The Witkop Blockhouse is a very distinctive design and is located along the railway line between Vereeniging and Elandsfontein (Germiston) . It is easily seen when traveling south on the R59 highway just before the Engen One Stop on the left hand side of the road.
The Blockhouses were built on the orders of the British Commander-in Chief, Field Marshal Lord Roberts, in March 1900 in order to protect the railway line which was the main route for supplies, monies and ammunition. They were expanded by Lord Kichener throughout South Africa on the main railway lines.A most unusual feature of this type of blockhouse is a pair of angle bastions at diagonally opposite corners, which were designed to provide for the flanking fire along the walls, similar to the function of Machouli galleries on other patterns, but at ground level. This blockhouse is a two level structure with a lookout tower. The Witkop Blockhouse was declared a national monument in 1948 and is one of the last fifty left in our country.
Many of the blockhouses were built by black South Africans under British supervision. This Blockhouse is strategically built on a Koppie which would have given visibility to Johannesburg. A large number of the troops guarding the line of communication and blockhouses were from militia, part time civilian soldiers. In addition up to 16000 africans were used to protect the line at night.
