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© University of Pretoria 2.1// THE FORTIFICATION OF THE CAPITAL CITY As Pretoria was the capital city of the The Jameson Raid (1895-1896) large- former ZAR Government (1852-1902), ly contributed to the second fortifica- its fortification was a critical project in tion period, when the Boer Republic a final attempt to retain control over was forced to reconsider its defence the former Transvaal. One of the ma- strategies. Taking advantage of the jor drivers in the annexation of the elevated vantage points on the ridges, province was the discovery of gold in four independent forts had been con- 1886(Van Vollenhoven 1998:2). structed by 1898 on the surrounding peripheries (see Figure 4). These are Pretoria was established in 1855 and Fort Wonderboompoort (northern por- its central location was valued by both tal), Fort Schanskop, Fort Klapperkop the British and the Boers, resulting in a (southern portal) and what was then ceaseless battle for supremacy. Due to known as Fort Daspoortrand (western its natural topography, the surround- portal), later renamed by the British as ing ridges were utilized as elevated Fort West. vantage points and strategic locations to protect the entry portals and railway As a result of a disagreement be- routes into the city (Van Vollenhoven tween the ruling authorities of the 1998:2-24). It is also important to note time, the design and construction of the contextual value of the surround- Fort Daspoortrandwas assigned to a ing ridges that connect a series of his- French firm called Schneider and Co., torical artefacts across South Africa. whilst the other three were built by a German contractor, Heinrich C. As a result of this ongoing conflict be- Werner (Bolsmann 2008:208). tween the British and the Boers, the fortification project was a continu- In 1900 the British reclaimed Pretoria ous process. Both opposing forces for the second time and constructed contributed to it over three consecu- additional forts in a third fortifica- tive periods between 1880 and 1902. tion attempt. With the vulnerability of the railway connections across the During the period of the first fortifica- tion (1880-1881), British forces oc- country, the British implemented the cupied Pretoria and were responsible blockhouse system to ensure an inde- for the construction of a number of structible stronghold. Due to their size, blockhouses and three forts, namely these blockhouses could easily be Fort Royal, Fort Tullichewan and Fort constructed along the railway routes 2.1 Commeline. According to Van Vollen- and at important road crossings and, according to Van Vollenhoven hoven (1998:12-40) a total of eleven fortifications were erected during this (1998:177), amount to a total of 8000. period, but unfortunately most were Figure 2.1: Historical map of the capital destroyed in the intense struggle to re- city indicating the fortification process gain control. and the position of Westfort (Au- 7 02/CONTEXT 8 thor:2016) © University of Pretoria 2 Fort Klapperkop 1898 3 Fort Wonderboompoort 1898 2 Fort Schanskop 1898 Figure 2.6: Fort Wonderboompoort after construction (Van Vollenhoven:1996) 3 2016 Figure 2.2: Fort Schanskop after con- Figure 2.4: Fort Klapperkop after con- struction (Van Vollenhoven:1996) struction (Van Vollenhoven:1996) 4 2016 2 Figure 2.5: Fort Klapperkop today (Au- 1 thor:2016) Figure 2.7: Fort Wonderboompoort today (Author:2016) 2.8 Figure 2.8: Current map of Tshwane indicating the position of Westfort in rela- tion to it’s counterparts (Author:2016) Figure 2.3: Fort Schanskop today (Author:2016) 9 02/CONTEXT 10 © University of Pretoria 4 Fort Daspoortrand (Fort West) 1989 1987 4 Figure 2.9: Fort Daspoortrand after construction (Van Vollenhoven:1996) Figure 2.10: Fort Daspoortrand in ruina- tion (Van Vollenhoven:1996) Figure 2.11: Current map of Tshwane 2.11 indicating the position of Westfort in rela- 11 02/CONTEXT 12 tion to its counterparts (Author:2016) © University of Pretoria km 2 5km Westfort precinct Fort West WESTFORT PRECINCT LOCALITY PLAN Figure 2.12: Locality map of Westfort 2.11 situated on the western edge of Pretoria (Author:2016) 13 02//02/CONTEXTCONTEXT 114 © University of Pretoria Original name Fell into ruination Gradual + Passive Process Fort 1913 1989 D issertation DaspoortranD 1987 F o C us invading British forces built Construction completed 1 1954 1968 WestFort BloCKHouse 1km from Fort Original intention Fort West protect the p ublic Entrance gateway with steel doors still intact Aerial photograph of Fort Daspoor- First documented aerial photograph (Van Vollenhoven 1998:315) trand (Van Vollenhoven 1998:330) of Fort West indicating the destruc- Dated contstruction tion of the roof Fort Daspoortrand during construction 1948 ON ON methods therefore (Van Vollenhoven 1998:329) isolated & Forgotten (Van Vollenhoven 1998:325) Excavation of entrance and no use for fort passages (Van Vollenhoven ruin Fort sCHansKop 2 1980 1998:315) RTIFICATI D estroyeD & a B anD oneD RTIFICATI Fort KlapperKop 3 Fort WonDerBooMpoort 4 Archival photographs indicating First documented aerial photograph Fort West being partially excavated Fort West eroding away today as a forgotten ruin FIRST FO FIRST SECOND FORTIFICATION FO THIRD the fort after completion of Fort West indicating the destruc- Fort Daspoortrand abandoned and in by treasure hungers (Author 2016) Process of (Van Vollenhoven 1998:30) Sister Alfonsa with leper patients visiting the tion of the roof Decay (Van Vollenhoven 1998:329) (Van Vollenhoven 1998:330) old Fort (NASA archive collection) Multiple artefacts found during (Van Vollenhoven 1998:329) “ruination” excavation (Van Vollenhoven 1880 1900 1998:315) 1885 1898 1906 1916 1940 1997 2016 Medical 1985 Process of 1880 1886 1899 New Function 1975 advancement 1945 “ruination” poliC y Daspoort pretoria Renamed as CloseD “Contagious Hospital leper WesFort 1956 DoWn Disease 8 patients institution Hospital 1938 a B anD oneD act” Original Intent 1916 1977 researCH Treating patients segregated Community inD epen D ent poliC y Laboratory for Smallpox (NASA archive collection) FarM VillaG e “Leprosy Segregation Octagonal Church at entrance gate Fell into 1896 1906 All amenities Law” (NASA archive collection) ruination s M all VillaG e Racial Segregation Fresh Produce Repelled by Additional facilities by Wierda amongst patients Schools Original intention researCH Westfort Village today (Author 2016) 1897 Churches Swiss Church at Westfort Watch towers at multiple protect the p ublic (NASA archive collection) poliCy Police station entrance gates Rapid Process Post office etc. (NASA archive collection) “leprosy segregation law” Aerial view of WestFort Village (NASA archive collection) Patients in front of chronic section lying Wedding ceremony (NASA archive collection) in the sun for treatment (NASA archive collection) WESTFORT PRECINCT HISTORICAL TIMELINE 15 02//02/CONTEXTCONTEXT 116 © University of Pretoria Original name Fell into ruination Gradual + Passive Process Fort 1913 1989 D issertation DaspoortranD 1987 F o C us invading British forces built Construction completed 1 1954 1968 WestFort BloCKHouse 1km from Fort Original intention Fort West protect the p ublic Entrance gateway with steel doors still intact Aerial photograph of Fort Daspoor- First documented aerial photograph (Van Vollenhoven 1998:315) trand (Van Vollenhoven 1998:330) of Fort West indicating the destruc- Dated contstruction tion of the roof Fort Daspoortrand during construction 1948 ON ON methods therefore (Van Vollenhoven 1998:329) isolated & Forgotten (Van Vollenhoven 1998:325) Excavation of entrance and no use for fort passages (Van Vollenhoven ruin Fort sCHansKop 2 1980 1998:315) RTIFICATI D estroyeD & a B anD oneD RTIFICATI Fort KlapperKop 3 Fort WonDerBooMpoort 4 Archival photographs indicating First documented aerial photograph Fort West being partially excavated Fort West eroding away today as a forgotten ruin FIRST FO FIRST SECOND FORTIFICATION FO THIRD the fort after completion of Fort West indicating the destruc- Fort Daspoortrand abandoned and in by treasure hungers (Author 2016) Process of (Van Vollenhoven 1998:30) Sister Alfonsa with leper patients visiting the tion of the roof Decay (Van Vollenhoven 1998:329) (Van Vollenhoven 1998:330) old Fort (NASA archive collection) Multiple artefacts found during (Van Vollenhoven 1998:329) “ruination” excavation (Van Vollenhoven 1880 1900 1998:315) 1885 1898 1906 1916 1940 1997 2016 Medical 1985 Process of 1880 1886 1899 New Function 1975 advancement 1945 “ruination” poliC y Daspoort pretoria Renamed as CloseD “Contagious Hospital leper WesFort 1956 DoWn Disease 8 patients institution Hospital 1938 a B anD oneD act” Original Intent 1916 1977 researCH Treating patients segregated Community inD epenD ent poliC y Laboratory for Smallpox (NASA archive collection) FarM VillaG e “Leprosy Segregation Octagonal Church at entrance gate Fell into 1896 1906 All amenities Law” (NASA archive collection) ruination s M all VillaG e Racial Segregation Fresh Produce Repelled by Additional facilities by Wierda amongst patients Schools Original intention researCH Westfort Village today (Author 2016) 1897 Churches Swiss Church at Westfort Watch towers at multiple protect the p ublic (NASA archive collection) poliCy Police station entrance gates Rapid Process Post office etc. (NASA archive collection) “leprosy segregation law” Aerial view of WestFort Village (NASA archive collection) Patients in front of chronic section lying Wedding ceremony (NASA archive collection) in the sun for treatment (NASA