AFRICAN HERITAGE CONSULTANTS CC 2001/077745/23 DR. UDO S KÜSEL Tel: (012) 567 6046 Fax: 086 594 9721 P.O. Box 652 Cell: 082 498 0673 Magalieskruin E-mail: [email protected] 0150 Website: www.africanheritage.co.za A. PHASE I CULTURAL HERITAGE RESOURCES IMPACT ASSESSMENT (a) PHASE I CULTURAL HERITAGE RESOURCES IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE VAALHARTS IRRIGATION PROJECT CANAL GANSPAN – PAMPIERSTAD –JAN KEMPDORP – HARTSWATER AND TAUNGH NORTH WEST PROVINCE AND NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE (b) REPORT COMPILED BY Dr. Udo S. Küsel; African Heritage Consultants CC P.O. Box 653, Magalieskruin, 0150 Tel: 012 567 6046; Fax: 086 594 9721; Cell: 082 498 0673 E-mail: [email protected] (c) DEVELOPER AND CONSULTANT INFORMATION Project Applicant: Department of Water Affairs and managed by Vaalharts Water User Association Mr. Gert Kruger (CEO); P.O. Box 4, Jan Kempdorp, 8550 Tel: 053 456 0131; Cell: 082 524 8611; Fax: 053 456 0010 E-mail: [email protected] Consultant: AB Enviro Consult CC. Mr. JP de Villiers, 7 Louis Leipoldt Street, Potchefstroom, 2531 Tel: 018 294 5005; Fax: 018 293 0671 Cell: 083 548 8105; E-mail: [email protected] Date of report: 18 September 2015 1 B. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme is the largest and most successful irrigation project in South Africa. It lies on the border between the North West Province and the Northern Cape Province. The scheme was built in the 1930/40`s as a poverty relieve project for poor whites in the 1930`s depression. Most of the work was done by manual labour digging the 182 kilometres north canal as well as secondary and tertiary canals. The main canal is the North canal which has to be rebuilt as its concrete walling is collapsing. The original 1930/40`s canal was enlarged in the 1990 which has destroyed many of the original structures of the canal. The area is very rich in Cultural Heritage Resources associated with the canal building and the agricultural development. These include architecture of houses, outbuildings, workshops, office buildings etc. There is also a totally neglected Museum and two important cemeteries. It is recommended that:- A full Phase II Heritage Impact Assessment be done on the project. Documenting of the history of the scheme and the future management of the comprehensive archives. Specific recommendations be made on the German and Italian cemeteries Specific recommendations be made on the preservation of objects associated with the scheme in the museum 2 C. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page A. Title Page 01 B. Executive Summary 02 C. Table of Contents 03 D. Background Information on the Project 04 E. Background to the Archaeological History 05 F. Description of the Property or Affected Environment 09 G. Description of sites 10 H. Description of the Artefacts, Faunal, Botanical or other Finds and Features 18 I. Clear Description of Burial Grounds and Graves 19 J. Field Rating 20 K. Statement of Significance (Heritage Value) 20 L. Recommendations & Conclusions 20 M. Bibliography 21 N. Appendices 23 . Map: pages: 24 - 26 3 D. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON PROJECT (a) Whether the report is part of a scoping report EIA/HIA or not Report will form part of an EIA (b) Type of Development (e.g. low cost housing project, mining etc.) Bulk Water Supply (Irrigation and Potable water) (c) Whether re-zoning and/or subdivision of land is involved Not applicable (d) Developer and consultants and owner contact details Prepared for: Department of Water Affairs and managed by Vaalharts Water User Association Mr. Gert Kruger (CEO); P.O. Box 4, Jan Kempdorp, 8550 Tel: 053 456 0131; Cell: 082 524 8611; Fax: 053 456 0010 E-mail: [email protected] Consultant: AB Enviro Consult CC. Mr. JP de Villiers, 7 Louis Leipoldt Street, Potchefstroom, 2531 Tel: 018 294 5005; Fax: 018 293 0671 Cell: 083 548 8105; E-mail: [email protected] (e) Terms and Reference The broad generic term Cultural Heritage Resources refers to any physical and spiritual property associated with past and present human use or occupation of the environment, cultural activities and history. The term includes sites, structures, places, natural features and material of paleontological, archaeological, historical, aesthetic, scientific, architectural, religious, symbolic or traditional importance to specific individuals or groups, traditional systems of cultural practice, belief or social interaction. (f) Legislative requirements of Act 25 of 1999. Protected sites in terms of the National Heritage Resources Act, Act No. 25 of 1999 The following are the most important sites and objects protected by the National Heritage Act: Structures or parts of structures older than 60 years. Archaeological sites and objects. 4 Paleontological sites. Meteorites. Ship wrecks. Burial grounds. Graves of victims of conflict. Public monuments and memorials. Structures, places and objects protected through the publication of notices in the Gazette and Provincial Gazette. Any other places or objects, which are considered to be of interest or of historical or cultural significance. Geological sites of scientific or cultural importance. Sites of significance relating to the history of slavery in South Africa. Objects to which oral traditions are attached. Sites of cultural significance or other value to a community or pattern of South African history E. BACKGROUND TO THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORY OF THE AREA THE VAALHARTS IRRIGATION SCHEME The Vaalharts Water Irrigation Scheme is located on the border between the Northern Cape- and the North West Province at the confluence of the Harts- and Vaal rivers. It is mainly in the Dikgatlong Local Municipality – the name refers to meeting place of the Harts and Vaal Rivers (http://www.francesbaard.gov.za). The establishment of an irrigation scheme was already suggested in 1870s by Land-surveyor Francis HS Orpen (Van Vuuren 2012). He realised that the Vaal River bed that is higher than that of the Harts River made gravity irrigation a viable option. The Griqualand West War intervened with these plans. Cecil John Roads wanted to divert the water of the scheme, then known as the Harts River Valley Irrigation Scheme, to the diamond fields at Kimberley (van Vuuren 2012). He was granted land for this venture but could not raise the money. The Government was at that stage not willing to spend money on the project. After several unsuccessful attempts the scheme was eventually prompted by the Government policy to grant land to soldiers returning from World War I (WWI). It was first proposed to build a dam in the Vaal River at Christiana. In view of the need for water on the Rand, the decision was made to construct the Vaal Dam (van Vuuren 2012). The droughts of 1923/24 and 1931/33, and an exponential demand for water from the Witwatersrand, prompted the established of Vaal Dam, intended to increase the supply from the Vaal River (Haarhoff and Tempelhoff 1997). The Vaal River Development Scheme Act No. 38 made provision for the construction of the Vaal Dam 20 km downstream of the confluence of the Wilge and Vaal rivers. Almost half of the storage of the Vaal Dam would be reserved for irrigation at the Vaalharts settlement. The Rand Water Board would fund the major expenditure on the Vaal. The water from the Vaal Dam would flow to a diversion weir (then known as the Knoppiesfontein Dam) (The Water Wheel Jan/Feb 2010) 57 km downstream and then 5 through the main canals to the scheme. The construction of both projects would be done concurrently (van Vuuren 2012). The Vaalharts irrigation scheme was intended to provide employment and a means of sustainable living to impoverished whites who had been left destitute by the consequences of the Anglo Boer War (1899-1902), the rinderpest (1896-1897), and the depression of 1930-1933 (Haarhoff and Tempelhoff 1997). Cecil John Rhodes was the first to suggest that the irrigation scheme could alleviate the poverty of whites who sustained major losses through the Rinderpest epidemic – he argued that most whites did not want to work on the diamond fields but preferred to farm (van Vuuren 2012). Irrigation schemes frequently serve as vehicles to relieve poverty (Tempelhoff et al. 2012). The first work began in 1933 although the Act was approved by Parliament only in 1934 (Act 38 of 1938). More than 7000 profile holes were put into find suitable land (approximately 43 000 ha) for the irrigation scheme (Troskie 2008). The scheme would comprise a storage dam, weir and associated canals. Manual labour and mechanical construction means were used. Digging of the canals was done mainly with pick and shovel and 6 kg hammers were used to break up the rock. It often took months to reach canal depth in very rocky sections and the area known as the ‘blue canal’ was particularly difficult to excavate (The Water Wheel 2010; Van Vuuren 2012). (See The Water Wheel Jan/Feb 2010 and van Vuuren 2012:129-131 for detail on the construction, the irrigation specifics and photographs of the construction and infrastructure. The report by Moedi Consulting Engineers (2013) includes a good photograph of the canal lining taken in 1934). The construction took place during what became known as the Great Depression and the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme made extensive use of manual labour from white men as pointed out above. Different wage structures are mentioned in the literature (Troskie 2008; van Vuuren 2012). What is important is that the daily bonus was paid into a Post Office Saving Account; the latter money was only made available after completion of work (van Vuuren 2012). Labourers were housed in camps (without their families). The excavations of the canals took place over a linear distance of 80 km so that each section was separately overseen by section and resident engineers and each section had its own camp (The Water Wheel 2010).