Hazyview: The incorporation of Perry’s Farm

While gathering information for the compiling of the history of Hazyview and its surrounding, the following report has come to our attention. It is an archaeological impact assessment on portions 2, 12 and 16 of Perry’s Farm 9 JU as well as Portion 12 and the remainder of Portion 109 of the farm De Rust 12 JU, Hazyview.

This thorough research completed in 2012 includes a history of the area and, to my knowledge, is the most comprehensive to date. It gives a detailed listing of the initial development of the village in terms of the allocation of land and sites, as well as the erecting of structures.

The report was compiled by Kudsala Antiquity Enpact Environmental Consultants by JP Celliers, who is well known in local archaeological and conservation circles. Celliers is also the curator of the museum at Lydenburg. This is the forth and last delivery of this report.

On June 11, 1971 an application was submitted by Sabie Rivier Minerale Bron to the Department of Planning for the establishment of a public resort on Perry’s Farm 9 JU.

The resort would consist of 20 holiday huts, a caravan park, a swimming pool and a restaurant. In a subsequent report submitted by the Department of Local Areas to the Transvaal Board of Development of Peri-Urban Areas some interesting facts were mentioned about the farm. It stated that the property was located in a fork formed by the Sand and Sabie rivers.

The property was not developed, except for a substation operated by Evkom Electricity. Mention was also made that there were hot-spring sources on the property and that due to the high mineral concentration of the water, the land was not suitable for agricultural purposes.

Important from a historic and archaeological perspective was that the owner, a certain Mr HJ Wessels, mentioned an excavation on the farm that led to the finding of various clay pots. These indicated the presence of a black tribe that lived in the area, possibly during the Iron Age.

The administrator of the Transvaal approved the application for the establishment of the resort on August 28, 1972. The sketches below dated to 1971, show the proposed development.

On July 28, 1980 an application was submitted to the Department of Cooperation and Development in which approval was sought for the building of a residence with four rooms to house black Evkom employees on the property Perry’s Farm. This application was approved on February 18, 1982.

On November 11, 1985 Derick Peacock submitted an application for the development of a portion of Perry’s Farm with permission of the owner.

This was for the development of 38 chalets, a dam and one squash court.

The application also mentioned already- established developments in the area which was 60 rooms, six chalets, 22 chalets already under construction, a swimming pool, a golf course, two tennis courts, three volleyball courts, one bowling green as well as covered recreational facilities.

The development was approved under a number of conditions and consequently the chalets and dam were built. The plan for the building of a squash court was abandoned and substituted with the construction of a tennis court.

The following bibliography of sources used to compile this report, offers an array of further information on this area:

1. Amery, L.S. (ed), The times history of the war in South Africa 1899-1902, Vol VI. London, 1909.

2. Barnard, C. 1975. Die Transvaalse Laeveld. Komee van ‘n Kontrei.

3. Bergh, J.S. (ed.) 1998. Geskiedenisatlas van Suid-Afrika. Die vier noordelike provinsies. (J.L. van Schaik, Pretoria).

4. Bonner, P. 1978. Factions and Fissions: Transvaal/ Swazi politics in the mid-nineteenth century. Journal of African History 19 (2), p. 226.

5. Bonner, P. 1983. Kings, Commoners and Concessionaires: The evolution and dissolution of the nineteenth-century Swazi state. Johannesburg: Ravan Press.

6. Bornman, H. (red.) 1979. Nelspruit: 75 in ’80. Stadsraad van Nelspruit.

7. Bornman, H. 1995. Pioneers of the Lowveld.

8. Breutz, P.L. 1985. Pre-Colonial Africa: The South-Eastern Bantu Cultural Province.

9. Delius, P. 2007. Mpumalanga History and Heritage. University of KwaZulu-Natal Press.

10. Delius, P. (ed.) 2009. Mpumalanga: an illustrated history. Highveld.

11. Evers, T.M. 1975. Recent Iron Age Research in the eastern Transvaal, South Africa. South African Archaeological Bulletin. 30: 71-83.

12. Evers, T.M. 1977. Plaston Early Iron Age Site, White River District, Eastern Transvaal, South Africa. South African Archaeological Bulletin. 32: 170-178.

13. Evers, T.M. in Voight, E.A. 1981. Guide to Archaeological Sites in the Northern and Eastern Transvaal. Transvaal Museum, Pretoria.

14. Giliomee, H. 2003. The Afrikaners – biography of a people. Tafelberg, Cape Town & Charlottsville.

15. Huffman, T.N. 1998. Presidential Address. The Antiquity of Lobola. South African Archaeological Bulletin 53: 57-62.

16. Huyser, J. D. Die Naturelle-Politiek van die Suid-Afrikaanse Republiek. D. LITT. Verhandeling, Universiteit van Pretoria.

17. Mason, R. 1962. Prehistory of the Transvaal: a record of human activity. Witwatersrand University Press, Johannesburg.

18. Küsel, U. 2005. Cultural Heritage Resources Impact Assessment of a Portion of Kapama Hoedspruit (Guernsey 81 KU Portions 6, 34, 98, 109, 56, 204 and 210). An unpublished report by African Heritage Consultants CC on file at SAHRA as: 2005-SAHRA-0264.

19. Massie, R.H. 1905. The Native tribes of Transvaal. Prepared for the general staff war office. Harrison and Sons, London.

20. Myburgh, A.C. 1949. The Tribes of Barberton District. Department of Native Affairs. Ethnological Publications No. 25.

21. Ross, R. 2002. A Concise History of South Africa. Cambridge.

22. Van Rooyen, T. S. 1951. Die verhouding tussen die Boere, Engelse, en naturelle in die Geskiedenis van die Oos-Transvaal tot 1882 in Archives Yearbook for South African History, 14(1).

23. Van Schalkwyk, J.A. 2001. A Survey of Cultural Resources in Two Potential Borrow Pit Areas, Acornhoek, Northern Province. An unpublished report by the National Cultural History Museum on file at SAHRA as: 2001-SAHRA-0064.

24. Van Vollenhoven, A.C. 2002. Die Metodiek van Kultuurhulpbronbestuur (KHB). S.A. Tydskrif vir Kultuurgeskiedenis 16(2).

25. Van Vollenhoven, A.C. 1995.

Die bydrae van Argeologie tot Kultuur-hulpbronbestuur. Referaat gelewer voor die Suid-Afrikaanse Vereniging vir Kultuurgeskiedenis, Transvaal Streektak, Sunnyside.

Also read:  Discovering the rich history of rural Hazyview