Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Op 3 Mei 1848 het 'n aantll blanke nedersetters van Ohrigstad in Soutpansberg aangekom; 'n
pioniersdorp, onder Ieiding van Hendrik Potgieter, is gestig en primitiewe huise is opgerig. In
1855 het Stephanus Schoeman die Ieiding oorgeneem en die dorp na homself vemoem. Die
plaaslike owerheid het bestaan uit die kommandant-generaal, 'n landdros met heemrade en ander
regeringsamptenare sowel as dorpsbeamptes.
Tropiese koorssiektes het soms epidemiese afmetings aangcneem en talle mense het gesterf
soos die kerkhof met sy rye grafte getuig. Die nedersetters, gehard deur hul swerwersbestaan,
het die siektes en ontberings verduur.
Vir 16 van die 19 jaar was daar nie 'n vaste predikant nie tot ds N J van Wannelo in 1864 hom
in Schoemansdal gevestig het Hy het hom beywer vir die ophefftng van die inwoners op
geestelike en onderwysgebied. Die mense was konserwatief en meestal ongeletterd. Hulle was
bedagsaam, maar daar was ook ongure en opstandige persone. Hulle klere was eenvoudig en
meestal tuisgemaak, en hulle het graag sosiaal verkeer.
V erskeie beroepe is beoefen: houtsaery was betalend en hout was oorvloedig; jag was die
winsgewendste, want wild en olifante was volop en jagprodukte, veral ivoor waarvan tonne
verhandel is, het goeie markpryse behaal.
Die swartes wat reeds in die gebied gewoon het, het die blankes met wanttoue bejeen. Blankes
het hulle gevestig, grond toegeeien en onbeperk gejag, terwyl die swartes vir hulle moes werk
en belasting betaal. Ongehoorsame swart hoofmanne is aangeval, vee is gebuit en vrouens en
veral kinders is weggevoer as inboekelinge. Dit het tot openlike vyandelikhede gelei.
Veldtogte is gevoer, maar die blankes kon die swartes, weens hulle oninneembare vestings, nie
onderwerp nie. Die swartes het gewere op onwettige wyse bekom. Die handel het begin kwyn,
smouse en handelaars het weggebly en die inwoners het verann en onder mekaar getwis. Die
blankes het in die skans in Schoemansdal saamgetrek en Paul Kruger is met 400 man deur die
Transvaalse regering gestuur om die Venda te onderwerp. Die poging het misluk en op 15
Julie 1867 is Schoemansdal ontruim. Enkele maande later is 'n poging deur Schoeman aangewend
om die dorp te herwin, maar ook dit was onsuksesvol.
Schoemansdal sou nooit weer herbou word nie en was die eerste vesting wat die blankes aan
die swart meerdetheid sou oorgee. / May 1848 a number of white settlers from Ohrigstad arrived in the Soutpansberg. Under the
leadership of Hendrik Potgieter, a pioneer town was developed. In 1855 Stephan us Schoeman
replanned and renamed the town. The local government consisted of the commandantgeneral,
a landdrost, heemrade, government officials and town officers.
The region was unhealthy and fever stricken. Numerous graves in the graveyard are the tragic
signs of many deaths. However, hardy Trekkers, endured the sickness and hardships.
For 16 years there was no minister until, in 1864, the Rev Van Warmelo settled in Schoemansdal
and worked zealously for the spiritual and educational upliftment of the inhabitants.
Most people were conservative and illiterate. Their clothes were plain and usually home-made,
and they were very sociable.
There were different occupations. Woodcutters were well paid and wood was abundant.
Hunting was lucrative because there were plenty of wild animals and elephant, and hunting
products, especially ivory, had good market value.
Black communities, which already inhabited the area, distrusted the whites. The whites settled,
annexed the land and hunted wherever they wanted, while the blacks were compelled to work
and pay taxes. Military campaigns were undertaken against headmen who were regarded as
disobedient, livestock was seized, women, and children, were abducted under the indenture
system. All this caused open hostility.
Campaigns were launched against the blacks but they could not be subjected because of the
mountainous terrain. The blacks obtained weapons illegally. Trade deteriorated and the
whites became poorer and started to quarrel amongst themselves. The white inhabitants
moved into the fort and Paul Kruger was sent by the Transvaal government with 400 men to
force the Venda into submission. The attempt failed and on 15 July 1867 the town was
evacuated. Schoeman, with a small army, also made an unsuccessful attempt. Schoemansdal
would never be rebuilt and was the first white settlement to surrender to black majority. / History / D.Litt. et Phil. (Geskiedenis)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/17984 |
| Date | 02 1900 |
| Creators | De Waal, Jochemus Johannes |
| Contributors | Du Bruyn, J. T. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | Afrikaans |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 online resource (224 leaves) : illustrations, some color |
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