The Penny Gate

The Penny Gate was a gate in the road that led to north Bokveld, exactly on the border between the Louw and Kotzé parts of the site on Willemsrivier. Each year with the October communion, which was a big fund drive for the church, all the farmers of the Northern Bokveld rode in with their horse, donkeys and donkey carts. Then there were tents and fabric houses that popped up on the church square for the weekend’s activities.

During the Friday of this communion week, Mr Tienkie Kotzé, then approximately 10 years old, went and waited with the farm workers kids at this gate. When a wagon and a team of horses approached, Tienkie raced to the gate to open it. When the wagon rode through, the gate was closed again. For his efforts he was awarded a penny each time, hence the name penny gate.

By the end of the 1960’s the gate was removed by the local board so that the road could be better maintained.