Alma, South Africa

Road sign outside Laerskool Alma showing local towns Vaalwater and Modimolle/Nylstroom

Alma is a small town situated south of Vaalwater in the Limpopo province of South Africa. This is a malaria free area. Accommodation in the Alma area consists of thatched chalets, wooden mountain cabins and tented bush camps for those who want to rough it.

The green-gray bushveld vegetation stretches far. There are some private game reserves in the area.

Bird life in the Alma area includes the fish-eagle and there is an abundance of wildlife. Animals that you are likely to see include baboon, monkey, bush baby, eland, impala, gemsbok, blue wildebeest, warthog, jackal and ostrich. If one is lucky, they may even spot a leopard or hyena.

The Alma area has some sedimentary rocks and mesas (Flat top hills). The Mokolo River originates near Alma at the confluence of the Sand River (Mokolo) with the Grootspruit River in a flattish, open area with numerous koppies, before it flows through a steep gorge emerging above the town of Vaalwater.

Education

Laerskool Alma

Alma School is a larger primary/early secondary school and is situated approximately 15 miles from Vaalwater. The children come from the surrounding farms, villages and the actual town of Alma, as well as from much further afield – these children boarding at the nearby hostel. Teaching uses 3 languages: Sebede, English and Afrikaans which brings its own challenge to English volunteers! Alma has no facilities for cooking. The mid day meal is cooked over an open fire and eaten outdoors – rain or shine !

Farm attacks

As of February 2011, 1647 farmers have been killed in South-Africa since 1991, the latest for this region as of this writing is Frik Hermann that was found on his farm near Alma in Limpopo, the Beeld newspaper reported on Tuesday(02/08/2011).

Towns close To Alma

• Warmbaths (sometimes known as Bela Bela)
• Lephalale/Ellisras
• Modimolle/Nylstroom
• Naboomspruit
• Thabazimbi
• Vaalwater