Rhino horn stolen from museums

Thieves recently stole two horns from a mounted white rhinoceros at the Iziko South African Museum in Cape Town. The theft is the latest in a series targeting rhino horn at museums. The thieves smashed a reinforced glass cabinet and ripped the horns off one specimen, but could not remove those from another, even though the museum had 24-hour security. The two rhinos on display were historical specimens, dating back to the late 19th century. In 2002 a thief stole an 80cm horn off a specimen of white rhino in the Transvaal Museum in Pretoria. Two years ago thieves broke into the Reinet House Museum in Graaff-Reinet and made off with the horn of a rhino shot in the area 120 years ago. A group of armed men had also stolen horn from the King William's Town Museum.

The Apple Express - steam train memories

A 1904 narrow-gauge railway coach has been restored to its former glory. Coach NG59, an 18-seat, four- compartment carriage with its own toilet, was built by the Bristol Carriage & Wagon Company in the UK. The restoration team included coachbuilders Clive Nel and Pieter van Rooyen, undercarriage builder Willie Schaap, steam fitter Nico Bezuidenhout, process worker Manie Mampen, and Vuyani Dakuse, Theo Drinkrow and Lindi Ndyambo. The restoration work was unveiled recently in Humewood, painted in the green-and-white colour scheme of the Apple Express. n its early years, the coach was used to transport fruit pickers along the Langkloof between Twee Riviere and Misgund. The restoration team has another eight coaches to restore. The Apple Express is seeking sponsors for its heritage coaches. Sponsorship of R5000 per coach will be acknowledged by a brass plaque inside the coach as well as the sponsors having exclusive use of the coach on one trip per year. The Apple Express currently has 22 heritage coaches. The Apple Express is only one of two narrow gauge steam trains still operational in southern Africa. It also runs across the highest narrow gauge bridge in the world – the Van Stadens Bridge, approximately 77 metres (250 ft) – and has one of the longest working narrow gauge tracks. The Van Stadens Bridge was built in 1904 and remains operational for train excursion purposes.

Santarama Miniland

Santarama Miniland, on the banks of Wemmer Pan in Johannesburg's southern suburbs, was opened in 1973 as a fund-raising venture for the South African National Tuberculosis Association (Santa). The 8-acre parkland houses miniature replicas in 1:25 scale of many South African landmarks such as Jan Smuts Airport, the Union Buildings, the Snowflake flour mills in Isando, the Telkom Tower in Johannesburg, and Robben Island. Until a few years ago, companies paid a monthly donation to keep the park in tourist conditions. In 2004 a new management company took over. Funds are needed for much-needed renovations and maintenance. New landmarks such as Sandton City, the Ponte Building, Unisa, and Maropeng are among the planned new features. Santarama Miniland hosts about 67 200 school children and 13 000 adult visitors annually. Santarama Miniland also hosts children’s birthday parties, which they set up in the Kids Zazoo Party and Play Centre. The only other miniland in South Africa, is Mini Town in Durban.

Ghostly coffee shop in Springs

Planet Springs is a unique coffee shop with a history. The corrugated iron house, with its green roof and chickens in the yard, belongs to Gert (aka Swanni) Swanepoel, who is passionate about the town's history. The house is the oldest one in Springs, the earliest record dating back to 1886 which mentions that the owner wanted to give some of his pears to President Paul Kruger. The same pear trees are still there today. In about 1904, nearby houses were lost to sink-holes. The house has a resident ghost - according to those who've seen or heard the ghost, it is a five-year-old boy named Robin, the only person who died in the sink-hole tragedy. The coffee shop was named for its South African celebrities theme.

Valuable donation to museum

The Van Tilburg Museum at the University of Pretoria (UP) houses a collection of about 8000 ceramic pieces. The latest addition comes from the van Zyl family. A rare porcelain serving plate, made in England in 1901, was donated by Lynette van Zyl. The plate belonged to her grandmother who bought it during the Anglo-Boer War. The plate was made by Ceramic Art Company Ltd. of Crown Potteries in Stoke-on-Trent. The donation is in accordance with Lynette's parents' wishes. Percy and Jeanette van Rooijen passed away in 2007.

Bram Fischer birthday exhibition

Bram Fischer would have been 100 years old this year. The National Museum in Bloemfontein recently received a collection of objects that belonged to him. They were donated by his daughters, Ruth Rice and Ilse Wilson, and include the christening robe in which Bram was christened, the rugby jersey and shorts he wore during the Test match between the Free State and the All Blacks at Ramblers in 1928, and a wooden toy chameleon made for him by one of the rebels who was involved in the 1914 Rebellion. Bram had strong family ties with the city - he was born in Bloemfontein in 1908 and died there in 1975. To celebrate his birthday centenary, an exhibition on Bram will be opened by Ilse at the National Museum on 23 April.

Heirloom wedding dress

David Taylor and Catherina (aka Katrien) Mattheus recently got married at Stuart's Garden, Fernkloof Nature Reserve. Dave, from Bristol, England, is a businessman and former rugby player for Bath Rugby Club in Somerset, England. Katrien, the only daughter of Adli Swart, wore a family heirloom wedding dress. The dress belonged to her great-grandmother and was made of pure silk chiffon imported from France. Katrien, an anaesthetist, works at the Royal United Hospital in Bath. The couple live in Southstoke, Bath.