Thesis (PhD)-- Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is a biography of Sir David Pieter de Villiers Graaff, Bt, of Cape Town, who was born
in 1859 and died in 1931. It covers his whole life span, from his birth as a poor farm boy in the
district of Villiersdorp until his death as one of South Africa’s most innovative businessmen
after he also distinguished himself in a political career. As the pioneer of cold storage in South
Africa he brought the practice of frozen meat and food to the country at the end of the
nineteenth century and in the meat trade he built up one of the biggest business undertakings
in the Southern Hemisphere. As mayor of Cape Town at the youthful age of 31 he played a
decisive rol in the modernisation of the city. As a member of Genl. Louis Botha’s first Cabinet
after Union in 1910, a defining event which laid down the borders of the present Republic of
South Africa, he played a sometimes underestimated role in the development of the country
and its economy after the tribulations and long-term effects of the Anglo-Boer War. The life of
this complex businessman/politician, a Cape Afrikaner who as a bachelor at an advanced age
received a hereditary British title and thereafter married the daughter of the dominee of his
Dutch Reformed congegation, is also a fascinating example of the difficult choices which Cape
Afrikaners in colonial times had to make between loyalty to the British Crown and commitment
to the native soil of South Africa. His biography furthermore offers an insight into the role of a
top business leader who enters politics, a facet which has received little coverage in South
African historial research. By describing the mosaic of his life in the time span in which he was
a prominent figure, it was endeavoured to cast more light on the social and cultural context of
an epoch-making period, thereby seeking to contribute to a nuanced understanding of the
South African past. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is ‘n biografie van sir David Pieter de Villiers Graaff, die baronet van Kaapstad
wat in 1859 gebore en in 1931 oorlede is. Dit dek sy hele lewensloop, van sy geboorte-uur as
arm plaasseun in die distrik van Villiersdorp totdat hy as een van Suid-Afrika se innoverendste
sakemanne gesterf het nadat hy hom ook in ‘n politieke loopbaan onderskei het. As die pionier
van koelbewaring in Suid-Afrika het hy teen die einde van die negentiende eeu die verkoeling
van vleis en voedsel op groot skaal na die land gebring en in die vleisbedryf een van die grootste
sakeondernemings in die Suidelike Halfrond opgebou. As burgemeester van Kaapstad op die
jeugdige ouderdom van 31 het hy ‘n deurslaggewende bydrae tot die modernisering van die
stad gelewer. As lid van genl. Louis Botha se eerste Kabinet na Uniewording in 1910, ‘n
bepalende gebeurtenis waardeur die landsgrense van die huidige Republiek van Suid-Afrika
vasgelê is, het hy ‘n soms onderskatte rol in die opgang van die land en die landsekonomie na
die beproewinge en langtermyn-gevolge van die Anglo-Boere-oorlog gespeel. Die lewensverhaal
van hierdie komplekse sakeleier-politikus, ‘n Kaapse Afrikaner wat as vrygesel op gevorderde
leeftyd ‘n erflike Britse titel ontvang het en daarna met die dogter van die leraar van sy NG
gemeente getroud is, is boonop ‘n boeiende voorbeeld van die moeilike keuses wat Kaapse
Afrikaners in koloniale tye tussen trou aan die Britse Ryk en verankering in die Suid-
Afrikaanse bodem moes maak. Sy lewensverhaal bied voorts insig in die rol van ‘n top-sakeman
wat tot die aktiewe politiek toetree, ‘n faset wat in die Suid-Afrikaanse geskiedskrywing nog
weinig ontgin is. Deur die mosaïek van sy lewe uit te beeld in die tydsgewrig waarin hy ‘n
prominente figuur was, is gepoog om ook meer lig op die maatskaplike en kulturele konteks
van daardie epogmakende tydperk te werp en sodoende ‘n genuanseerde begrip van die Suid-
Afrikaanse verlede te bevorder.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/17986 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Dommisse, Ebbe |
| Contributors | Grundlingh, A. M., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of History. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | Afrikaans |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 220 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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