Die lewensomstandighede en kulturele bydrae van die Nederlandse Nzasm-werknemers, 1887 - 1909

Abstract

Afrikaans: Die NederLandsche Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorweg-Maatschappij (NZASM) is op 21 Junie 1887 in Amsterdam opgerig, en het as gevolg van die AngloBoereoor1og op 3 April 1909 opgehou om te bestaan. Hierdie maatskappy, wat verantwoordelik was vir die aanleg en bedryf van die meeste Trans= vaalse spoorlyne voor 1900, was deel van President Kruger se beleid om die ZAR met behulp van Nederlandse kapitaal, kundigheid en mannekrag tot ~ se1fstandige staat te ontwikkel. Vanwee die 11 Hollanderpolitiek 11 van die Transvaalse regering en die tekort aan geskikte p1aaslike mannekrag is meer as die helfte van die NZASM se Blanke werknemers in Nederland aangestel en na Transvaal gestuur. Som= miges is hier getroud, terwy1 ander weer later hu11e gesinne laat oorkom het. Die meeste Nederlandse werknemers was afkomstig uit die westelike provinsies van Nederland, en was oorwegend Nederlands Hervormd wat hulle kerklike lidmaatskap betref. Uiteinde1ik sou daar teen 1899 sowat 1 700 Nederlanders in NZASM-diens wees. In Transvaal het die Nederlanders as klerke, ingenieurs, kondukteurs, stokers, drywers, geneeshere, rangeerders, smede, ploegbase en in tal van ander spoorwegbetrekkinge gewerk aan die aanleg van die verskillende spoorlyne en die bedryf van die treinverkeer. Baie was gehuisves in wonings wat deur die NZASM vir sy personeel opgerig is. Hier en daar het selfs spoorwegdorpe ontstaan. Die Nederlandse werknemers het voorts ge= neeskundige sorg, pensioene, ongeskiktheidstoelaes, ontspanningsfasiliteite spaarfasiliteite en ander diensvoordele by die NZASM geniet, en het hulle kinders op sekere plekke selfs in skole laat leer wat deur die NZASM ondersteun is. Hoewel die salarisse vir destydse begrippe taamlik goed was, was die lewe in Transvaal duur. Namate hulle meer gevestig geraak het, het baie dan ook verkies om meubels en ander gebruiksvoor= werpe uit Nederland in te voer omdat dit goedkoper was. Wanneer die Nederlandse NZASM-werknemers nie op diens was nie, het hulle gelees, besoeke afgele, pieknieks gehou, uitstappies onderneem en hul= self met allerlei verenigings besig gehou. Hulle gevoelens en gedagtes jeens die nuwe land waarin hulle werksaam was het tot uiting gekom in briewe, gedigte en ook foto's. Hulle het gereeld en graag fees gevier, waaronder veral die jaarlikse Koninginnedag (31 Augustus) baie gewild was. As mense was die Nederlandse NZASM-werknemers nie besonder bemind by Boer en Brit nie, maar met die Swart spoorwegpersoneel het hulle goed oor die weg gekom. Hulle was geneig om saam te span en self hulle kultu= rele en ander heil uit te werk. In die jare voor die Anglo-Boereoorlog het daar mettertyd ~ samehorigheidsgevoel ontwikkel. Hulle heftige anti-Britse gesindheid en lojaliteit jeens die NZASM as werkgewer het die Nederlandse spoorwegpersoneel tot waardevolle en bruik= bare bondgenote van die Boere gemaak. Opgrond van hulle oorlogsaktiwi= teite is byna almal gedurende 1900 deur die Britse veroweraars na Europa gedeporteer, waar hulle ~ nuwe bestaan moes vind. Talle het mettertyd na die oorlog na Suid-Afrika teruggekeer, maar slegs enkeles is weer in die spoorwegbedryf aangestel.

English: The Nederlandsche Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorweg-Maatschappij (Netherlands South African Railway Company) (NZASM) was founded in Amsterdam on June 21, 1887, and ceased to exist on April 3, 1909 as a result of the Anglo-Boer War. This company, which was responsible for the construction and operation of most of the Transvaal's railways before 1900,was part of President Kruger's policy to develop the Transvaal Republic (ZAR) to a self-dependent state with the aid of Dutch capital, know-how and manpower. On account of the "Hollander politics" of the Transvaal Government and the shortage of suitable local manpower, more than half of the NZASM's White staff were appointed in the Netherlands and sent to the Transvaal. Some got married here, whilst others organised for their families to come to the Transvaal at a later stage. Most Dutch employees hailed from the Western Dutch provinces, and for the majority were Dutch Reformed as far as their membership of a church was concerned. Eventual= ly there would be about 1 700 Dutchmen in the service of the NZASM in 1899. In the Transvaal the Dutch worked as clerks, engineers, conductors, firemen, drivers, doctors, shunters, smithies, gangers and in numerous other functions on the construction of the various railway lines and the running of the train traffic. Many were housed in accommodation provided by the company for its staff. At some places even railway towns came into being. The Dutch employees also enjoyed medical care, pensions, disability grants, recreational facilities, savings facilities and other service benefits with the NZASM, and in places even sent their children to schools supported by the company. Although the salaries were for the notions which existed at the time quite good, life in the Transvaal was expensive. As they became more and more settled many preferred to import furniture and other articles from the Netherlands, because it was cheaper. When the Dutch NZASM employees were not on duty, they read, paid visits, held picnics, undertook excursions and kept themselves busy with all sorts of societies. Their feelings and thoughts towards the new land in which they worked were reflected in their letters, poems and also photographs. They loved to organise festivities periodically, at which the annual Queen 1s Birthday celebrations (August 31) proved to be espe= cially popular. As people the Dutch NZASM employees were not particularly liked by Boer and Briton, but they got on well with the Black railway personnel. Thus they tended to flock together and work out their own cultural and other salvation. During the years prior to the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) a feeling of solidarity gradually developed.