Contents

No. 11, January 1982

Articles

• Komatipoort: oostelike poort van Transvaal. / Tempelhoff, JWN
• The history of nature conservation in Sandton. / Carruthers, EJ
• Early history of the Victoria West branch of the Standard Bank of South Africa. / Immelman, E
• Kannaland - 'n verdwene streeknaam. / Appel, A

Book reviews

• Smit, P. & Booysen, J.J. 1981. Swart verstedeliking: proses, patroon en strategie. [Boek resensie] / Oberholster, AG
• Nattrass, J. 1981. The South African economy: its growth and change. [Book review] / Tempelhoff, JWN
• Hewson, L.A. 1981. They seek a city: methodism in Grahamstown. [Book review] / Snyman, PHR

Editorial

A region's history is to a large extent the story of its economic prosperity and decline as reflected in the socio-cultural activities of the population. Good times are accompanied by an influx of people and the flourishing of schools, churches, and communal facilities. .In bad times people tend to move out, community activities drop, and sometimes cause the collapse of services. Economic conditions undoubtedly have a bearing on the quality of life of a region's inhabitants.

The development of a territory depends on its natural potential: nature of the soil, fauna and flora, water sources, climatic conditions, mineral deposits, and situation, e.g. how it relates to development areas. Nothing can be added to this potential; it can, however, be discovered and exploited. This, in the first place, should be done by the inhabitants. Their labour and initiative, however, often have to be supplemented from external sources to provide infrastructural development, technical know-how, and capital. These inputs will usually be in proportion to the land's potential.

A town or region sometimes profits by development unrelated to its own resources. For instance the railway from Pretoria to Lourenco Marques, completed in 1895, passed through the undeveloped Lowveld and contributed directly to the opening up of that area. Time will tell whether the Sishen-Saldanha railway will stimulate development in the Northern and North-Western Cape to the same extent. Regions benefiting in this way should take advantage of the opportunity to get development under way that would otherwise take years to achieve.

In strategically situated regions such as the Northern and North-Western Transvaal, and the Northern, North-Western, and North-Eastern Cape special measures should be taken to stimulate development. These areas have large natural potential which is, however, difficult to exploit owing to their vastness and the fact that they are far from centres of development.

Redaksioneel

Die geskiedenis van 'n streek is in groot mate die verhaal van sy ekonomiese opbloei en agteruitgang soos dit in die sosio-kulturele lewe van die gemeenskap neerslag vind. As dit voorspoedig gaan, is daar 'n toestroming van mense en die gevolglike opbloei van skole, kerke en gemeenskapsfasiliteite. As dit egter sleg gaan, vind ontvolking plaas wat tot 'n afname in gemeenskapsaktiwiteite en die ineenstorting van dienste aanleiding kan gee. Ekonomiese toestande het dus direk betrekking op die kwaliteit van die lewe van 'n streek se inwoners.

Die ontwikkeling van 'n gebied is afhanklik van sy natuurlike potensiaal: bodemgesteldheid, plante- en dierelewe, waterbronne, klimaat, minerale rykdom en ligging, byvoorbeeld ten opsigte van groeipunte. Aan hierdie potensiaal kan nie toegevoeg word nie, maar dit kan ontdek en ontwikkel word. Hierdie taak berus in die eerste plek by die inwoners. Hulle werkkrag en inisiatief moet egter dikwels aangevul word deur insette van buite in die vorm van infrastruktuurskepping, tegnologie en ontwikkelingskapitaal. Hierdie insette sal gewoonlik relatief wees tot die gebied se potensiaal. Soms gebeur dit egter dat 'n dorp of streek voordeel trek uit ontwikkeling wat niks met sy eie potensiaal te doen het nie. Die spoorlyn van Pretoria na Lourenco Marques wat in 1895 voltooi is, het deur die onontwikkelde Laeveld gegaan en direk bygedra tot die oopstelling van die gebied. Die tyd sal leer of die Sishen-Saldanha-spoorlyn op dieselfde wyse ontwikkeling in Noord- en Noordwes-Kaapland sal stimuleer. Gebiede wat op hierdie wyse bevoordeel word, moet die geleentheid aangryp om ontwikkelingsmomentum op te bou wat andersins jare sou neem.

In strategies geleë streke soos Noord- en Noordwes- Transvaal, Noord-, Noordwes- en Noordoos-Kaapland behoort spesiale maatreëls getref te word om ontwikkeling te stimuleer. Hoewel hierdie gebiede oor heelwat natuurlike potensiaal beskik, is dit moeilik om te ontwikkel as gevolg van die streke se uitgestrektheid en verwyderdheid van groeipunte.