Bronkhorstspruit, Northern Gauteng

The little town of Bronkhorstspruit that forms the point of a triangle with Rayton and Bapsfontein, about 50 kilometres east of Pretoria, is a little farming community that deserves a visit for the sheer beauty of the area and because it is home to the Nan Hua Buddhist Temple - the largest Buddhist temple and seminary in Africa.

The Nan Hua Buddhist Temple serves as the headquarters in Africa for the Fo Guang Shan Order (Buddha’s Light Mountain order) - the largest monastery in Taiwan. Bronkhorstspruit donated land to develop the Buddhist educational and cultural complex in 1992, which now has a retreat centre and a guesthouse, and novices, who shave their heads during an annual Head Shaving Ceremony, come from all walks of life and from all over Africa.

Bronkhorstspruit, which began as a railway station, lies on the border between Gauteng and Mpumalanga. Historically, one of the first serious clashes of the First Boer War took place just a few miles east of the town in 1880. The Bronkhorstspruit dam is today a major attraction due to its being one of the most productive bank angling spots in the country. Thick grass lines the banks of the dam, which serve as great cover for bass awaiting their prey, even if they appear a little menacing to would-be anglers.