Joao Albasini – The trader and elephant hunter

Albasini was a man with brain and brawn, as was expected from one to survive harsh Africa back in the days. He established himself as a trader and elephant hunter and soon became known as a formidable man in Lourenco Marques. Later on, he played a very important role in the development of the coastal town and the main access road to the sea from the Transvaal Republic. Until today, a big percentage of the import and exports go through this main access route of the harbor.

Albasini and Louis Trichardt

Albasini was in Lourenco Marques in 1838, during which a very famous Voortrekker named Louis Trichardt arrived in the coastal town after a grueling trek from the Transvaal. Louis Trichardt was fortunate to have met Joao Albasini before he and his group of travelers died due to Malaria. The deceased, together with Louis Trichardt was buried in the town. A memorial was later erected to commemorate their lives.

Albasini establish trade routes and trade posts

During the next several years, Albasini established various trade routes from the inland as far as the Lowveld. He also established a trading post near the area that is known as the Pretoriuskop Rest Camp in Kruger National Park. It was also Albasini who buried Mnr. Willem Pretorius as former Afrikaner who was in search of a road leading to the coast. Pretoriuskop Rest Camp was ultimately named after the later Willem Pretorius.

Proceeding forward, Albasini established an agreement with the Voortrekkers to transport their goods from Lourenco Marques to the trading post. This agreement was also strengthened due to the horrible pests – the tsetse flies. The tsetse flies disappeared after the outbreak of the rinderpest in the late nineteenth century. Horses and cattle were severely affected by the rinderpest and many animals lost their lives due to both the tsetse flies and the rinderpest outbreak.

All the goods were transported via cattle, horses and black tribesmen carried the goods from Lourenco Marques, over the Lebombo Mountains to the trading post. After the goods arrived at the trading post, the Transvalers came to collect it with wagons. They had to travel swiftly through the night to avoid the on slaughter of the harsh tsetse flies during day hours.

Joao Albasini sets up shop

The trading post soon established a permanent shop situated on the western shore of the Phabeni-stream just north of the modern-day Pretoriuskop Rest Camp. The shop was built with mud-bricks, and an A-frame roof made with bamboo-reeds and tall yellow thatched grass. The shop had an open oven, doorposts made from wood and a floor made from hard-baked mud and clay.

Albasini soon made him comfortable here. He even built water channels to water his vegetable and fruit garden. He got the right to the land from Magashula, a local Sotho speaking man from the Kutswe tribe. Albasini gave 22 cows as payment and lived there for only two years.

Albasini ruins, historical site in Kruger National Park near Phabeni Gate

The management of the Kruger National Park discovered the retain after several years and declared it as a historical landmark that can be seen when you enter or exit Phabeni gate near Hazyview. The structure fell victim to the age and climate throughout the years and only ruins are visible to tourists visiting the historical site today.

Joao Albasini – The entrepreneur

Besides his initiative to establish a trade post and trade routes, he was also quite an entrepreneur. He uplifted the community around him and he appointed two black people namely; Manungu & Josikhulu to take care and run his outside posts along the Voortrekker road between Ohrigstad and Lourenco Marques. The post that Manungu looked after is today known as Manungkop and lies just south of Pretoriuskop. Ship Mountain, on the other hand, was under the control of Josikhulu.

Joao Albasini – The first white settler

Albasini is also known as the first white settler in the now known Kruger National Park. He endured hardship but lived in one of the most beautiful places surrounded by wildlife, black tribesman and great adventures.

Joao Albasini travels

He later moved to an alternative area in the Highveld and bought a farm in 1847 near Ohrigstad to start a shop. Three years later, a Malaria epidemic forced people to move to higher ground near Lydenburg. He then set up shop once again and this time married Gertuna Maria Petronella Janse van Rensburg.

During this period, Albasini kept a large number of his black workers. He worked the land and stayed in the area for another three years after which he packed up several wagons and left to an area further north, known as Zoutpansberg town in the North Transvaal and then later he moved to Schoemansdal.

Schoemansdal is situated 13 km west of Louis Trichardt. During that time, the town was often mobbed by the Vendas and was severely influenced by Malaria and was later evacuated.

Albasini stayed in Shoemansdal for four years, after which he moved back to the Lowveld region and stayed on a farm next to the Luvuvhu River that forms part of the border of today’s Kruger National Park, in the north near Punda Maria Rest camp.

He built a sturdy fort-like home for him and his family on his farm Goedewensche.

It is here where he empowered his black workers whilst he still hunted elephants.

Albasini died in 1888 and was buried on his farm Goedenwensche.

About Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger – PAUL KRUGER

History of James Stevenson-Hamilton

History of Sir Percy Fitzpatrick

About Harry Wolhuter

History of Jock of the Bushveld

The 3 founders of Kruger National Park

About J.H. Orpen and Eileen Orpen

YES! We offer affordable Kruger National Park safaris

Our rates include the following:

Please note:

Our area of operation covers Nelspruit and surrounding areas, White River | Malelane | Hazyview | Komatipoort | Marloth Park | Kruger National Park | KMI Airport | Skukuza Airport.

Please contact us if your accommodation falls outside of our area of operation.

We also conduct safari tours in the North of Kruger upon request and need. You also have the option to hire the safari vehicle privately, email us to find out more. Additionally, you have the option to add your Kruger entrance/conservation fees when you make your booking so you don’t have to go to the office on the morning of the safari to make payment for entrance fees.