THE HISTORY OF UNDER THE MOUNTAIN AND THE JOUBERT ESTATE

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ARCHITECTURAL ORIGINS AND PIONEER CONSTRUCTION (1909)

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This historic residence, traditionally named "Under the Mountain," was commissioned and constructed in 1909 by the prominent local master builder and church deacon, Mr Johannes Stephanus Joubert. The property originally functioned as the primary farmhouse for a sweeping agricultural estate situated on the immediate outskirts of early Heidelberg. Over the subsequent century, the surrounding farmland was systematically subdivided and developed into the modern residential suburb of Jordaan Park, which was named in honour of a celebrated former mayor of the town.

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Given his extensive professional background, Mr Joubert left a massive architectural footprint across the region. He served as the primary contractor responsible for erecting several of Heidelberg's most iconic public landmarks, including Laer Volkskool, Hoër Volkskool, and the three historic church boarding hostels that have since been demolished: Transvalia, Concordia, and Excelsior.

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When the massive stone tower of the Dutch Reformed Klipkerk suddenly collapsed in 1909 due to substandard original workmanship and consecutive days of torrential rain, Joubert—who was serving as an active elder within the congregation—was immediately tasked with rebuilding the historic spire to completion.

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"Under the Mountain" represents a refined, smaller-scale adaptation of the grand Bezuidenhout mansion, "De Rust," which anchors the nearby Vereeniging road. Joubert built this farmhouse exactly three years after completing his work on the De Rust estate, directly incorporating several of its signature design elements.

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The interior features a grand central hallway arranged in a distinctive T-shape layout, mirroring the floor plan of the Bezuidenhout mansion. The main entrance is further distinguished by identical, imported Italian floor tiles laid down during the original 1909 construction phase.

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An enduring feature of the pioneer infrastructure survives adjacent to the main residence: a hand-dug water well measuring 1.5 metres in diameter and plunging to an estimated depth of 25 metres. This historic shaft continues to tap into a reliable vein of fresh groundwater, serving as the farmhouse's primary water utility during its early years.

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WARTIME CONFISCATION AND PROPERTY DEEDS RECOGNITION (1914 - 2009)

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The personal timeline of the builder and his family remains permanently recorded within the town. Mr Johannes Stephanus Joubert (19 July 1870 - 4 February 1949) and his wife, Anna Hermina Joubert (née Boshoff, 12 November 1873 - 18 August 1940), spent their lives developing the district and were ultimately laid to rest inside the historic family plot at the Heidelberg Kloof Cemetery.

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The property's ownership lineage underwent an abrupt disruption in 1914. Following the outbreak of World War I and the domestic political upheaval of the 1914 Rebellion, the regional government formally confiscated the estate for unspecified reasons, repurposing the residence to provide official lodging for state employees.

The property returned to private ownership in 1940 when it was purchased by Senator Francis "Frank" Robertson. The surrounding Jordaan Park suburb preserves the family's civic legacy, featuring two prominent streets named in honour of the Senator and his wife, Mona.

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The estate passed through a clear succession of regional custodians over the following decades:

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• 1977: Inherited by Reitz Robertson (son of Senator Frank Robertson), who subsequently served a successful tenure as the Mayor of Heidelberg.

• 1994: Following the death of Reitz Robertson, the property was formally transferred into the Frances Hattingh Estate (daughter of Reitz Robertson).

• 1996: Acquired by the Greyling Family Trust.

• 2005: Transferred via formal deed of sale to Aletta Maria Nel.

• 2009: Secured by the contemporary property custodian, Mr D.J. Kruger.

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The home's domestic narrative was enriched during Mr Kruger's residency when the daughter of Wouter Geerling paid a personal visit to the estate. She presented the Kruger family with a rare collection of historical photograph duplicates documenting the early life of the farmhouse, complete with detailed, handwritten annotations compiled in Afrikaans to preserve the building's original structural memories for future generations.

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Sources: The official property deed registers of the Heidelberg Heritage Association, building logs of the Klipkerk tower restoration, and the personal family archives of Mr D.J. Kruger.