The Great Depression has received relatively little attention from South African historians and economists. Most studies of the period concentrate almost exclusively on political aspects, and ignore the economic realities. Little attempt has been made to quantify and analyse the effects of the depression and drought, nor has a proper integration of these economic realities and their impact on politics been attempted. There is perhaps good reason for this. There is such a wealth of material to be digested that the task has been perceived as too daunting for a single researcher. Local or thematic studies have therefore been undertaken. This thesis is essentially a local history study which examines the effects of the Great Depression on the then province of Natal. The depression affected all areas of economic activity in the region; industry, coalmining, and both commercial and subsistence agriculture. Hardly any aspect of life was untouched. It scarred the collective consciousness of an entire generation. Under the twin onslaughts of the depression and drought, the people of Natal turned to the state for assistance. The state turned out to be a poor provider, preferring to devote its efforts to alleviating distress ' among white farmers, while forcing the major burden of relief onto the urban local authorities. Such authorities were obviously reluctant to assist anyone other than their own burgesses. Prevailing racist sentiments ensured that the major economic burden was passed onto those who could least afford to bear it, the African majority. Government policy held that Africans were expendable components of the urban work-force; when the economy shrank they were simply expected to return to their places of origin. During these years the idea that the reserves could accommodate all the "surplus" African workers was finally exploded. Isolated from the centres of power, and under intense pressure from the depression and drought, white Natalians reacted with characteristic jingoism and agitated for the secession of the province from the Union. Black politics, which had reached boiling point prior to the depression, fell into a slump, also occasioned by the prevailing economic woes. Militancy turned into co-operation. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1994.

No abstract available. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1983.

The political violence and vigilante activities that characterised Natal and Zululand between 1985 and 1996 had numerous causes. The formation of the United Democratic Front (UDF) in 1983 contributed to the rise of vigilantism and political violence. The formation of the Congress of the South African Trade Union (COSATU) in 1985 compounded this situation. Both these movements were known to be sympathetic to the African National Congress (ANC), which was still banned at the time of their formation; hence they had similar objectives to the ANC. During this time, Inkatha was the only strong Black political movement in the country, and particularly in Natal and Zululand. The Inkatha movement and its leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi regarded the formation of the UDF and COSATU in 1985 as a challenge to the hegemony of Inkatha in the region, following his fall-out with the ANC leadership in exile. Local leadership of political movements, namely, UDF and COSATU on one hand and Inkatha on the other, mobilised their support-base and took arms against each other. The lifting of the State of Emergency in 1986 intensified political violence and vigilante activities in the region. The Natal Midlands’ violence saw a high number of deaths and causalities. Local communities as well such as Vulindlela suffered a great deal. Clan faction fights were characteristic of KwaShange in the period 1940s-1970s, but from the late 1980s onwards (especially 1987) political unrest and struggle against the Nationalist apartheid regime changed into conflict between Inkatha and the UDF, which gradually worsened into civil war. In the course of my previous studies in KwaShange I discovered that the violence had impacted upon families and inter-generational relationships. According to some senior residents’ thinking, a number of youths were ill disciplined. Issues of disciplining of youths had obscured the political struggle and violence, making it hard to disentangle them. When researching memories of the violence, I found that persons spoke of different incidents within this struggle period and described their violent nature and how it had impacted on families’ survival, both psychologically and physically. The interviewees kept saying that it was hard to forget the memories engendered by their horrific experiences. The South African Government was accused of secretly provoking acts of violence in Natal and Zululand and was furthermore accused of having sent IFP troops to the Caprivi in Namibia for training in guerrilla combat. The Government later acknowledged this, explaining that the Natal Legislature needed specially trained forces for its officials. The unbanning of political parties and the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990 saw KwaZulu- Natal entering a new phase of random vigilante activities and violence. The security forces (the South African Police and the South African Defence Force) were accused of supporting IFP vigilantes. All this led to the “Seven Days War” in 1990 in the Midlands, particularly in KwaVulindlela. In KwaShange this violence, from 1986 until 1996, created divisions in families and the community. Many people lost their lives. All efforts to put an end to the violence and vigilantism failed. The announcement that the first democratic election in South Africa was to be held in 1994 triggered more violence in Vulindlela. Exhaustion in the area, and a national climate which promoted peace were elements which eventually brought the conflict to an end. Socially and economically, the area is still experiencing problems. Survivors and generations born during and after the turmoil talk about endless psychological and emotional suffering born during this turmoil. My contention is that trauma experienced as a result of this violence and its consequences influenced the lives of all persons affected by it, and that this was transmitted across generations, through whole families and communities. It must be realized that these people and their families were affected for a long time, and many are still traumatised. The social structure of the community has been affected by it and by implication that of successive generations will also be affected. This study describes and analyses political violence in KwaShange and investigates how it is remembered by the survivors. It also attempts to answer the question of how communities, families and individuals survived these traumatic experiences, how they coped (or failed to cope) with their experiences, both then and fifteen years after the end of violence. By focusing on KwaShange as a case study of political violence in KwaZulu-Natal, I hope to determine what was in play in the province, and find a common pattern underlying the dynamics of the conflicts. Pre-civil war divisions have not, up to the present, been confronted, and these fuelled the political affiliations that were a response to the struggle against the apartheid regime. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

On the first October, 1954 the Tomlinson Commission submitted its report to Parliament. Inter alia, it recommended that it should be the ultimate aim in the implementation of the policy of separate development of the races that as the Blacks become sufficiently advanced to manage their own affairs in their own areas, the administration of such affairs should be gradually transferred to the Blacks. In order to achieve this, it became necessary to employ Blacks in the areas to manage their own affairs where they might qualify. The Department of Development Aid and that of Education and Training therefore, collaborate with the national states to localize posts if need be or identify them for occupation by seconded officials in case they cannot be localized. The progressive localization of posts advances with self-government. There are constrains militating against the localization of posts. The main ones being the shortage of skilled manpower generally and of sufficiently qualified management personnel in the higher echelons in particular. Some problems are culture - based. For example, the inability of some Zulu civil servants to accept posts in strange and remote areas even if they are in senior positions. Since localization implies the gradual transfer of administrative decision-making it has transpired that KwaZulu civil servants are keen to localize whatever posts they possibly can localize especially in the Department of Education and Culture. The technical, medical and engineering fields are the most difficult to localize. Localization however, does not mean a mere replacement of one race with another. It means the transformation of a foreign system of administration into a local, indigenous one. The whole ethos, philosophy, system of values and procedures change from being legalistic and law enforcing. It assumes new duties of promoting, empowering and managing African development. The purpose of this thesis is to find out how far the policy of localization has been applied in KwaZulu especially in the Department of Education and Culture. It traces the fundamental assumptions and implications of localization in general, drawing on the literature available on other African countries and analyses the process in the KwaZulu civil service specifically. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1990.

The University of Natal was unique in South Africa for many years in that, unlike other South African universities, it was split between two geographically distant campuses, Pietermaritzburg and Durban. The research problem which was central to this study was to document the development of the libraries of the University of Natal from inception in 1910 to the point of merger at the end of 2003 in order to arrive at an understanding of how the libraries in the two centres, Durban and Pietermaritzburg, developed. Linked to the central problem were two sub-problems which were, firstly to discover whether the two libraries had, as stated by a highly placed University Task Team, developed “too independently ...” (1) was true or at least partially true and secondly to find out whether the personalities of individual University Librarians had a significant influence on the development of the libraries. In order to solve the research problem and the two sub-problems as well as to guide the structure of the chapters, four research questions were posed: • What administrative problems were encountered as the libraries expanded and how did the dual-centred nature of the University affect their development? • What level of financial support did the University provide to the libraries and was this sufficient? • What impact did the introduction of information and communications technology (ICT) have on the development of the libraries? and lastly; • What services were offered to users of the libraries and how did these differ between the two centres. The broad approach to the study is interpretative. It has been written as a narrative, with interpretations interwoven throughout the discussion, in chronological order to best show change over time. Understanding the present and anticipating and managing change with some measure of success depends to an extent on our appreciation and understanding of history. This study, by investigating the historical record of the nine decades of existence of the University of Natal Libraries, is not only a revelation of the past but will also, it is hoped, assist in identifying possible future trends in academic librarianship in South Africa, particularly as far as the management of multi-centred university libraries is concerned. The value of the study also lies in the consolidation and interpretation of information in numerous unpublished records and scattered, ephemeral resources. The historical research method was chosen for this study. Given the nature of the research problem it was deemed to be the optimal method for the collection and analysis of data. In order to gain an understanding of the problem, evidence was gathered from primary sources, such as letters, library committee minutes, memoranda, newsletters, photographs and reports, including library annual reports, as well as secondary sources. Oral testimonies assisted in verifying information pertaining to the written record, shedding light on certain events and providing added insight. The research undertaken for the study showed that an offer of a Library Fellowship by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, which would enable a staff member to undergo professional training in librarianship in the United States, was the catalyst for the unification of the two libraries. This system prevailed for 22 years. Thereafter the unitary library system was dismantled and the two libraries developed in completely different directions until economic necessity resulted in a concerted effort to bring the libraries together again in 1997, although this time as a federal rather than a unitary system. The research showed that the criticism that the two libraries had developed too independently was true and that a holistic approach to library services at the University of Natal was lacking. Secondly, the research also showed that the personalities of individual University Librarians did exert a significant influence on the development of the libraries although other elements also influenced their development. Although the study is an history of a university library rooted in a “first world” (2) culture there are lessons to be learnt which could be applied to other institutions, particularly in the context of post-apartheid South African higher education. Several dual- or multi-centred institutions now exist. The integration of different libraries, each with its own idiosyncrasies and its own ethos can be complex and is potentially divisive. There has to be institutional commitment to the idea of a unitary library system as the library service in any university is shaped to a large extent by the parent institution. The study was limited to an investigation of the historical record of the University of Natal Libraries. An historical analysis of university libraries on a national scale lay beyond the scope of this study. It was also limited to a focus on the institution itself and the difficulties encountered in the administration of a dual-centred library service rather than focusing on the library service from the users’ point of view. Lastly the study suggests several areas for future research. It is noted that there is a dearth of in-depth critical texts available on the history of South African university libraries. An historical analysis of university libraries on a national scale would become feasible if research is undertaken into the histories of more South African university libraries. (1) [University of Natal, Library Task Team], A report on the University of Natal Libraries submitted to the Executive Implementation Team, 1998, p. 31. (2) C. Darch & P. Underwood, Dirt road or yellow brick superhighway?, Library hi tech, vol. 17, no. 3, p. 285. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

The Albert Falls Area had witnessed severe competition over land use between agriculture, recreation, conservation and other land uses. The area also has been the scene for inefficient land management that led to degradation of land resources. For proper land use planning and environmental management, information on land use/cover change is vital. This study has developed a spatial and descriptive historical land use/cover databases for the years 1944, 1967, 1989, and 2000 to provide an understanding of land use/cover patterns in Albert Falls Area. The databases were created by interpreting historical aerial photographs and using Geographic Information Systems. The data was subsequently analyzed to detect relevant trends in land use/cover patterns in the study area. Generally land use/cover pattern of Albert Falls Area during the period 1944 to 2000 may be described as being mainly agricultural. The results showed a marginal increase of indigenous forests attributed to the continuous efforts by different governmental departments and policies that focused on the protection of the remaining patches of indigenous forests. Grassland not only decreased by more than half but it also deteriorated in quality during 1944 to 2000. Commercial Forestry predominates the study area and showed an increasing trend from 1944 to 1967. Cultivated Land was observed to decrease at the expense of Commercial Forestry plantations and Waterbodies. Although sugarcane plantations increased after 1967, total Cultivated Land showed a decreasing trend. The construction of Albert Falls Dam and other small Farm Ponds within the agricultural farms increased the land areas covered by Waterbodies. Residential Area coverage generally decreased irrespective of the encroachment of informal settlements, while that outside Non-Residential Area and Transportation Routes generally increased with the development of commercial agriculture in the area. Barren Land decreased continuously due to higher land demand in the study area. The study showed that land use/cover changes in Albert Falls Area. have resulted in habitat fragmentation, development of monoculture land use, flourishing of Farm Ponds in agricultural farms, and expansion of agricultural activities on marginal lands. Creation of corridors/linkages between the fragmented forest patches; commencement and implementation of the already well drafted land and land resource policies and regulations; commencement of the holistic management plans in the area were recommended for a sustainable land use. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

Approximately three-quarters of the population in South Africa live in rural areas and are under the governance of traditional leadership, whose practice has been the source of controversy in the post-apartheid era. The institution of traditional leadership has been historically regarded as the main ruling system closest to and accepted by the people at grassroots level. The aim of this research is to investigate the role of traditional leaders in local government in the Vulindlela and Impendle areas, Pietermaritzburg. The objective is to present a historical overview of the role of traditional leaders and to analyse the role traditional leaders have to play in development. The research examines whether the tension between traditional leaders and municipal councillors hinder development to the masses in Vulindlela and Impendle areas. The methodology adopted for this study was a qualitative research approach, which was used to analyse the roles played by traditional leaders in rural local government development. The main findings of the study reveal that traditional leaders and authorities are essential political, social and economic structures for maintaining the socio-political order that is a prerequisite for rural development. Any endeavor to create a full democratic society in South Africa must utilize the intrinsic strengths of traditional leaders. The institution of traditional leaders should be transformed to move with the times. Many traditional leaders accept the role they have to play as part of the new order as well as the resulting challenge associated with the process of transformation. In principle, traditional authorities should not be drawn into party politics and their role should remain one of neutral leadership. Traditional authorities are seen in their communities as the institutional form of government closest to the people and therefore need to be preserved. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietemaritzburg, 2004.

Colonial Natal has become an increasingly popular field of investigation for historians of Southern Africa over the last decade or so. This trend is not premature or " irrelevant for, although not demonstrating" the economic impact of the diamond-mining industry of the Cape, or the gold-mining industry of the Transvaal, the political " economy of nineteenth century Natal played a significant role in forming patterns of South African social and economic development, as well as attitudes towards this, not least of all in terms of labour exploitation. The history of Natal during this period has been lacking by and large in what I consider to be two important aspects. Firstly, the colony, on the whole, has been neglected by Marxist and radical historians; and secondly, the history of women in South Africa, as yet a nascent area of research in itself, has not included an attempt to date, understand the lives of those women who lived along the south-east coastal belt of Southern Africa, between the Drakensberg and the Indian Ocean. This study strives to be a preliminary step in the direction of redressing this imbalance, by offering an introductory exposition on the political economy of women in colonial Natal. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1982.

This documentary dissertation contributes to scholarly understanding of the history of missionary endeavours in Natal and Zululand by making accessible a carefully edited compilation of documents written by Norwegian missionaries in those areas between 1844 and 1899. From thousands of pertinent extant documents, the editor has selected a representative crosssection of the most revealing letters and reports that Lutheran and other missionaries sent to their sponsoring organisations and the related periodicals. Each document has been translated from Norwegian into English, suitably excised of superfluous material, and given a brief introduction. Annotations explain theological jargon and identify people, places, and phenomena to which the writers of these letters and reports referred. The documents are divided into four chapters, each of which begins with an introduction by the editor. An introductory chapter provides information about the Norwegian missionaries in question, the general history of their work, the nature of the correspondence, and the consequences of the failure of many other historians of foreign rnissions in Southern Africa to avail themselves of this invaluable historical source. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

D.Litt. et Phil. / The opponents of the White minority government in South Africa succeeded in 1994, by means of the electorial process, to obtain the political power in the country. These opponents of the previous government were, and still are, a composition of members from the total demographic spectrum of South Africa's population. The composition of the Bantu population in KwaZulu-Natal was traditionally family clusters of the Nguni. Conflict occurring in KwaZulu-Natal may, with reference to the past up to the recent present, be categorised as follows: Along intra-ethnic lines - the Zulu against Zulu-related family clusters. The same concerning the Xhosa. Along inter-ethnic lines - the Zulu against the Xhosa, and later the Bantu against the Whites. Along intra- and inter-ethnic lines within the Nguni. Reference is made on the one hand to the conflict between the traditionalists and modernists within the Zulu and Xhosa peoples, and on the other hand to the conflict between the Zulu and Xhosa peoples. Given the focus of this study the inherent present conflict in KwaZulu-Natal will be addressed, and then with specific emphasis on the occurrence of conflict in the geographic and demographic contact zone, viz the lower Umzimkulu Area, where the Zulu and Xhosa peoples merge. Since the dawn of South Africa's history, KwaZulu-Natal may be regarded as the territory where geographic expansionist ideals were, by means of conflict, brought to fruition. Historically, conflict situations were initiated from the Ulundi area and these conflicts gave rise to bloody "war situations." The (strategic) aim of the (tactical) offences was already then the realisation of a (geopolitical) idea of expansion.