Looking back at the history of Hazyview

The project of Mpumalanga Heritage in conjunction with local historian Hans Bornman and Hazyview Herald to compile the history of the town and its surrounds is enjoying great interest among townsfolk and all interested in the past of the area.
Bornman is currently in the process of gathering information by arranging, doing and transcribing interviews. He is also busy with the revision of the third edition of his well-known publication, Pioneers of the Lowveld which will contain some of the new historical information gathered with this project.
Note that a tour of Hazyview and its surrounding areas to visit places of historical significance originally planned for June 25 has now been postponed to
July 9. The planning of an itinerary is currently underway.
Locals as well as members of Mpumalanga Heritage are invited to join. More information will be made public soon.
To stimulate the conversations on the history of Hazyview as well as to entice locals to come up with essential information to fill in the gaps left in our knowledge of the past, Mpumalanga Heritage is in the process of compiling a historical timeline published today.
Feel free to contact history@destinations.co.za with more written information or contact Marius Bakkes on 013-754-1600 during office hours.
Do realise that this study needs to be as complete as possible. Prehistoric times as well as estimated dates of early settlements will also be taken in account. It includes the history of all groupings and people who are represented in the area as far as Skukuza in the Kruger National Park, Bushbuckridge and all below the escarpment to this side of Klipkoppie Dam.

Timeline

• 1875: Burgers Hall – This farm was granted to Alois Hugo Nellmapius (1847-1893) for the construction of the transport road between Lydenburg and Lebombo (Mozambique border).
• Date? – Birth of Paul Perry.
• February 14, 1877 – Birth of Harry Wolhuter, Beaufortwes.
• 1891 – Birth of Eduard (Eddie) Christiaan Joubert (1891-1962). Banana pioneer of Burger Hall responsible for planting the first banana orchards.
• Date? – Establishment of Steinaecker’s Horse.
• June 11, 1901 – Boer attack of Mpisane’s Fort at Bushbuckridge.
Death of Captain Farmer Frances at Mpisane’s Fort at Bushbuckridge.

• 1903 – Wolhuter’s fight with the lion.
• 1910 – Registration of De Rust Farm to Wolhuter.
• Date? – Grant of Perry’s Bridge Farm.
Opening of trading store at Perry’s Farm
• 1918 – Hendrik Joubert buys Burgers Hall from the Transvaal Mining Company.
• 1926 – Proclamation of the Kruger National Park (KNP).
• 1926 – Charles Boyd Varty and Frank A Unger, both ardent sportsmen and true lovers of wildlife, purchase the farm Sparta, in the present Sabi Sand Wildtuin, and thus pioneer the game farm idea in this area.
• 1927 – WA (Wac) Campbell, the patriarch of Natal Sugar Estates and a foundation member of the National Parks Board, buys MalaMala, Eyrefield and Marthly in this reserve, and subsequently acquires several other adjacent farms.
• 1932 – Capt Max Tylden-Wright and Charles Hull open the first hotel on the Sabie River to service the visitors to the KNP. The Sabi River Bungalows consisted of 13 rondavels with private bathrooms, six single rondavels for the chauffeurs, and a hot mineral spring swimming pool.
• 1934 – Some of the owners look for a scheme of cooperative game protection. They take their problem to the Transvaal Land Owners Association (TLOA), which has many functions, including the administration of unoccupied agricultural and game farms for individuals or groups. The TLOA suggests that the Sabi Private Game Scheme be formed.
• 1937 – Lady Louis Mountbatten visits Sabi River Bungalows.
• Date? – Wolhuter sells Perry’s Bridge Farm to HE Gillman and Eric Smothers.
• Date? – Smothers donates a five-morgen section of the farm for the establishment of the Sabi-Sand Cooperative and Smothers’ daughter, married to Peter Batchelder, sells five morgen to the Sabi-Sand Cooperative for the housing of the co-op’s staff and for a tennis court.
• 1946 – The Second World War land is granted by the government to returning soldiers. One is Naas Maritz who was granted the farm Evert 5 JU in this year and renames the farm to Nola.
Opening of post office at Nola.
• 1947 – Nola Post Office is renamed to Kiepersol.
• 1946 – Wolhuter retires as ranger in the KNP.
• July 1948 – Sabi Private Game Scheme is renamed Sabi Sand Wildtuin.
• Late 1940s – The Hazyview Trading Store is the first facility offering more sophisticated products than what are available. In addition to the general dealer product range the consumer can now enjoy canned foods, cosmetics, fabrics and a host of “naughty” items that make life worth living.
• 1951 – Cooper sells his farm Harmony to McQueen.
• Early 1950s – Establishment of first fruit plantations at Kiepersol and Burgers Hall, south-west of Hazyview.
• 1952 – The Schmidt family from Vryheid, Natal buys land from Joubert.
• 1954 – Publication of the book Bushveld Bananas and Bounty by Kay Cowin on her experience as a pioneering farmer’s wife near Kiepersol. No other dates are mentioned in the book, but it provides a vivid description of farming conditions and the early white as well as black communities in the area.
• 1955 – The Sabi-Sand Cooperative is established and later, on June 1, 1982, it is amalgamated with the Laeveld Koöperasie.
Blue Haze Garage is opened.
• Date? – Peter Batchelder negotiates with Roy Hurndall for a business complex in Hazyview. Batchelder erects the buildings and Hurndall leases the building and starts Kiaat Traders, later changed to Hazyview Traders. This complex also houses a medicine depot and a post office.
• 1957 – Willem Schmidt starts farming at Kiepersol.
• Prior to 1959 – The area that is now Hazyview falls under the control of Kiepersol which is situated near the present-day Sabie Valley Macadamia Company. This consists mainly of the telephone exchange and the post office.
• 1959 – The village of Hazyview is officially promulgated when the first post office is established.
• Late 1960s – Hazyview Station comes into being when the old Selati Railway Line is diverted outside the western border of the KNP to Kaapmuiden.
• 1962 – Death of Eduard (Eddie) Christiaan Joubert (Ongeduldige Hendrik) responsible for planting the first banana orchards.
• 1964 – Death of Wolhuter.
• January 27, 1965 – Sabi Sand Wildtuin is formally proclaimed a private nature reserve.
• 1969 – Death of old Charles Varty’s son, Boyd (father of John and Dave).
• 1971 – Building of the Dagama Dam.
• 1974 – Government buys Burgers Hall Ged 1 to establish an experimental farm.
• June 1, 1982 – The Sabi-Sand Co-op amalgamates with Laeveld Koöperasie.
• 2008 – Publication of the book The Full Circle by Dave Varty about him as his family’s endeavours in developing Londolozi.