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Regular Newsletter/Gereelde Nuusbrief
No. 167
05.05.2015
www.routesmp.co.za
Click: Follow the history/Click: Mpumalanga Historical Interest
NOTE: That this is not an edited publication but merely a compilation of the
contributions and comments as received from members and participants
A regular edited annual will be available shortly
REG. 126-240 NPO
INHOUD/CONTENT
Onverrigte sake by Belvedere
Next outing to Historic Middelburg & Botshabelo
Dood van ABO skrywer Gert Van Der Westhuizen
The Sale of the area known as the “Southern Lowveld” 25th July 1846
PILGRIM’S REST HERITAGE WEEKEND WAS A GREAT SUCCESS
PILGRIMS REST ERFENISNAWEEK WAS ‘N GROOT SUKSES
The following was published in Lowvelder of Friday 1 May 2015:
Die meegaande berig en fotoverslag het verskyn in Laevelder van Vrydag 1 Mei 2015:
PILGRIM'S REST - Those who missed out on the first Heritage Weekend recently held in the village
should watch the calendar for the next one. Be sure to join in the fun next time. It is really a unique
experience when these festive events bring life to this quaint historic town.
With many dressed up in period costumes, Pilgrim’s Rest was all but a sleepy hollow. The evenings
were marked by pub crawling and an old-fashioned digger’s ball and banquet. Though for a good
course supporting the Friends of the Pilgrim’s Rest Museum, one of the local beauties was auctioned
off at the end of the evening. Each night around midnight a spooky ghost tour was organised. This
was to allow the faint of heart to meet and greet some of the spirits from the past still dwindling
about in the graveyard on the hill above the village.
By dusk the saloons were filled with the roar of jolly talking and laughter drowning the distinct sound
of a honky-tonk piano and joyous cancan dancing. One of the groups of revellers on the crawl, went
to each of the six pubs opened in the village this weekend accompanied by the eerie sound of a
bagpiper announcing the arrival.
Dressing the part. Caught by the camera in the lounge of the Royal ready for the old fashioned diggers ball is
well known Nelspruiters Brigid Ballantyne, Jeanette and Hans Nel, Irma Green and Duncan Ballantyne standing
with Theresa Prinsloo and Gerrit Haarhoff in front.
After the success of this three-day event arranged by the Pilgrim’s Rest townsfolk, local businesses
and the provincial museum services in conjunction with Mpumalanga Heritage and Kruger Lowveld
Tourism, a date for the next one will be set soon. This is to showcase the unique offerings allowing
everyone to experience and to relive something of the colourful historic past of the region.
Situated in the beautiful upper reaches of the Blyde Valley, the hiking routes, excellent fly-fishing
opportunities with a well-maintained nine-hole golf course, ensured that enough was also on offer
for the outdoor enthusiast. In line with the atmosphere of years gone by, the classic clubhouse, built
of dressed stone and styled to resemble a Victorian gentleman’s club, contributed to this unique
experience of days gone past.
For others the long weekend was jam-packed with experiences such as panning for alluvial gold,
conducted tours or leisurely excursions into the past, visiting the many museums and quaint historic
shops along the main road of upper and downtown Pilgrim's Rest.
The Royal Hotel offered good Victorian hospitality and the many annexes and individual guest
houses all richly decorated in floral wallpaper and the elaborate furniture from that era offered
comfortable accommodation. More affordable self-catering housing as well as camping facilities will
also be made available for future events.
Don your top hat and tails and pack a silk evening dress and feathers for the nest Pilgrim’s Rest
Heritage Weekend. Come and wish away this coming winter with a glass of red in front of a fire in a
cosy lounge or enjoy a beer on tap in a jolly pub while joining in convivial banter.
More photographs are available at: http://lowvelder.co.za/266190/pilgrims-heritage-weekend2015/
From the Desk
Those that attend, please share your experience of the weekend here. We would like to hear about
the downside of things, if any as, well as suggestions on how to better such events in future.
Mission Belvedere unaccomplished
Onverrigte sake by Belvedere
A stylish picnic lunch in the forest. Chairman Duncan and Brigid Ballantyne, in front with
Theresa Prinsloo, Dr. Gerrit Haarhoff with Cobus and Mel Tomlinson in the back.
Ons uitstappie na die verlate Belvedere kragsentrale en gastewoning in die boskeure van die
Blyderivierkloof het ongelukkig uitgeloop op onverrigte sake. Ofskoon ons vooraf uit meer
as een oord probeer reel het dat die hek oppgesluit is na Blydebewaringsgebied, kon ons nie
deurkom en die finale bestemming bereik nie. Die reis van Pilgrims met die pragtige
Vaalhoekpad het egter die rit tot by die hek die moeite werd gemaak. Ons het toe maar ‘n
heerlike plantasiepiekniek gehou en ons het die wilde perde wat ook in die gebied voorkom,
gesien.
‘n Aangename ontdekking van die nabygeleë Boskombuis op die walle van die Treurrivier
waar daar heerlik verder gekuier is. Hierdie is ook op die roete na die graf van Oswald Pirow
op die platorand bokant die Laeveld. Ons hoop om binnekort weer so ‘n ekskusie te reels. Die
keer met ‘n heksleutel vir Belvedere in die hand en om dan sommer na al die ander plekke
van historiese belang hier rond te gaan kyk.
Next outing to Historic Middelburg & Botshabelo
Volgende uitstappie na Middelburg & Botshabelo
Sat.16 April 2015
Depending on the demand we hope to arrange a bus for this occasion. Please confirm here
asap if you will be joining us at history@destinationsmp.co.za
Some of our members on the Highveld in Middelburg will by joining us in this excursion and
we see this as ‘n great opportunity to make contact and to strengthen the ties with a
broader base of heritage and history minded folk from our province.
The plan is to leave as early as 07:00 from Crossings and to be back before dusk during late
afternoon.
Remaining structures dating from the second half of the 1800’s at Botshabelo
Dood van skrywer van ABO-gids Gert Van Der Westhuizen
Die medeskrywer van die Gids tot die Anglo-Boereoorlog in die Oos Transvaal deur Gert
en Erika van der Westhuizen word more om tien uit die Hervormde Kerk op Volksrust
begrawe.
Hy is verlede week onder ‘n operasie dood.
Hy was ook vroeër lank ongesteld nadat hy van ‘n leer afgeval het en het daarna heelwat
met sy gesonfheid gesukkel.
Gert van der West was ook ‘n bekende versamelaar van oudhede en historiese
aandenkings. Sy ptagtige bergpaas huisves seker een van die mees interessante private
opelug museums in die provinsie.
Die hersiene uitgawe van sy boek is verlede jaar hier in Nelspruit bekendgestel. Die
volgende het in Laevelder verskyn:
Hierdie gesogte plekgids bevat alles met verwysing tot die Anglo Boereoorlog soos dit
hier in die ou oos Transvaal afgespeel het. Die inligting en verwysings is geweldig
belangrik vir toergidse, besoekers, navorsers en enigeen met ‘n belangstelling in die
oorlog sê dr. Tian Schutte wat die boek bekend gestel het.
Van der Westhuizen en sy vrou is uit die onderwys. Hulle is ook boere op ‘n plaas tussen
Volsrust en Memel. Die opteken van plekke waar dinge van belang oor die oorlog gebeur
het, het begin as ‘n naweek-belangstelling. Met die tweede hersiene uitgawe het dit
gegroei tot ‘n lewenstaak. Die boeke is steeds beskikbaar teen R300 per eksemplaar by
die toerisme-inligtingskantoor van Kruger Lowveld Tourism by Crossings.
Gert van der Westhuisen, sittend met die bekendstelling van die hersiene uitgawer van sy
ABO Gids tot die Oos Trabsvaal by Stoep verlede jaar.
The Sale of the area known as the “Southern Lowveld”
July 25th 1846
Marion Moir writes:
Alastair (Moir) received this interesting article from Rod Genricks – he has just spoken
to Rod to see if we can pass it on to you – Rod agreed, so will attach! Keep up the good
work!
Introduction.
The account as described is taken mainly from the document “A survey of the Southern Lowveld
Region of the Eastern Transvaal”. Produced by the Lowveld REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
with the assistance of the NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL
September 1954
The sale of the area known as the ETVL Lowveld (Southern Lowveld Region) to the "Volksraad of the
young Republic" which concluded an agreement whereby the Chief of the Amaswazi, in
consideration of payment of 100 head of cattle, ceded to the area (well defined) to the "Dutch South
African Nation" by King Mswazi, which went on to become the Republic of South Africa on the 25th
July 1846.
The eastern Boundaries between the South African Republic and Swaziland were beaconed off and
defined by treaty with King Mswati, approved by the Volksraad on the 13th October 1866, and
finally confirmed by treaty with his successor Chief Umbandine and published by Govt. Notice of
17th August 1875
Chapter 2
THE NATIVE INHABITANTS OF THE SOUTHERN LOWVELD
It is beyond doubt the original inhabitants of this region were Bushman. Throughout the region are
to be found Bushmen’s cave paintings, and remains in the shape of artifacts, stone tools, knives,
spear and arrow heads, fire-making stones and pierced round stones in greater and larger
concentrations. On a ridge below the Old Far East Mine, these are so numerous as to suggest either
the residence there over a considerable period of a family specially skilled in making of these stone
implements, or alternatively the visiting of the area over a period of time by nomads who made use
of stone specifically for this purpose.
These paintings and implements are, however, the only records that remain. So far as the writer is
aware, no Bushmen were ever encountered here by Europeans, and even the “native” traditions do
not deal with these people nor the way in which they were eventually exterminated. Ike the
Ishmaelite’s, their hand was against every man, and everyman’s hand was against them, and it is
easy to conclude that they were killed off by earlier Bantu immigrants from the North, with their
superior weapons and physique, who would treat the Bushmen no better than troublesome animals.
The invasion of the Bantu commenced, as far as we can gather, in the Middle Ages. It was apparently
caused by two factors; first, displacement by and flight from the slave traffic, and secondly by the
existence of a virtually uninhabited land to the Southwards. The invasion in its inception was not a
concerted and coordinated movement of organized tribes, but rather a movement of families and
small clans, which later under one or other gifted and influential leader coalesced into large tribes as
nations. Thus such record we have of the native inhabitants at the time of the Dutch East India
Company’s occupation of Delagoa Bay in the seventeen-twenties shows them as consisting of small
clans or groups frequently at war with each other. The best known instance of this coalition and
organization is that of the Zulu people and Shaka, the son of Senzangakana. Roughly
contemporaneously, however, there occurred two similar movements which naturally affect the
Lowveld Region. The one led to the formation of the Swazi Nation, and the other to the formation of
the now comparatively insignificant tribe of the Ba-ka-Ngomane.
The first Bantu invaders of this region appear to have belonged to the Basuto-Bafadi group.
According to native tradition, these Sesuto speaking people came southwards along the interior
plateau, whilst the other group came down the seaboard territories east of the Lebombo range. The
Xhosas and Zulus held on southwards into what is now Natal and the Transkei; the Swazi’s followed
on the same course. When the still uncoordinated tribes who later became the Zulus were settled in
Natal, the Swazis under their Chiefs Ngomane 1 and Ludonga 1 branched off across their southern
route, to cross the Lebombo Mountains and enter the area of Swaziland. This country the found
sparsely occupied by the Basuto people whom they eliminated, building up a military organization in
the course of that operation.
At the same period of time and probably as a counter measure, the Basuto clans immediately moved
to the North of the present Swaziland and combined under the fighting Chief named Simkulu. The
tribe so formed became known as the Ba-ka-Ngomane whose earlier chiefs recognized no overlord
and may be called Kings, as were the earlier chiefs of the Zulus and Swazis.
The history and sequence of these events are derived from the native traditional historians, who in
default of a written record learn and pass on history by rote. The Swazis recite the genealogy of their
Kings and paramount chiefs for thirteen generations, the Zulus for seven, the Shangaans and the Baka-Ngomane for eight. The chronology is vague, for they have no method of recording dates and
years, and it is not until the Europeans came in contact with these tribes that we begin to get an
accuracy of dates. It would appear, however, that the entry of the Swazis into Swaziland, and the
rise of Simkulu to power occurred towards the end of the 18th century and both took place
considerably earlier than Shaka’s rise to power.
The area occupied and claimed as their own by the Ba-ka-Ngomane was bounded roughly by the
Lomati River in the south, by the range of the Rooi Lebombo (which runs eastward of and parallel to
the main Lebombo range) on the east, by the foothills of the Drakensburg, along a line running north
and south through Pretorius Kop, on the west. The foothills of the Drakensburg westward from that
line, and the northern slopes of the Makhonjwa range or Barberton mountain Land were occupied
by the Bhaji people, also the Basuto group, who were held in subjection by but not incorporated
with the Ba-ka-Ngomane.
The principal kraal of Simkulu was in the present Kruger National Park, near the Crocodile River
entrance to Komatipoort, and there lies the place of sepulchre of the Ba-ka-Ngomane chiefs.
In the earlier days of these three concentrations of the Zulus,, the Swazis and the Ba-ka-Ngomane,
the leaders were too occupied by their own local operations to come into conflict with each other,
but conflict was bound to come, and in this connection we get the first historical data.
In 1819 Shaka, in the course of subjugation and amalgamation of the Zulu clans came into conflict
with Zwide, chief of the powerful Ndwandwe tribe. Notwithstanding Zwide’s numerical superiority,
Shaka’s military genius defeated him. Zwide fled into the Transvaal area, and his fighting general
Shoshangaan led the still powerful remnant of the Ndwandwe army north through Swaziland to seek
and ultimately to find a new kingdom in Gazaland, in the seaboard area through which his forebears
had passed in the exodus to the south. He was able to take with him his own immediate family, but
his army was a fighting unit without women and they would have to rely on the capture of women
for the perpetuation of the tribe.
By then the Swazi and the Ba-ka-Ngomane relations were fully established. Ludonga, chief or king of
the Swazis had been succeeded respectively by Mgundudele, by Dlamini, by Ngomane II (or
Ndunginga) and by Samhlolo (or Sobhuza I) Simkulu of the Ba-ka-Ngomane succeeded in keeping
their cattle out of the fly belts (Tsetse fly)
Samhlolo found discretion the better part of valour, and gave Shoshangaan aid and free passage
through; not so Kongwane, who opposed the migrant army and gave battle near to the present
Police Post of Sikwameni, on the Komati River. The Ba-ka-Ngomane were defeated with such great
slaughter they never recovered, and Shoshangaan passed on his way through the Komatipoort into
Gazaland, taking with him a great booty of cattle and women.
Shaka sent his brother Dingaan in pursuit of Shoshangaan, but Dingaan wisely refrained from
overtaking him, and contented himself with raiding cattle of the Swazis and the Ba-ka-Ngomane, still
further weakening the latter.
In 1828 Shaka again sent Dingaan northwards to seek and destroy Shoshangaan. Dingaan finding
himself out of favour with Shaka and in fear of death if he could not succeed, turned back from the
army before going far and murdered Shaka whom he succeeded. The army however, proceeded
northwards, but again merely raided the Swazis and the Ba-ka-Ngomane and did not come into
conflict with Shoshangaan.
These Mbhayi people (Shoshangaan’s people and part of the Basuto-Bapedi group) left a curious
souvenir of their occupation, which was still very much in evidence twenty or thirty years ago, but
which has now almost entirely disappeared. Along the gravel slopes below the Makhonjwa
Mountains, from Barberton down to Hectorspruit, a distance of over fifty miles, all lose surface
stones were gathered and stacked in near piles of four or five feet in diameter and about three feet
in height. The amount of labour extended on this must have been prestigious and indicated a
numerous population, for there were hundreds of these heaps per acre. Many of the early settlers
believed that this was done in the course of the cultivation of the land, for similar heaps of stones
are always in evidence of native gardens, but this could not have been so, for the soil is too gravelly
to permit cultivation, and there was no sign of the clearing of the bush. The older natives offered an
explanation, that the Chief of the Mbhayi instructed the young men to collect these stones, on the
pretext that it would enable the cattle to walk and graze more freely, but actually to keep them
occupied and to restrain their fighting ardour.
The treaty with the Ba-Ka-Ngomane and the extirpation with their Mbhayi neighbours, left the road
to the north open to the Swazis, and they raided and hunted as far north as the Oliphant’s River. In
1846, as more fully explained later, King Samhlolo’s successor, King Mswazi ceded to the Lydenburg
Republic, the right which he asserted over the land between the Crocodile and Oliphant’s Rivers. A
trifle like that however, did not end inter-tribal warfare and the Swazis were still raiding up to the
Oliphant’s River in 1850 and later.
Samhlolo died in 1839, and was succeeded by his son Mswazi, and in the early days of the latter’s
reign Shoshangaan also died. His sons Mawewe and Mzila fell to civil war over succession. Mawewe
fled to Mswazi, who was we have seen his brother-in-law, to seek both refuge and aid. Mswazi gave
both and Mawewe returned to Gazaland with two of Mswazi’s best regiments. The defeated Mzila,
but the army was attacked by malaria and small-pox, returning to Swaziland with Mwawe and his
following. Mswazi accepted the as his subjects and settled them on both sides of the northern
boundary of Swaziland. That was the first accession of the Shangaans as permanent residents of this
region.
FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE/MEER KORRESPONDENSIE
Crocodile Bridge Camp
Joep Stevens Kruger National Park History Facebook Group writes:
Crocodile Bridge Camp showing some historic facilities - the old railway
bridge (after which the camp was named) completed 1893/4, regrettably
partially destroyed by 7 February 2000 floods. Then there is the old style
rondavel that still exists, albeit in poor condition. Pics taken
Klapperkop Long Tom
JP Celliers Kurator Lydenburg Museum skryf:
Die stuk oor die Klapperkop Long Tom is insiggewend! Baie goeie werk Tian!
Almal is baie welkom om die loop stukke hier by die Lydenburg Museum te
kom sien asook die visier van die Long Tom gedoop "Die Jood".
Todd House for sale
Kerrin Cocks writes on Mpumalanga Historical Interest FacebookGroup:
Please share and inbox me if you're interested in buying, or know someone who is,
and not in why we're selling. It is a National Monument and was built in 1894 by
Samuel Todd, the gent at the helm of the Lowveld citrus industry. During the
Anglo-Boer War it was commandeered as an officers' mess.
A new format
Helen Thrush, KLCBT writes:
What a nice new format – stunning. And I am sure that some people were not getting the
newsletter because it was so big.
Thanks
Charl Strydom writes:
Really enjoyed this newsletter and every one of them are always interesting, thank you. Hope we will
see many more.
UPCOMING EVENTS/VOLGENDE BYEENKOMSTE
16 May 2015 – Visit to Botshabelo and Middelburg. Please confirm ASAP
23 May - Annual Val Boer & Brit Dag, Beer & Boerewors tasting - contact Rita at 082 550
5540
13 June – Graskop branch line photo excursion
11 July – Eureka City or HT Glynn commemorative excursion
FROM OUR PHOTO COLLECTION/UIT ONS FOTOALBUMS
From KNP History on Facebook:
From the Graham family album “Crossing the Crocodile River somewhere in
Schoemanskloof
ON BOOKS/OOR BOEKE:
NEW/FOR SALE/FROM MY COLLECTION/IN SEARCH OF:
NUUT/TE KOOP/UIT MY VERSAMELING/OP SOEK NA:
A PRIDE OF EAGLES
A History of the Rhodesian Air Force 1920–1980
Beryl Salt
ISBN: 978-1-920143-73-2
R750.00 + shipping
Paperback / 856 pages
800 photos, 70 diagrams & maps
(First published in 2000 by Covos Day: ISBN 0-620-23759-7)
Aviation / Military History / African Studies
This is the story of military aviation in Rhodesia from the romantic days of ‘bush’
flying in the 1920s and ’30s—when aircraft were refuelled from jerry cans and
landing grounds were often the local golf course—to the disbandment of the
Rhodesian Air Force (RhAF) on Zimbabwean independence in 1980. In 1939 the tiny
Royal Rhodesian Air Force (RRAF) became the first to take up battle stations even
before the outbreak of the Second World War. The three Rhodesian squadrons
served with distinction in East Africa, the Western Desert, Italy and Western Europe.
At home Rhodesia became a vast training ground for airmen from across the
Empire—from Britain, the Commonwealth and even Greece.
After the war, Rhodesia, on a negligible budget, rebuilt its air force, equipping it with
Ansons, Spitfires, Vampires, Canberras, Hunters and Alouettes. Following UDI, the
unilateral declaration of independence from Britain in 1965, international sanctions
were imposed, resulting in many remarkable and ground-breaking innovations,
particularly in the way of ordnance. The bitter ‘bush war’ followed in the late 1960s
and ’70s, with the RhAF in the vanguard of local counter-insurgency operations and
audacious pre-emptive strikes against vast guerrilla bases in neighbouring
Mozambique, Zambia and Botswana and as far afield as Angola and Tanzania. With
its ageing fleet, including C-47 ‘Dakotas’ that had been at Arnhem, the RhAF was
able to wreak untold havoc on the enemy, Mugabe’s ZANLA and Nkomo’s ZIPRA.
The late author took over 30 years in writing this book; the result is a comprehensive
record that reflects the pride, professionalism and dedication of what were some of
the world’s finest airmen of their time.
Author biog:
The late Beryl Salt was part of the Southern Rhodesian Broadcasting Services (later
the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation, the RBC). Her interest in history led her to
radio dramas and feature programmes, followed by several books: School History
Text Book, The Encyclopaedia of Rhodesia and The Valiant Years, a history of the
country as seen through the newspapers. She also produced a dramatized radio
series about the Rhodesian Air Force. In 1965 she left the RBC and spent three
years with the Ministry of Information, following which she was a freelance
writer/broadcaster involved in a wide variety of projects until 1980.
COLLECTORS BOOKS
Bahat, Dan (Editor) – Twenty Centuries of Jewish Life in the Holy Land. The forgotten Generations
(Soft cover/Illustrated/1976)
R200.00
Du Plessis, ID (dr. /Samesteller) - Maleise Liederskat, ‘n Sangbundel vir die Kaapse Kore (Africana
/1939/soft cover/good condition)
R400.00
Greyling, DJ (editor) – South African Progress (1976/soft cover)
R200.00
Hugo, Maria – Pier Retief. Voortrekkerpers se Historiese Leesboekreeks (1961/excellent condition)
R200.00
Lantern Jaargang XXIV Nr.4 1975 – Afrikaans – Sy wording, wisdom en bloei (1975/Soft cover square
back/good condition)
R200.00
Manhattan, Avro – Religious terror in Ireland (paperback/1970/excellent condition)
R100.00
Nienaber, PJ – Dr. O’Kulis se Oogdruppels vir Nasionale Siektes (1973/RGN Publikasiereeks Nr.
36/excellent condition)
R100.00
Nietzche, Friedrich W – Thus spake Zarathustra (English translation/Everyman’s Library series 892,
1946/good condition)
R200.00
O’Connor, Frank – The Big Fellow, Michael Collins and the Irish Revolution (paper back/excellent
condition/1965)
R200.00
SABRA – Die Naturellevraagstuk. Referate gelewer op die 1swte jaarvergadering van die SA Buro
vir Rasse-Aangelkeenthede Feb. 1950
R300.00
Scholltz, GD – Het die Afrikaanse Volk ‘n Toekoms? (1953/good condition)
R200.00
Schuman TWE (dr.) – Die Abdikasie van die Witman (1962/Good condition)
R300.00
Windson Magazine Illustrated Annual (weathered/1903)
R200.00
Yad Vashem, Jerusalem – The Holocaust (Published: Martyrs and Heroes Remembrance
Authority/1977/soft cover/saddle stitch)
R200.00
Younger, Calton – Ireland’s Civil War (Paperback/good condition/1968)
R200.00