Module 5: Component 1 Overview Introduction to the Karoo TV Bulpin (1999) describes the Karoo aptly as a place where the table-topped koppies are lords of an enchanted world, where the springbok pronk with their strange, stiff-legged springs ( jumps ) high into the air, where sunsets and dawns look as though the sky has caught fire, where the jackals sing to the moon and the flocks of sheep wander incessantly over great ranges of grazing land, where stillness can be felt and little more can be heard than the sound of a solitary wind pump quietly creaking, as though talking to itself Land surface Boundaries Rainfall 400 000 km² (approximately one third of total surface area of South Africa). Northern : Orange River Southern : Swartberge ( Black mountains) Northeastern : Western spurs of the Drakensberg Western : Cederberg and Bokkeveld mountains Maximum of 250mm in a good year Regions Central Karoo, the Koup and Camdeboo Name The first Khoisan clans called it Garob, meaning dry, unfruitful and uninhabited or in short, thirstland. It must have been a drought year when they ventured onto these empty plains to graze their livestock. The name was later corrupted to Carro or Karoo. These two names were used already in the late 1700s. Thirstland of the Karoo, where little more can be heard than the whisper of the winds (Bulpin, 1999). Lawrence Green has described the Karoo as the land of the stoep (verandah). Claims to fame There are many Karoos in South Africa, together forming the largest plateau region outside Asia. The Karoo is renowned for its aromatic little bushes, commonly known as Karoo bossies ( Karoo bushes ) used as fodder in sheep farming and giving the mutton from this area a special flavour. Karoo Supergroup The largest geological system in Southern Africa was named for the Karoo. Two thirds of the country s surface is covered by sediments from this period. It forms a thick layer, and thinner layers in other parts of Southern Africa and Southern Hemisphere countries. It was never engulfed by a sea, but freshwater and terrestrial fossil remains are scattered across the Karoo. Geological history 280-200 million years ago the palaeo-pacific and Gondwana plates collided and mountains were pushed up in southern
2 Gondwana. Consequently, a basin was formed due to the overload of the earth s crust. The melted ice and rivers flowing northwards from the mountains deposited sand, silt and clay in the basin. A shallow, freshwater lake was formed with small, swimming reptiles called Mesosaurus. The water increased and thick forests developed on the alluvial plains. Therapsids, mammal-like reptiles roamed in the humid but cool climate. 200 million years ago, dinosaurs took over from them and many fossils have proved there existence. Flat-topped Koppies (similar to the mesas found in the southwestern United States) Three groups of sediment was laid down: Ecca Group rich in plant fossils and most important, coal. The Beaufort Group These mud rocks (with some thin sandstone beds) contain the richest wealth of therapsids in the world. Stormberg Group red mudstone and golden sandstone Volcanic intrusion into the sediments left molten matter known as dolerite. The latter being extremely hard, covered the surrounding sediments enabling them to withstand the fast erosion of the other sedimentary rocks around them. The above explains the flat-topped koppies spread across the landscape, covered by a dark layer of rock about two meters thick. They occur in various forms: - Tables - Stools - Rhino horns (only a tip of dolerite protecting the summit). Examples The Three Sisters, three stool-shaped hills that look alike on the northern Cape border, north of Beaufort West. A symmetrical koppie (1706m) known as Coleskop (previously Toverberg, magic mountain ) at Colesberg, has the same appearance from all directions. It was in the vicinity of this hill that the last Quagga, Cape lion and Blue buck was shot. The extinct, the graceful and the comics of the Karoo The Quagga (Equus Quagga Burchelli) The Quagga is a subspecies of the plain zebra. It was brown, with stripes that only occurred on the shoulders, neck and head. The last one died in an Amsterdam Zoo in 1883. In 1987, a selective breeding programme utilising genetic sampling and the plain zebra was launched and by 1998 it had succeeded in reducing the striping on the hindquarters of second-generation Quagga Project Zebras. The Cape Lion (Leo melanochaitus) The difference with African lion was in the black mane on its neck, shoulders, throat and chest. The lack of dense vegetation and the cool winters of the Cape grasslands possibly caused the main to grow longer. They were thought to have become extinct by the mid 1800s until a group of 11 black-mane lions extending to their bellies, were discovered in a zoo in Addis Ababa. Their origin is unknown and it is possible that they
3 might be Cape lions or otherwise Barbary lions. Genetic samples taken from stuffed animals that will be compared with the lions in captivity will shed light on this question. Springbok and pronk The animal lowers its head, fully extends its legs and bunches its hoofs together, arching its back in the process and throwing the haunches down. The white dorsal crest is fanned out along its back in a strikingly handsome manner. In this strangely elegant arched shape, the animal suddenly seems to spurn the earth. It simply shoots straight up into the air (Bulpin, 1999). The Springbok can reach a height of three meters and hardly touches the ground before it bounces up into the air again. The Springbok is at home in the grasslands of the Karoo and does not require a lot of water. Migrations of millions have been recorded over the centuries, in their search for new grazing fields. During this time, they make a sort of snorting/whistling sound. Otherwise they are normally silent. The Meerkat (Suricate) These mongoose-like animals are real sun lovers, spreading themselves out, on their backs and then on their bellies. Their amusing posture of sitting up on their hind legs is to enable them to spy out the landscape for a quick disappearance to safety into their burrows in the light of lurking danger. However, it does not take them long to reappear to satisfy their curiosity. Plants of the Plains Many plants are succulents and supply antelopes with most of their water. Acacia karroo is among the few trees that grow here. Common Sweet thorn (English); Soetdoring (Afrikaans); Mookana (North Sotho); names Mooka (Tswana); umunga (Zulu) (Xhosa) Name Pleasant tasting gum oozes from wounds in the bark, hence the name. It also had commercial value in the past when the gum was exported as "Cape Gum" for making confectionary. This is apparently similar to gum Arabic that is used as a water-soluble glue and food additive. Other uses It has been used for everything from raft-making to sewing needles and fencing for the houses of the royal Zulu women. The thorns were even used by early naturalists to pin the insects they collected! The leaves, flowers and pods serve as fodder for stock and game. In arid areas the tree is an indicator of water, both underground and surface. The bark, leaves and gum have wide medicinal applications, from wound poultices to eye treatments and cold remedies. It is also used to treat cattle, which have tulp poisoning (Homeria spp - bulbous plants that are poisonous to stock). Mesembryanthemums (vygies) are very common and in spring, the flowers are a brilliant display of colours.
Towns and architecture 4 The majority of towns in the region originated as Dutch Reformed Parishes to serve the farmers in the various districts. The original housing was simple with a covered stoep (verandah) as protection against the harsh sun. The verandahs were often decorated along the edges with ornamental Victorian-style wrought iron work, also known as Broekie lace. Windpumps are commonly seen in the back yards. The so-called Karoo houses, are square, flat-roofed dwellings and the Corbelled houses were built from available natural resources. The latter had perfect isolation against the hot climate. Corbelled houses When the trekboere (migrating farmers) arrived in the area of the Sak River early in the nineteenth century, they decided to settle there. Flat rocks were use to built shelters due to the lack of trees.
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6 HOPETOWN Population 8054 (census 2001) Altitude:1076m/3530ft Pixley ka Seme District Municipality On route N12, approximately 83km southwest from Kimberley and 55km northeast from Strydenburg. Origin In 1854, a Dutch Reformed parish was established on the banks of the Orange River (Gariep River) on the farm Duvenaarsfontein of Schalk van Niekerk. In 1867, the first diamond in South Africa was discovered on the farm De Kalk close to Hope Town and it became known as the Eureka. The subsequent diamond rush proved futile with no more finds. In 1869, another discovery was made on the farm Zandfontein by a Griqua known as Booi. Schalk van Niekerk, who had bought the Eureka, was first on the scene and traded it from Booi. Another rush followed, attracting a number of prospectors to the town but the alluvial finds along the River were insignificant. Today, the economy is based on agriculture. Name Officially named in honour for Major William Hope, the auditor general of the Cape Colony at the time. It is said that a pendant of the widow of the owner of the original farm attracted the attention of a servant. Upon explaining to her that it symbolized hope, the servant made a replica from tin and nailed it at the farm entrance. Claims to fame The Eureka South Africa's first diamond (the Eureka) was discovered in 1866 in the Hopetown district on the Farm De Kalk owned by Daniel Jacobs. Schalk van Niekerk visited De Kalk one day and saw the son of Daniel Jacobs, Erasmus (aged 15) playing with a shiny pebble. He suspected it to be a diamond and had the pebble sent to the magistrate at Colesberg, Lorenzo Boyes. Boyes applied the old sure-fire glass-cutting test on a windowpane in his office. Later, Boyes finding was confirmed by an expert who declared that it was indeed a yellow diamond of 21.25 carats. Sir Phillip Woodehouse (Cape governor at the time) bought the stone for 500. Currently it is on permanent display in De Beers Hall at the Kimberley Mine Museum. Star of South Africa Three years later, another stone was found on the farm Zandfontein by a Griqua known as Booi ( Boy ). This one was 83.5 carats and later became known as the Star of South Africa. Schalk van Niekerk gave Booi a span of oxen, 500 sheep and a horse for the diamond and in turn sold it for 11,000 to diamond traders. The Earl of Dudley eventually bought it for 30,000. Giant Vine - Located in the back garden of the Radnor Country Lodge.
7 - Planted between 1855 and 1856. - At one time, some 200 people could be seated in its shade when the vine was covering an area of 180 m². - The circumference at the base is 119 centimetres and half a meter higher 144 centimetres. It was claimed to be the largest of its kind in the world and reports on the vine appeared in various overseas publications, including National Geographic in the 1920s. Agriculture Mainly sheep (karakul, merino and dorper) and jersey cattle farming. 20 000 hectares of wheat and other crops are cultivated under irrigation. Breeding of saddle horses. Mining and industries Salt is sometimes collected from Die Bron ( The Source ) and other saltpans in the area. Historical sites and monuments Scratch Mark on A Window Pane Old Wagon Bridge And Block House San (Bushman) Rock Art 33 Church Street. A windowpane has the scratch mark, which was made to test that the stone found at Hopetown ( The Star of Africa ) was indeed a diamond. The remains of the bridge are located about 10km west from town across the Orange (Gariep) River. It was destroyed during the second Anglo-Boer War. The blockhouse was erected by the British during this war to withstand the advances of the Boers to the Orange River. Located at Houtville and Gelukspoort Memorial Located on the gravel road to Douglas, approximately 40km from Hopetown. It is said to mark the spot where the first diamond was found. Anglo Boer War sites A concentration camp was located on the farm Doornbult farm at the Orange River Station. A blockhouse. The Battlefield information centre is located on the R369. Attractions and activities River rafting, with rapids graded 1-5. Other activities include absailing, clay-pigeon shooting and hiking.
8 STRYDENBURG Population 2346 (census 2001) Altitude:1068m/3504ft Pixley ka Seme District Municipality On route N12, approximately 76km north from Britstown and 55km southwest from Hopetown. The town borders a salt pan that is filled with shallow, salty water during the rainy season. Origin Established as a new parish of the Dutch Reformed Church on the farm Roodepan belonging to the brothers Badenhorst in 1893. Shortly afterwards the village became a staging post between Britstown and Kimberley's diamond diggings. Name Strydenburg ('town of strife'). The squabble was interestingly enough over the site and name of the new parish to be establish. According to one of the residents, some families are still at each other s throats, except when there is a funeral or a need arises in the town. Agriculture Merino-wool production. Boreholes provide drinking water. Attractions and activities Brakpan A saltpan located west from the town that is filled with shallow, salty water during the rainy season. During this time it attracts a large number of flamingos. Wind pumps (windmills) have been manufactured in South Africa since 1871 and are widely spread across the Karoo. Their maintenance cost is about 5% of the initial capital layout and it has a lifespan of 10-30 years. One can therefore appreciate the businesses in town advertising Repairs of Wind Pumps, servicing these icons of the Karoo.
9 BRITSTOWN Population 3235 (census 2001) Altitude1124m/2688ft Pixley ka Seme District Municipality On route N12, approximately 183km southwest from Kimberley and 88km north from Victoria West. On route N10, approximately 128km southeast from Prieska and 43km west from De Aar. Origin Hans Brits who accompanied David Livingstone (19th-century explorer and missionary) on one of his journeys, decided to settle on the site on which the town would develop. In the late 1970s, the increasing number of hunters and fortune seekers on their way to the diamond fields, prompted the establishment of the village and some trading stores. In 1877, a portion of the farm Gemsbokfontein, belonging to Hans Brits was purchased by a group of farmers who also built a Dutch Reformed church. The town, like Strydenburg is one of the main junctions on the De Aar Upington Namibia railway line. Name Named after Hans Brits, the owner of the farm on which the town was founded. Claims to fame Smartt Syndicate Dam Located on the R384, about 24 km west of Britstown on route to Vosburg. It is the largest privately constructed reservoir (1908-1912) in South Africa, has a capacity of 112 million m³ and is fed by the Brak -, Groen - and Onger Rivers, all episodic. It was named after the district medical officer, Dr Thomas Smartt (an Irishman) who served here during the 1880s. In 1885, he initiated the building of an irrigation dam after founding the Smartt Syndicate, and also built another dam. Lucerne and wheat were then planted, merino and karakul kept and a breeding program with Clydesdale horses launched. The government rebuilt the dam wall, which was damaged during heavy floods in 1961.
10 The Clydesdale is a breed of draft horse derived from the farm horses of Clydesdale, Scotland, and named after that region. Thought to be over 300 years old, the breed was extensively used for pulling heavy loads in rural, industrial and urban settings, their common use extending into the 1960s when they were a still a familiar sight pulling the carts of milk and vegetable vendors (www.wikipedia.com). Agriculture The main activity is merino-wool production. Approximately 1800ha of wheat, lucerne and some other crops are grown under irrigation from the Smartt Syndicate Dam. Historical sites and monuments Old Holy Trinity Church Britstown Dutch Reformed Church San (Bushman) Rock Art Transport Museum Located in Market Street. Built in 1896. Converted into the Britstown Museum. Recently proclaimed a national monument. Built in 1877. Located on the Farm Brakwater. Located in Richmond Street. Exhibits display the various means of transport that was used in the district from the earliest days. Attractions and activities Kambroo Hiking Trails Omdraaisvlei Guest farm Starts north of Britstown There is a choice between a 2km or three-day trail. Located one 1km from the N10 on route to Prieska. Guided visits to cracks caused by continental drift and San petroglyph sites. Other activities include horse-riding, swimming, tennis, bush camping and game drives. Contact : 083 461 3267 Art Artists Anton and Aljo Lombard paint, sculpt and create custom furniture (wood and steel). Contact : 053 631 7245
11 VICTORIA WEST Population 4373 (census 2001) Altitude: 1274m/4180ft Pixley ka Seme district Municipality On route N12, approximately 105km south from Britstown and 61km north from Three Sisters. On route R63, approximately 76km northwest from Murraysburg and 81km east from Loxton. Origin A Dutch Reformed Church parish was established in 1843 on the farms Kapokfontein ('snow spring') and Zeekoegat ('hippo hole'). In 1844, plots were surveyed on Zeekoegat and sold to the public on condition that a house was built within four years and that a hedge (quince, pomegranate and elder trees) be planted around each plot. Buyers could each keep two horses, two cows, twenty oxen and some sheep or goats. Name Named in honour of the reigning English queen. The abbreviation 'West' was added in 1855 to distinguish it from the town in the Eastern Cape. It is told that one night, storekeeper Easton and son, secretly arranged whitewashed stones on the slopes of a hill overlooking the town promoting their business J Easton, General Dealer, Victoria West. Their advertisement was ill received by other shopkeepers and some residents and they were ordered by the town council to remove all but the name of the town. Claims to fame John X.Merriman Captain PH Hugo Mannetjies Roux International aviation Apollo talkies Theatre Prime minister of the Cape Colony (1908-1910) and major role player in the drafting of the Union of South Africa (1910). He represented the town in the Cape parliament from 1904-1910. He was born on the farm Pampoenpoort ('pumpkin poort'), 40 km to the northwest and attended school in the town. He joined the Royal Air Force where he received recognition as a fighter pilot during the battle of Britain in 1940. Francois du Toit, Mannetjies" Roux 1939, was a former Springbok rugby player. Although small in size, he was a fearless defender and is probably most well-known for the tackle on Richard Sharp, England and British Lions flyhalf, while playing for Northern Transvaal (today s Blue Bulls) in 1962. Sharp's jaw or cheekbone (sources vary) was broken and put him out of action for the rest of the season. He represented South Africa 27 times during the 1960s. It is been told that a domestic worker, amused by his cockiness, bestowed the nickname, Mannetjie (Afrikaans for little man ). His wife later added the s that gave it an affectionate meaning in Afrikaans. In the 1930s, the town served as a regular stopover for flights from London to Cape Town. The only surviving and operating Art Deco (a rich and festive decoration dating from the 1920s) cinema in South Africa. Completed in the late 1920s when the first sound films were released.
12 Fossilised fish Atherstonia seeleyi Riverine Rabbit Bunolagus monticularis This fish occurred in the inland sea that covered the Karoo, and is estimated to be 250-million years old. It is the most complete example of its kind ever to be found in the world. Occurs in the dry riverbeds on the outskirts of the town. This animal is listed as the most endangered mammal in Southern Africa (and the world according to National Geographics) with only some 250 left in wild. Agriculture Considered as one of the top merino wool-producing regions in the country. A small storage dam (4.2 million m 3 ) close to town provides water for irrigation. Drinking water is supplied by boreholes. Historical sites and monuments Several Early Stone Age Sites Located on several sites on the South African plateau. In the 1920s, the first finds of artefacts were made on dolerite hills close to town. The artefacts (100-600 mm) were attributed to the Victoria West Technique (as it became known) by which byproducts (flakes) are acquired by cutting from dolerite and *diabase rock. The wide flakes were then often transformed into cleavers, hand-axes and some other implements. *Diabase : A dark-gray to black, fine-textured igneous rock composed mainly of feldspar and pyroxene and used for monuments and as crushed stone (www.thefreedictionary.com) Cultural History Museum Located in Church Street behind the local library. Exhibits include a collection of implements from the Early Stone Age and the San that lived in the region. Fossils, including the fossilised fish, all found in the district. Medals won by Group Captain PH Hugo. Granite Memorial St. John s Anglican Church Erected on the communal graves of the 60 people who lost their lives in a flash flood in 1871 (similar to the one in Laingsburg, a hundred and ten years later). A 4m-high wall of water that came rushing down the usually dry Brak River was caused by a cloudburst in the hills southwest of the town. Located opposite the museum. A stained-glass window commemorates Renee Dodd, who was swept away by the 1871 flood while trying on her wedding dress.
13 Attractions and activities Historic Walking Tour Victoria Trading Post Self-guide brochure available from museum. Located on the road to the N1, next to the Mannetjies Roux Museum. A green car is parked outside this green-and-white corrugated-iron building. Hiking Trails Two self-guided hikes, respectively three and four kilometres long, crosses a hill overlooking the town. Victoria West Nature Reserve On the outskirts of the town, on route to Loxton. Home to the rare riverine rabbit, various antelope, zebra and other plain animals. The key to a picnic spot in the reserve can be obtained from the municipality (Church Street). Annual festivals and events Apollo Film Festival Wildsfees (Game Festival) Golf Classic Tournament During September/October With the springbokdrol spoeg kompetisie (the Afrikaans for springbok-dropping spitting competition ) as the highlight of the festivities in June. Last weekend of May
14 HUTCHINSON Altitude:1274m/4180ft Pixley ka Seme District Municipality On route R63, approximately 14km south from Victoria West. Origin In the 1860s, Victoria west became an important trading administration post with the discovery of diamonds at Kimberly and Barkly West. 1870, a railway line was built from Cape Town to the town. However, the railway bypassed Victoria West by some 12km for some unknown reason. The railway siding was established in 1885. Today the town is a junction on a 404-km branch railway line to Calvinia in the west. Name First known as Victoria West Road. In 1901, it was renamed after Sir Walter Hely-Hutchinson that served as governor of the Cape Colony during the last 10 years before the Union of South Africa came into being. THREE SISTERS Pixley ka Seme District Municipality On route N12, approximately 380km south from Kimberley. On route N1 approximately 197km west from Colesberg and 78km northeast of Beaufort West. Located on the cross road of the N12 to Kimberley and N1 (also known as the Great North Road 'from Cape to Cairo ) Origin Serves as a refuelling and refreshment stop. Name Linked to the three easy recognisable hills with sandstone cliffs and distinctive crowns. It is encircled by the Kalkberg (1636m).
15 Resources and further reading Brent Naudé-Moseley & Steve Moseley, Getaway Guide to Karoo, Namaqualand & Kalahari. Sundbird Publishers. 2008. Bulpin, TV www.news 24.com. Business as usual at Noupoort. 01/02/2005 Erasmus Gilliomee Die Geskiedenis van Suid-Afrika. Orania in n Neutedop. Redakteur Andreas Duplesis Voorgrond, Orania groei en blom. Redakteur Eleanor Lombard. December 2007. http://www.clydesdalehorsesociety.com/history.htm http://www.wikipedia.com The concise oxford dictionary of archaeology Exploration and photos Makiti Guides & Tours (Pty) Ltd. March 2005; March 2006 August 2008. Compiled by Maria Louise Kruger 2009.