local pan that spans the eastern part of the village.

According to history, the name of the village, Takatokwane which means brown clay soil “Taka-thokwana” was derived from this very pan that is characterised by salty water and salty clay soils. 

Occupying a large hectarage of space, legend has it that the pan once had an airstrip that was used by tourists coming to the area, fenced with gum-poles that are still visible even to this day. 

Magnificent to the eye especially during the rainy season, residents often go there to relax beach style, and its good water retention ensures that the residents enjoy such activities for a longer time even after the rains have gone.

When filled to its capacity the pan gives the village a shiny appearance and acts like a great mirror as the rays of the sun reflect through to the roofs of buildings along its shores, and even after drying up, it does not lose its fantastic sight as the white saline soil remains shiny. 

For a long time the Takatokwane pan has remained the pride and source of life for rsidents. In the early 90s the pan used to be the drinking hole for so many wild animals, making it a favourite hunting ground for the people then.

During the day it was a source of water for cattle and then a hunting ground during the night. When the years passed by and the area began to get dry, people began to settle around as a source of water security.

As the population increased and the area now turned into a village, it began to become a recreational place used for activities such as swimming, car and horse races as well as photoshoots mostly during wedding ceremonies and even attracting outsiders.

Infact, horse racing competitions used to be so popular an activity at the pan such that even neighbouring villages like Dutlwe, Motokwe and Maboane used to congregate there for the activity.

Residents are still hopeful that should the pan be conserved properly and advertised for tourism purposes, it could still sustain the village in one way or the other for a long time, just like it has done for past decades.BOPA