Machadodorp tot en met dorpstigting in 1904 (Afrikaans)

Abstract

Die verhandeling begin met 'n beknopte oorsig oor die plek en aard van plaaslike geskiedenis in Westerse en Suid-Afrikaanse historiografie. Machadodorp se geografiese ligging, sowel as fisiese faktore soos geografie en klimaat was bepalend tydens die vroeë vestigingsgeskiedenis. Uit argeologiese navorsing wat in die groter streek gedoen is, is vasgestel dat Steentydperkmense, Ystertydperkmense en swart gemeenskappe soos die Koni, Pedi en Swazi van die vroegste inwoners van die gebied was. Gedurende die laaste helfte van die negentiende eeu het die eerste wit setlaars die gebied binnegekom. Die bou van die hoofspoorlyn, die Oosterlijn, na die Portugese hawe Delagoabaai was belangrik vir die behoud van die politieke en ekonomiese onafhanklikheid van die ZAR. Die geskiedenis van die opmeet, bou en ontwikkeling van hierdie spoorlyn en die ontstaansgeskiedenis van Machadodorp is nou verweef. Aanvanklik was albei nedersettings, Machadodorp en Carolina, deel van die Lydenburglanddrosdistrik. Toe Carolina in 1893 tot onafhanklike landdrosdistrik geproklameer is, moes die ZAR-regering uitsluitsel gee tot watter distrik Machadodorp sou hoort. Die uiteindelike besluit dat dit deel van die Lydenburg-landdrosdistrik moes bly, sou vir Machadodorp en omgewing langdurende administratiewe gevolge inhou. Die Anglo-Boereoorlog was die mees ingrypende gebeurtenis in Machadodorp se geskiedenis voor 1904. Nadat Pretoria, die hoofstad van die ZAR, deur die Britse magte beset is, het Machadodorp die tydelike regeringsetel van die ZAR geword (5 Junie 1900 tot 27 Augustus 1900). Die Britse troepe het Machadodorp op 28 Augustus 1900 beset en op 1 September 1900 het lord Roberts, die opperbevelhebber van die Britse troepe in suider-Afrika, die Transvaal as deel van die Britse ryk geproklameer. Britse troepe was op die dorp tot na die vredesluiting in 1902. Die verhandeling word afgesluit met 'n bespreking van die administratiewe proses waarvolgens Machadodorp tot dorp geproklameer is. Hierdie proses, wat deur die uitbreek van die oorlog onderbreek is, is tydens die koloniale tydperk voltooi. Op 30 Desember 1904 is Machadodorp tot dorp geproklameer en het die eerste fase in die dorp se ontwikkelingsgeskiedenis tot 'n einde gekom. ENGLISH : The dissertation begins with a brief review of the nature and status of local history in Western and South African historiography. The geographic location of Machadodorp as well as physical factors, such as geology and climate, determined early settlement patterns. From archaeological research in the area it was determined that the earliest inhabitants of the greater Machadodorp area were Stone Age people, Iron Age people and black communities, such as the Koni, Pedi and Swazi. During the last half of the nineteenth century the first whites settled in the region of Machadodorp. To retain their political and economic independence the ZAR had to obtain a non- British route to the outside world. This idea could only be realized if a railway line, the Oosterlijn, was built to the Portuguese harbour of Delgoa Bay. There is a very close link between the surveying, planning, building and development of this railway line and the history of the establishment of Machadodorp. Initially, the two settlements, Machadodorp and Carolina were part of the Lydenburg magisterial district. When Carolina was proclaimed an independent magisterial district in 1893, the ZAR government had to make a decision regarding the district to which Machadodorp would belong. The eventual decision that Machadodorp should remain part of the Lydenburg magisterial district resulted in long term administrative consequences for the Machadodorp area. The Anglo Boer War was the most influential event in the history of Machadodorp prior to 1904. After Pretoria, the capital of the ZAR was occupied by the British forces Machadodorp became the temporary seat of the ZAR government (5 June 1900 – 27 August 1900). On 28 August 1900 the town was occupied by the British troops and on 1 September 1900 Lord Roberts, Commander-in-chief of the British troops in Southern Africa, proclaimed the Transvaal as part of the British Empire. The British troops remained in Machadodorp until after the peace negotiations in 1902. The dissertation concludes with a discussion of the process by which Machadodorp was proclaimed a town. This process which started before the outbreak of the war was disrupted by the war and was only completed after the war. On 30 December 1904 Machadodorp was proclaimed a town, whereby the first phase in Machadodorp’s developmental history was concluded.