Looking back on South Coast history: July 1 to 3

July 1

1955

WHILE Port Shepstone celebrated the 21st anniversary of attaining borough status in the first week of July 1955, the Margate Child and Social Welfare Society reported that it had handled 3 267 cases at its clinic during the preceding 12 months, as compared with 680 during the previous year, which had been its first year of operation.

In the same issue of the South Coast Herald, a reader reported: “As we were fishing off Centre Rocks at Marina Beach, a bushbuck appeared and trotted down to the water. It was soon in the breakers. After it had gone out and come in occasionally for a rest, an immensely big shark took it in the shallow water.”

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1960

In the first week of July 1960, the Herald was able to report: “Crushing at the highest rate ever achieved, namely 65 tons an hour, the Umzimkulu Sugar Company’s newly expanded mill will begin operations on Thursday next, July 7. In one continuous process from cane to finished product the mill this year will produce 23½ thousand tons of sugar.”

Meanwhile, on the same stretch of the Mzimkhulu river, the wrecked remains of the old Mzimkhulu road/rail bridge were still waiting to be removed after the devastating floods of the previous year.

1977

Some things never change, it seems. The Herald of July 1, 1977, declared: “Ratepayers of Margate will be amazed to know that the Olympic size swimming pool on the beachfront is still a hot potato as far as the borough council is concerned.”

1983

In 1983 the Umtentweni Town Board re-affirmed its decision not to be a member of the South Coast Regional Development Association, as it was regarded as a residential area, not orientated to tourism or industry.

1988

And yet another everlasting bone of contention, made headlines at the beginning of July, 1988. “Settlers Park, which for years has been considered Port Shepstone’s den of iniquity, is being cleared and ‘made safe’ for members of the public.”

July 2

1937

IN 1937, Oslo Beach plots were for sale at £60. Easy terms were offered, according to the advertisement on Friday, July 2.

1953

Douglas Mitchell, MP, speaking at the opening of the Gilbert Eyles Dam in 1953, certainly did not foresee today’s water woes. “The forces of nature are on our side,” he said. “A tremendous future is assured for the region of the eastern watershed. They can’t take our water and put it on ‘the wrong side’ of the Drakensberg.” His speech was reported in the Herald of July 2.

In the same issue, Leslie Smith, MEC, told guests at the Water Corporation luncheon that people were inclined to expect only pearls of wisdom from the deliberations of their Provincial Executive. “Alas, this was not always the case,” he said. He recalled an occasion when an MEC had waxed wrath that the administration should spend money on the purchase of additional mules. “We have our own mules,” he had said. “Why not breed some more from them?”

1954

The following year Mr Mitchell raised various questions in Parliament on the subjects of Port Shepstone’s long-promised new post office and the once projected – but now seemingly abandoned – bridge across the Umtamvuna river.

July 3

1970

THE South Coast Herald of July 3, 1970, highlighted another issue that plagues the coast to this day. “For some considerable time the post office authorities and the police have been alerted to thefts of telephone wires. However, up to now, the thieves have not been apprehended.”

1981

On July 3, 1981, the paper announced that the first autoteller on the Lower South Coast had been installed by the United Building Society at its Port Shepstone branch.

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