Building his portfolio
Durban photographer snaps Tollgate Bridge construction
WEDDINGS, massive building projects and boxing matches. That was the scope of work by photographer Johnny van Heerden, who took a number of pictures of Tollgate Bridge while it was under construction in the late 1960s.
Now retired, the 88-year-old lived close by during that time and caught on camera the unfolding story of the construction of the main bridge over the road leading out of Durban to Johannesburg.
“It was a big project and I remember there was a lot of publicity around some sisters whose house was in the way and they had to move out.
“As we lived right at the top, I had a great view to take photographs as the construction took place,” he said.
Having grown up in Johannesburg, Van Heerden met his wife Florrie during a holiday in Port Elizabeth and the couple were married in 1956 and moved to Durban.
“She was just the right woman for me. When we were talking about getting married, I told her ‘you have got a daughter which is enough’,” he said, adding that his second condition for marriage was “no arguments in the house”.
“We were married for more than 50 years and we never had a fight in the house, we would rather walk away and cool down.
“Only once Florrie started to moan when we were giving a lift to someone and he was late. I reminded her of her promise.”
Soon after arriving in Durban, he decided to open a photography shop, Spot Photos, in Cato Street, which expanded into further shops in 320 West Street and La Lucia Mall.
And while he enjoyed peace at home, Van Heerden enjoyed a good boxing match and took photographs at many events, including travelling to the US to photograph the Gerrie Coetzee world title fight.
“I loved photography and mixing with people. It is social and I was happy to work seven days a week.”
During the building of Tollgate Bridge, he took numerous photographs, recording every stage of construction.
The arch design, completed in the mid-1960s by a former professor at UKZN, Colin Fleming, was considered cutting edge at the time.
The goal was to create a bridge which would provide a view of the city as motorists entered. Records from that time indicate that the city council insisted on a bridge with arches, much like the requirements for Moses Mabhida Stadium when it was built.
The bridge “hangs off” stainless steel rods which are embedded in the arch concrete and wrapped with steel meshing to stop them from “popping out” and the arches act like a bow string, holding up the road.
In charge of the city’s roads at that time, Geoff Boden said a large tree also had to be removed.
“It was an old gum tree, if I remember correctly. It was a mammoth expropriation.
“The Berea Road School fields were also taken up and, of course, the house where the sisters had lived for almost 100 years. We were all very sorry and helped them move out. We moved them at the very last moment.
“You can’t hold up progress. It was a great time of action in the city,” said Boden.
Tollgate Bridge was completed in 1968. – Additional information: The Mercury & Facts About Durban