Until fairly recently, if you wore vellies, you were either a farmer or David Kramer. Some dictionaries still describe the velskoen as “a home-made shoe; a farmer’s shoe (with a low heel)”. It was a workhorse, not much more.
Side story: People on farms are resourceful. Gustav Nortjé*, who farms in the Baviaanskloof, told me in the old days, their rugby players wore boots made from baboon hide. It might sound absurd today, but for those pragmatic farmers, it made perfect sense. The players needed durable boots and baboons were a pest. Two birds, one stone.
But back to velskoens. They’re trendy now. Fashionable, even. Something you could previously only buy at a co-op is now available everywhere. There are Freestyle vellies; Kalahari Vellies; Sapmok; Plaasmeisie; Grondpad Vellies; Bummel; Boggom; and Katu Vellies, famous for their DKW model, which stands for Dans, Kerk & Werk.
More and more people are catching on to the value and comfort of this South African icon. I wonder how many pairs are walking around the country right now? More than the number of K-Way down jackets? More than the number of people who have been vaccinated?
Siya Kolisi loves his olive-green Freedom of Movement vellies, and Prince Harry has even been spotted wearing a pair of Veldskoen Shoes with orange soles and laces. I love it. If only everything in South Africa could endure and prosper like a vellie!
The vellies I’m wearing today are made from kudu leather. They were once blue but have faded to a grey rhebok hue. The leather has worn so thin and slipper soft that I’ve retired this pair from active travel duty.
Denne historien er fra December 2021/January 2022-utgaven av go! - South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 2021/January 2022-utgaven av go! - South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Rolling out the big guns
If you're still scanning the horizon for a Chinese automotive invasion you're looking the wrong way. It's already happening, and the new GWM Tank is the off-road spearhead into the highly lucrative and hotly contested lifestyle market.
TAKE A HIKE
The beautiful agony of Tienuurkop
Time out in Dullies
A long weekend in Dullstroom is just long enough to make you realise you need to spend several more weekends here! There's food, drink, art and action in abundance. Here's your guide.
Gallivanting in the Galápagos!
The Galápagos Islands are on many a traveller's wish list. They were on Hanlie and Vivian Gericke's too, even though the price of visiting made their eyes water. Was it worth it? Read on...
BURCHELL AND THE COUNTRY OF THE BUSHMEN
How many times have you driven through a landscape and wished you could have seen it centuries ago? In 1811, the English artist and explorer, William John Burchell, travelled through South Africa. Join us as we follow in his footsteps.
Long live the Hibiscus Coast
The KZN South Coast is a national treasure. It's still the place to go if you want a classic seaside holiday complete with warm waves, cold beer, soft serve and good vibes. Here's your guide.
The island at the end of the earth
Imagine adlace-with the cleanest air arid:the clearest seawater, where_no human.oranimabwants to:harm you: A placewhere the climates balmy. year-round:-with a sekrhistory ahd wwild scenery. A place like this:exist8” and it’s called St Helena.
A day on the road
You never know what the road will bring. Toast Coetzer heads south on the N1 and discovers South Africa.
The wilder shore
The final leg of a 30-day trek across East Africa sees lan Tyrer and the Africa - Wild & Untamed crew explore both shores of Lake Malawi. Get ready for an overloaded ferry, a croc attack and being surrounded by elephants...
A river runs through it
Sabie is onthe Drakensberg escaromentialongMpumalanga’s famous Panorama Route. Want a weekend away surrounded by forests and waterfalls? Here's wnat you need to know.
