LocalPlaces

LocalPlaces Johannesburg & Cape Town. Explore and learn with us.

Another spectacular LocalPlaces Understanding Johannesburg walking tour on Sunday.
01/06/2026

Another spectacular LocalPlaces Understanding Johannesburg walking tour on Sunday.

We had a spectacular, private LocalPlaces Scenic Winelands tour yesterday between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.
01/06/2026

We had a spectacular, private LocalPlaces Scenic Winelands tour yesterday between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.

A busy weekend ahead for LocalPlaces. We are hosting 5 tours - 3 in Cape Town and two in Joburg. We are guiding 4 tours ...
29/05/2026

A busy weekend ahead for LocalPlaces. We are hosting 5 tours - 3 in Cape Town and two in Joburg. We are guiding 4 tours ourselves and one is hosted by an outsourced provider. We are always busier mid-year than in the summer months!

Writing history is no easy task. It is impossible to draft a completely objective account, as history is always coloured...
28/05/2026

Writing history is no easy task. It is impossible to draft a completely objective account, as history is always coloured in by the perspectives of the narrator, and the context of his or her circumstances. But I have tried my utmost best to give a balanced perspective of Cape Town and South Africa’s history in my LocalPlaces – Cape Town book.

Here is a short excerpt from Chapter Five, referring to early 1600s, before the establishment of a Dutch service station:

“During the first half of the 1600s, Britain showed the greatest interest in the Cape. In 1607, a British ship attempted to round the Cape of Good Hope, but the pilot misread the map and turned left too early, ending up in Hout Bay. The captain, furious at the mistake, forced the pilot to row ashore to fetch fresh water. From then on, the mountain peak next to Hout Bay became known as Chapman’s Peak, named after the pilot, and appeared as such on maps.

“In 1613, a British ship kidnapped the Khoe chief, Xhore, took him to Britain, taught him English, and returned him a year later. This act revealed Britain’s intention to establish trade relations with the local Khoe. In contrast, in 1620, two ship captains - Humphrey Fitzherbert and Andrew Shilling - came ashore in Table Bay and ran up what is today known as Signal Hill, where they planted the British flag. They named it King James Mount. However, upon their return to Britain, the King showed little interest in this distant land in Africa and took no action on the claim.

“At the head of the growing Khoe trading post in the 1620s stood Kx'aothumathub (Autshumato). The Dutch called him “Harry de Strandloper,” meaning “Harry the Beach Walker.” Ship crews came ashore to trade with Autshumato, exchanging goods for fresh water, salt, fruit, root vegetables and livestock or meat.

“By 1630, a British ship took Autshumato to the East Indies (Bantam), where he stayed for a year and learned to speak English and Dutch, along with British trading practices. At that time, both Britain and the Netherlands had established trading stations in Java, now part of Indonesia. In 1632, Britain returned Autshumato to the Cape in a clear attempt to open communication and trade with the Khoe people.”

LocalPlaces – Cape Town by Gerald Garner presents the complete, concise history of Cape Town and South Africa in a 148-page book. With an easy-reading style, it sets out to change how you view South Africa, whether you are a local or a traveller.

It is almost June and LocalPlaces is ready to welcome you at our next storytelling dinner on Thursday 4 June 2026. Hoste...
26/05/2026

It is almost June and LocalPlaces is ready to welcome you at our next storytelling dinner on Thursday 4 June 2026. Hosted at BlackBrick Gardens, our storytelling theme is the ‘Mesmerizing Middle Story of Cape Town – British Times (1795-1910)’. Experience riveting storytelling by author and guide, Gerald Garner, combined with a delectable South African feast meal.

Booking is essential as seating is limited.

One of our greatest privileges is to get to share the story of Joburg, South Africa and Nelson Mandela with guests of th...
22/05/2026

One of our greatest privileges is to get to share the story of Joburg, South Africa and Nelson Mandela with guests of the Rovos Rail. Thank you Charlie Moyo of LocalPlaces for sharing the magic with them.

A fantastic afternoon Understanding Soweto tour with LocalPlaces and Charlie Moyo for international guests between two f...
19/05/2026

A fantastic afternoon Understanding Soweto tour with LocalPlaces and Charlie Moyo for
international guests between two flights.

Rush to The Book Lounge in Roeland Street. They have just received copies of the LocalPlaces - Cape Town book again.
19/05/2026

Rush to The Book Lounge in Roeland Street. They have just received copies of the LocalPlaces - Cape Town book again.

Charlie Moyo had a brilliant day, first guiding a LocalPlaces Understanding Johannesburg walking tour and then an Unders...
16/05/2026

Charlie Moyo had a brilliant day, first guiding a LocalPlaces Understanding Johannesburg walking tour and then an Understanding Soweto driving tour for the same group. We love what we get to do and the people we get to meet!

Half the seats for the next LocalPlaces storytelling dinner at BlackBrick Gardens on 4 June are already booked. Be quick...
14/05/2026

Half the seats for the next LocalPlaces storytelling dinner at BlackBrick Gardens on 4 June are already booked. Be quick to secure your seats before it gets full.

Address

JoburgPlaces Hub, JSE Newtown, 17 Diagonal Str (cnr Pritchard)
Johannesburg
2001

Telephone

+27828945216

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when LocalPlaces posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to LocalPlaces:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category