South Africa’s landscapes are scattered with stone walls, crumbling towers, and bastions that once stood as strongholds of power. From colonial clashes to local resistance, forts tell the story of contested borders, trade routes, and survival. Yet many of these outposts have slipped into obscurity, overshadowed by more famous heritage sites.
Here’s a look at some of the country’s forgotten forts—places where history lingers in stone and silence.
1. The Castle of Good Hope (Cape Town, Western Cape)
The Castle of Good Hope/Bernard Gagnon/Wikimedia Commons
Built between 1666 and 1679 by the Dutch East India Company, the Castle of Good Hope is South Africa’s oldest surviving colonial building. Shaped like a star from above, the fortress was both a military stronghold and an administrative centre.
While well preserved today as a museum, the castle’s deeper significance is often overlooked. It wasn’t just a fort; it was a symbol of VOC power, a site of justice and imprisonment, and a cornerstone of colonial expansion.
Did you know? Its bell tower houses the oldest bell in South Africa, cast in 1697.
2. Fort Nongqayi (Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal)
Fort Nongqayi Entrance/SJLPatterson/Wikimedia Commons
In 1883, the colonial government built Fort Nongqayi to house the Zulu police known as the “Nongqayi” (“the barefoot men”). The fort, with its three turrets (a fourth was never completed), was meant to secure the region after the Anglo-Zulu War and was briefly revived during the 1906 Bambatha Rebellion.
Today, it’s home to the Eshowe museum complex, including a craft museum and missionary exhibits. Still, outside of Zululand, few South Africans know its layered history.
Did you know? The fort was constructed from hand-hewn stone, carted and placed by ox-drawn transport.
3. Fort Klapperkop (Pretoria)
Fort Klapperkop/Cvanrooyen/Wikimedia Commons
Completed in 1898, Fort Klapperkop was one of four forts built by the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek to defend Pretoria ahead of the Anglo-Boer War. Equipped with German-designed artillery, it was strategically placed on a hill overlooking the capital.
Ironically, the fort never saw combat. Its dry moat couldn’t even hold water because the shale beneath was too porous.
Today, the restored site offers sweeping city views, but many visitors don’t realise it was part of a network of defences meant to repel British invasion.
4. Voortrekker Fort (Ohrigstad, Mpumalanga)
Dating back to around 1847, this rough-hewn fort was built by Voortrekkers seeking protection from attacks in the frontier region of Ohrigstad. It is one of the earliest inland forts and a rare surviving reminder of Voortrekker defensive strategies.
The site is mostly in ruins today; however, it has received Provincial Heritage status, and a new roof has been placed over the site in order to protect the mud construction.
5. Fort Merensky (Middelburg, Mpumalanga)
Fort Merensky/Keepmoving/Wikimedia Commons
Also known as Fort Wilhelm, this unusual fort was built in 1865 by the Berlin Missionary Society. It was designed to shield the mission station and local converts from raids during periods of unrest.
Unlike many purely military forts, Fort Merensky straddled the line between faith and firepower—an architectural reminder of how missionaries sometimes turned to stone walls for survival.
Although it was declared a heritage site and still stands, it is now permanently closed to the public.
6. Redoubt Duijnhoop (Salt River, Cape Town)
round plan of the Duynhoop redoubt/Nationaal Archief, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
One of the Cape’s earliest fortifications, Redoubt Duijnhoop, was built in 1654 of clay and timber at the mouth of the Salt River. It was part of a network of small defensive redoubts protecting Table Bay.
Although demolished in 1672, its story reminds us that Cape Town was once ringed by small fortlets, most of which are now lost to time. Few residents know these earthworks ever existed.
7. Fort Schanskop & the “Sister Forts” of Pretoria (Gauteng)
Top view of Fort Schanskop/Theobresler at English Wikipedia/Wikimedia Commons
While Klapperkop is the most visited, Pretoria was once encircled by four forts: Klapperkop, Schanskop, Wonderboompoort, and Daspoortrand. Built in the late 19th century, these German-inspired structures were designed to deter the British.
Today, Fort Schanskop has been restored as part of the Voortrekker Monument complex, while the ruins of Wonderboompoort lie quietly, largely forgotten. Together, they tell of a capital bracing for war—and never quite ready.
Why these forts matter
Forts may look like relics, but they hold living lessons. They speak of power struggles, resilience, and the mingling of cultures under conflict. Many are overlooked in South Africa’s heritage trail, yet visiting them offers not just stone walls but windows into the past.
The next time you’re road-tripping through South Africa, take a detour to one of these forgotten forts. You may find that history is never really forgotten—it just waits, in quiet corners, to be remembered.
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